“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets rest on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)Christ invites us to love God in such a way that we have no other desire than to follow His will. Thus, while remaining consistent with the legalistic vision of the Old Testament, the notions of freedom and law take on a new meaning, more in keeping with our human aspirations. “If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law” (Galatians 5:18). Some have assumed that this means that the righteous are above the law, but rather, it means that they follow the law closely and with love, to the point where submission is no longer required. The free will is fully engaged. St. Thomas Aquinas comments in this respect on St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians: "The free soul can therefore be said to be free, not because it submits itself to the divine law, but because, by the effect of good habit, it inclines to do what the divine law commands." This perspective on both inner life and freedom can bear fruit in the situation Christians are living today. Unity and freedom: remedies to individualism Christian unity depends on the freedom of each person and their friendship with God. It is possible that, before the pandemic, we may never have thought about this, and that we understand the notion of freedom as the simple ability to do whatever one wants. Today, the freedom to act is being questioned in favour of a collective goal, which is to avoid too many pandemic-related illnesses and deaths. However, a search for freedom as envisioned by Christ and by Saint Paul is still accessible to us at every moment. This implies a trust in God and a hope in Him. We cannot currently choose all the necessary measures to manage this pandemic; we are powerless in the face of its effects and the effects of government-enforced health measures. Yet God wants us to be free; He wants our hearts to be united to do good wherever it happens. By His grace, despite the restrictive health measures, this unique freedom is accessible to us. Thus, this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity comes at the right time. It is an opportunity to ask ourselves: how do we perceive unity? Through social media? Through joyful but superficial encounters? Or through sustained prayer for the salvation of the world? How do our Christian friends from other denominations resemble us and what do we have in common in the face of this particular crisis? We need to trust in God's love for them and for the world and to unite ourselves to this Love. We can each and every one of us be free thanks to the Holy Spirit, and this is more than ever an opportunity for us to live this freedom in our prayers and in our conscience.
In June, 2024, the domed roof and interior of St. Anne's Anglican Church in Toronto tragically burned down. However, the parish community continues to stand strong and serve its neighbourhood.
Julien Hammond looks back on the history of Catholic interreligious dialogue in the six decades since Vatican II's landmark Declaration.
Nicholas Jesson reflects on the common faith of Christians, the theme of this year's Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
Sr. Donna Geernaert, SC reflects on the origins and context-driven method of the International International Anglican-Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission.
Guest contributor Dr. Murray Watson reflects on the lessons of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur for Christians and all people.