In November, 2001, Vassula was invited to an official symposium on ecumenism at a place called Farfa, outside Rome. It was held by the sisters of St. Birgitta. Vassula was to represent the point of view of unity from a lay person. Each participant had to speak for an hour to be followed by a debate with questions. The whole committee consisted of Roman Catholics and Lutherans. The Catholic Bishop of Sweden was there as well as many professors of theology and Monsignors and different clergy. The four day symposium had many speakers all of whom were theologians and clergy apart from Vassula.

When Vassula had finished her talk and was waiting for questions to come in and a debate to start, the theologian who led the symposium was weeping. He then said: “This sermon on unity we have just heard was the most fervent sermon I have ever heard in my entire life. Therefore, I do not want any questions to be raised here, because this was a prophetic voice speaking and when it comes to prophecy, we listen and carry out what is asked from us.

God’s Calling to His People
by Vassiliki Rydén

Lord, I pray as you have prayed: may we all be one, as the Father is in you and you in him, so that the rest of the world may believe it was the Father who sent you. For this we pray too for the sheep who are not of your fold, that they too will listen to your voice. We pray that the world may come to love you from today onwards. Amen.

Introduction

First and foremost, I thank our Lord for this spiritual gathering, because it is a grace given by God for all of us, giving us opportunities to expand his Kingdom, bringing us closer into reconciliation. So any delicacy from our part to restore the tottering house of Christ touches the Lord profoundly. Any step towards a spiritual unity and all heaven rejoices! Any prayer offered for the restoration of Christ’ Body, and the Father’ wrath diminishes. Any gathering in his Holy Name for unity and his blessings are poured out on those sharing these meetings. For this I give glory to God who never fails us.

In this hour I would like to share with you an introduction of the role of a lay person in the Church and then three themes. The first theme is on metanoia, fruit of humility that leads to reconciliation and unity, the second one is about our sin of division and the third one is on the role of the Holy Spirit in leading us to unity. .

When I received this invitation to speak about an ecumenical spirituality I was reluctant to put into words my particular experience with God. I do not dare to formulate a classified “spirituality” out of my own intimate “conversations with Christ.” Rather, I will leave the freedom of God who lifted the prophets and who spoke and revealed himself “in many and various ways” (Heb 1,1) to convey again His message through a weak hand, a member of Christ’ Body. In this sense, what follows is a different kind of testimony of the mystical tradition of the Church. Therefore, what you will hear in this hour is not an academic theology discourse, simply because I am not a theologian, but rather a lived example of a lay witness to unity when called by God for his service.

I, myself come from the Greek Orthodox Church. In our book for the doctrine of the Orthodox Church, book I, published in 1997 by Mr. Trembelas, on p. 79, it reads: “Revelations are defined as an act taken by God by which he notifies his reasonable creatures about the mysteries of his existence, nature and will, according to their limited intellectual capacity…” etc. It will be worth reading p. 78 where it describes the necessity of God himself guiding his people. There are many more references on the role of the laity in our Orthodox Church, but limited time prevents us to study them in detail here.

It is known as well that the second Vatican Council has underlined how important it is that the laity contributes to spreading the Good News through the various gifts God bestows upon his Church. In Lumen Gentium, the Council clearly states that the laity participates in the prophetic office of Christ. Christ fulfils this prophetic office, not only by the hierarchy but also by the laity. He accordingly both establishes them as witnesses and provides them with the sense of the faith and the grace of the word (LG 35). Every lay-person has a part to play in this service of the Gospel according to the charism God has given him and through those gifts given to him, is at once the witness and the living instrument of the mission of the Church itself, “according to the measure of Christ’ bestowal.” (Eph 4,7). It is obvious then from what the churches assess, that the laity have a very important role to play in the world and that the charisms the Holy Spirit bestows upon his people always are for the service of the community and for the benefit of the Church.

From the very beginning of this call, our Lord by grace approached me with royal prodigality, addressing me in poetry since religion and virtue were his sweet converse during these last sixteen years with me. Without any merit I was called and I responded; Scriptures say: “I believed, and therefore this is the reason why I speak.” (2 Co 13). Then I was asked by the Lord to acknowledge him and by acknowledging him he showed me his Cross of unity.

One of the first words of command of Christ to me were these: “Which house is more important, your house or my house?” I replied: “Your house, Lord.” Then he said: “Revive my house, embellish my house, unite my house.” I was struck with helplessness and I felt miserable. I lamented: “I do not know how to do all of this. I know nothing!” Christ then said: “Remain nothing; I want a nothing and in your nothingness I will show my authority, my power and that I Am; so die to yourself and allow my Holy Spirit to breathe in you.” From thereon he asked me to walk with him but after having gone through many spiritual fires. In this way I received the seed of God without any merit. It is written: “No one can have anything unless God gives it to him.” (Jn 3, 27)

This work of the Holy Spirit is printed in eleven volumes and translated in 40 languages. (published under the general name of: True Life in God). In these spiritual writings we see how God is giving us opportunities to be perfect and be able to reach deification through his divinity and become god’ by participation. The fruits of this work are numerous, because they too are coming from the Lord and every good thing comes from the Lord. It is worthwhile mentioning one of them. Today all over the world exist more than a thousand ecumenical prayer groups that were formed through these inspired writings by the name of “True life in God.” These ecumenical prayer groups consist of different church denominations that gather together to pray for unity and reconciliation of the churches. From these groups, nine charity houses have opened to feed the poor and the needy. They are called Beth Myriam that means house of Mary. There will be others that will open by the grace of God, in the near future and will become active as well.

