Steps on the Long Road to Unity

Pope Benedict XVI spoke about the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which begins tomorrow, in his words in today's General Audience.  He called on people not to be discouraged by the long and difficult road to unity, but rather to continue that road through praying for unity as a gift, drawing closer to God and to His love, and through charitable works that show our shared understanding.  He also mentioned the day of Jewish-Christian reflection that takes place today in some countries, including Italy.  Asia News and Catholic News Agency have articles.  Full translations are available from the Vatican, Zenit and Papa Ratzinger Forum. 

Here is an excerpt from Zenit:

"The prayer for Christian unity, however, cannot be limited to a week of the year. The joint invocation to the Lord, to bring about, when and how he knows, the full unity of all his disciples, must be extended to each day of the year.

"Moreover, the harmony of objectives in the "diakonia" to relieve man's sufferings, the search for the truth of Christ's message, conversion and penance, are imperative stages through which every Christian worthy of the name must unite with his brother to implore the gift of unity and communion. "