The Coming Wave of Unity

 ON THE FEAST OF THE CHAIR OF ST. PETER

FOR two weeks, I have sensed the Lord repeatedly encouraging me to write about ecumenism, the movement toward Christian unity. At one point, I felt the Spirit prompt me to go back and read the “The Petals”, those four foundational writings from which everything else here has sprung. One of them is on unity: Catholics, Protestants, and the Coming Wedding.

As I began yesterday with prayer, a few words came to me that, after having shared them with my spiritual director, I want to share with you. Now, before I do, I have to tell you that I think that all of what I’m about to write will take on new meaning when you watch the video below that was posted on Zenit News Agency’s website yesterday morning. I didn’t watch the video until after I received the following words in prayer, so to say the least, I have been utterly blown away by the wind of the Spirit (after eight years of these writings, I never get used to it!).

Many of you are familiar with my writings here that deal with the Church Father’s theology of the coming “Day of the Lord”, ^[1]cf. Faustina, and the Day of the Lord; Two More Days; How the Era Was Lost; and Dear Holy Father… He is Coming! a day whose threshold I believe we are beginning to cross. In prayer yesterday morning, I sensed the Lord say that we are entering a time now when He is turning the hearts of children toward their fathers—that Protestants will begin turning their hearts toward “the Church Fathers”, towards their apostolic roots. This, of course, is what the prophet Malachi wrote:

Now I am sending to you Elijah the prophet, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and terrible day; he will turn the heart of fathers to their sons, and the heart of sons to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with utter destruction. (Mal 3:23-24)

But you’ll note that fathers will also turn their hearts toward their children, that is, the Church will reach out to her lost children and separated brethren.

Then I sensed the Lord go on to say,

From the East, will spread like a wave, My ecumenical movement of unity… I will open doors that no one will shut; I will bring about in the hearts of all those I’m calling a unified witness of love… under one shepherd, one people—the final witness before all the nations.

For those of you who are following my daily Mass reflections, yesterday’s meditation ends, “…the hour of the Church’s greatest witness is upon us.” I don’t think I fully understood what those words meant myself until after yesterday’s morning prayer.

Consider the words of Jesus in the Gospel of John:

I pray not only for [the Apostles], but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me. (John 17:21)

Jesus’ prayer hinges the belief in His coming as Savior of the world upon Christian unity. St. Paul likewise expresses that the mysterious masterplan of God unfolding is to…

…equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the extent of the full stature of Christ. (Eph 4:12-13)

From this divine plan flows the eschatology of the Church Fathers that includes the Passion of the Church, and the coming “Era of Peace” that leads to the full unity of the body of Christ. I wish to speak further of this in my next writings how these passages, the End Times, Mariology, the Charismatic Renewal, and ecumenism ties into this.

Today, more than ever, we need people who live holy lives, watchmen who proclaim to the world a new dawn of hope, brotherhood and peace. —BLESSED JOHN PAUL II, Message to Guanelli Youth Movement, Vatican, April 20th, 2002

There is a wave coming, and the earthquake that set it loose was the prayer of Jesus that we may “all be one.” For He said, “This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” ^[2]cf. Jn. 13:35

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the world as a witness to all nations, and then the end will come. (Matt 24:14)

Jesus told us: “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Mt 5:9). In taking up this task [of ecumenism], also among ourselves, we fulfil the ancient prophecy: “They shall beat their swords into ploughshares” (Is 2:4). —POPE FRANCIS, Evangelii Gaudium, n. 244

And let us pray to the Lord that He unites us all… And this is a miracle; the miracle of unity has begun. —POPE FRANCIS, in video to Kenneth Copeland Ministries, Feb. 21st, 2014; Zenit.org

Tweet

The following video contains a personal message to Kenneth Copeland Ministries from Pope Francis through his longtime friend, Anglican Episcopal Bishop, Tony Palmer. It is the sound of God’s wave crashing upon the souls of His children… I encourage you to watch the whole video, which has been moving many people—both Catholics and Protestants—to tears.
The full 45 minute version can be seen here or in the video below. (Note: Keep in mind, the two opening speakers are evangelical/Protestant and share historical views of the Church that aren’t quite accurate, as one might expect. But that is not the point here… listen with your heart.)