All Christians called to witness God's love, source of hope, pope says

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- As they pray and work for unity, Christians have an obligation to share with the world the hope that comes from being certain of God's constant, faithful love, Pope Francis said.

Meeting Jan. 20 with members of an annual pilgrimage of Lutheran, Catholic and Orthodox leaders from Finland, Pope Francis told them, "That faithful love is the basis of the hope that does not disappoint!"

With hope as the theme of the Holy Year 2025, the pope told the delegation that Christians can be certain, as the Letter to the Romans says, that "neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

"To testify to this incarnate love is our ecumenical vocation, in the communion of all the baptized," the pope said.

Since the delegation was traveling with the Cappella Sanctae Mariae, a choir from St. Mary's Catholic Parish in Helsinki, Pope Francis used a musical metaphor to talk about the ecumenical importance of the celebration this year of the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea and the Nicene Creed.

"The Nicene Creed, which we all share, is an extraordinary 'score' of faith," he said. "And this 'symphony of truth' is Jesus Christ himself, the very center of the symphony."

Jesus is "truth incarnate, true God and true man, our Lord and Savior. Whoever listens to this 'symphony of truth' -- not only with the ears, but with the heart -- will be touched by the mystery of God, who reaches out to us, full of love, in his Son," the pope told the group.

The delegation visiting Rome during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity was led by Orthodox Archbishop Elia Wallgrén of Helsinki and All Finland, Catholic Bishop Raimo Goyarrola of Helsinki and Lutheran Bishop Matti Salomäki of Lapua, Finland.