Through God’ grace I have been invited in sixty countries so far, to testify the great works of the Lord. This was done in more than 700 meetings, to Roman Catholics, Orthodox and to various other churches. I could not refuse either to address our other brothers and sisters who are not Christians. Our Lord opened as well a door for the non-Christians, and so I was called to address the Jews, as well as the Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists, who, after addressing them the Word of God, found their freedom and reconciled with the triune God, asking for the sacrament of baptism. For Christ had prayed to the Father for this and said: “I pray not only for these but also for those who through their teaching will come to believe in me.” (Jn 17, 20).

In March 2000, the Lord permitted us to gather in his birthplace, Bethlehem. 450 people came from far and wide; yes, from more than 55 countries and from 12 different churches to an international meeting of prayer for peace and unity. We gathered as one single family. With us we had 75 clergy also from 12 different churches that came, but also other clergy from the Holy Land, who, hearing of this prayer meeting joined us as well. This ecumenical event was co-ordinated by some Jews and Palestinians who were touched by the inspired writings of “True Life in God”. They believed in the redemption of Christ and of his saving plan in our days and volunteered to organize this meeting.

When one knows how in our days, Palestinians and Jews are fighting against each other, their reconciliation is a sign of the power of the Holy Spirit who joined those two nations to work for a meeting for peace between the divided Christians. As Scriptures say: “Peacemakers, when they work for peace, sow the seeds which will bear fruit in holiness.” (Jm 3, 18). This is a lesson for all of us.

To watch all these clergy wearing different vestments, yet all Christians, one beside the other, smiling, sharing, and making no difference at all between them, participating in prayers and Liturgies, was obviously a triumph for our Lord. We lived and had a foretaste of what unity will be like one day between Christians and we give glory to God. Before the speeches and the introductions, we had all the clergy lined up to perform a procession. It was awesome. Some were holding icons, others statues of the Sacred Heart and a statue of the Virgin Mary; actually the Madonna was held by a Lutheran pastor and he was very proud of it. Others had incense, others had candles, Greek Orthodox clergy wearing round their necks rosaries that have been exchanged with their crosses and Panayias with the Roman Catholic clergies’ rosaries and they all marched with a Byzantine hymn chanting the Kyrie eleisson.

We had speeches given to us from clergy of different churches on unity. Their speech resounded like they came from one voice and one mind. We sensed the great desire of all of us being one, during their talks. Even there was a touching moment when several clergy from different churches were on the podium and one Roman Catholic priest fell on his knees and went around kissing the feet of all the other clergy, asking to be forgiven. With this spontaneous act of humility, a Coptic priest touched to tears, did the same thing and crawled down to kiss the feet of his brothers in Christ. We saw and we watched the thirst of the laity and the clergy, they have for unity. But we sensed at the same time the great wounds our division has produced on the Mystical Body of Christ and this is the reason we felt so joyful and consoled to experience these sincere acts of humility and reconciliation. Had it been an official meeting and had we been officials of the Church and had we the power and authority, we would have performed unity right there and then declaring it to the world.

The majority of us are tired of this division, because it is not according to our law of love. Christ is even more tired of seeing us divided. The cheers and acclamations of joy of all these nations who were bonded together, appealing for a complete unity among Christians exposed that this division is not only a sin but a crime as well. Yet, I tell you that the biggest crime of all is to have the dates of Easter separated. How good it will be when we all cry out together: “Christos Anesti” in one voice all in one day. We all say, “Thy Will be done on earth as it is in heaven…” Well then, what is holding the officials of the Church back to do the Will of God and declare their reconciliation if already the laity and priests around the world are living a unity? Unity began yesterday… we saw it… we lived it… we rejoiced in it, and we want it as much as the Holy Spirit wants it. Jesus Christ united us together by his Blood, so how can one deny this unity? “He is the peace between us, and has made the Gentile and the Jew into one and broken down the barrier which used to keep them apart, actual destroying in his own person the hostility caused by the rules and decrees of the Law.” (Ep 2, 14-15). How can we say “no” to God, if he wants us to unite? Could it be because our hearts have hardened? Have we forgotten the Holy Father’ words when he said: “The elements that unite us are far greater than those that divide us”? So we should take up those elements and use them to smoothen up the way to a complete unity.

The graces we received in those days in the Holy Land were innumerable. A Greek Orthodox Archimandrite from the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, having heard we were there, called all 450 people and invited all of us to the Holy Sepulchre Church and another day to Mount Tabor to be present in the Liturgies and even to partake the pre-sanctified gifts if we wished and believed in the Holy Presence of Jesus in this Holy Communion.

There were so many moments of joy to see Orthodox, Lutherans, Catholics, Anglicans, Baptists etc. praying together the rosary, all near each other and not withdrawn because this prayer supposedly is prayed only by the Roman Catholics. On the contrary, we made no differences. The prayer of the Rosary linked us together, and the exposed Blessed Sacrament for adoration, even more, for in front of our Lord we kneeled and felt in this oneness that we were indeed the sons and the daughters of the Most High because everyone was moved by the Spirit. (Rm 8, 14), and like children belonging to one family, together, side-by-side we were one and not one against the other, for the spirit of differentiation was not among us anymore. In these moments we realized that we were living by grace and not by law. (Rm 6, 14). Our hearts were bound together and in Christ’ presence we felt truly united in the spirit and in God’ love. Indeed, in these moments we had one mind and one heart all united in Christ’ Heart. Later on, all the clergy said that when they will go back home, they will continue to promote this spiritual unity and will testify to their brothers what they lived and what they had seen so that they too rejoice in one Lord.

From what we gathered during our pilgrimage of unity in the Holy Land, we sensed that prayers were more powerful than our speeches and dialogues because hardly did we open our mouths to pray together, and our prayers were already heard and were answered. Just as the Holy Father back in October 1986 invited to Assisi representatives of the great world religions to pray fo