Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-12-23


perity of domestic society and
Of the family as one of the
blessings of Christian peace.
What a source Of joy, of sweet
ness and of peace is this triple
apparition of Bethlehem and of
Nazareth, with the three per-
sons. Jesus, Mary and Joseph
And how profound is the teach
ing Of the little book, THE
Imitation of Christ" which de-
scribes the personality of 1.-THE
good, loving man." OF
whom 1t is said that He turns
everything into good"
III-The third harmonious
and triumphant vibration OF
the Christmas celebration as
ISOLATED with its interior hap
pinesS, which the venerable pre-
lates experienced with a holy
Joy in their personal participa-
ton in the celebration Of the
council, finds expression in the
holy brotherhood of the bishops
Reality Exceeds Expectation
Truly the grace of the LORD
has been poured out on his
Church beyond all expectation
We were trembling at the
thought that the goodness OF
our Blessed Lord wished to take
pity on the miseries Of a WORLD
OF which he is the Savior ano
Redeemer, but which, after 20
centuries of history, is still SC
far from answering his invita-
ton with a fully generous re-
spouse. The reality has far
surpassed every expectation
This has been done by the
Lord, and in our eyes it is mar
Velous." God has heard anc
answered the prayers of conse-
Grated souls, of children, of the
sick and of the suffering. He
has heard also the yearning Of
those who desire, but do not
know how to pray, of those who
long to re-establish in the Sc
crecy Of conscience the recon.
citation of eternal laws with
the demands of personal voca-
ton.
A characteristic result of the
Ecumenical Council has beer
the spontaneous revelation, al.
most unexpected by most peo-
pie, OF the sense of unity, OF
rather Of the attraction, in.
formed, conscious, and we'll re.
ceived, toward Christian broth
erhood, expressed in the Apos-
ties Greed in its persuasive af-
firmation Of the Church as one
holy catholic and apostolic, not
for the domination but rather
Tor the service of the people OF
all nations. for whom the plar
OF Christ is a deeply felt long.
ing, even though this LONGING
may not always be recognized
in its proper features and de-
velopment.
Over the vast, complex, anc
still turbulent mass of creation
as it is described in the frs
lines OF Genesis, the spirit Of
God was moving. Prescindins
from more exact definitions anC
more detailed applications, it il
certainly true that in regard tt
whatever survives of the spirit
ual patrimony of Holy Church
even where it does not exist IL
its fullnesS, there have been few
times in the course of thu
Christian era-20 centuries II
duration - when so ardent {
longing has been felt in human
hearts for the unity desired by
the Lord.
One Fold, One Shepherd
Such sensitivity as has beer
observed in this first presenta-
ton of the problem of religion
to our contemporaries by means
of the council gathers all TO-
gether in the imagery of thu
one fold and one shepherd. Tit
coming together is sometime!
timid, sometimes not withou
misgivings due to prejudice
which we can well imagine anC
which we wish also to under
stand so that with divine grace
this prejudice may be overcome
The "one fold and one shep,
herd" - expressed with heart
felt supplication in the ~
Unum Sint" of the Last Sup
per-rings out from a distance
Of. 20 Christian centuries anC
makes urgent appeal to tn,
heart Of every individual.
That they may be one, tha'
they may be one! THAT all o
them may be one as Thou il
Me and I in Thee, that the!
also may be one in Us: tina
the world may believe tina
Thou hast sent Me-" This i
the ultimate explanation Of tn
miracle Of love, begun in Beth
lehem, Of which the shepherd
and the magi were the frs