Acta Benedicti Pp. XVI 343

Only by ''holding fast'' to sound teaching 20 will we be able to respond to

the challenges that confront us in an evolving world. Only in this way will we

give unambiguous testimony to the truth of the Gospel and its moral teach-

ing. This is the message which the world is waiting to hear from us. Like the

early Christians, we have a responsibility to give transparent witness to the

''reasons for our hope'', so that the eyes of all men and women of goodwill

may be opened to see that God has shown us his face 21 and granted us access

to his divine life through Jesus Christ. He alone is our hope! God has revealed

his love for all peoples through the mystery of his Son's passion and death,

and has called us to proclaim that he is indeed risen, has taken his place at

the right hand of the Father, and ''will come again in glory to judge the living

and the dead''.22

May the word of God we have heard this evening inflame our hearts with

hope on the path to unity.23 May this prayer service exemplify the centrality

of prayer in the ecumenical movement; 24 for without it, ecumenical struc-

tures, institutions and programs would be deprived of their heart and soul.

Let us give thanks to Almighty God for the progress that has been made

through the work of his Spirit, as we acknowledge with gratitude the personal

sacrifices made by so many present and by those who have gone before us.

By following in their footsteps, and by placing our trust in God alone, I

am confident that - to borrow the words of Father Paul Wattson - we will

achieve the ''oneness of hope, oneness of faith, and oneness of love'' that

alone will convince the world that Jesus Christ is the one sent by the Father

for the salvation of all.

I thank you all.

20 2 Thess 2:15; cf. Rev 2:12-29. 21 Cf. 2 Cor 3:12-18. 22 Nicene Creed. 23 Cf. Lk 24:32. 24 Cf. Unitatis Redintegratio, 8.