63
the Catholic Church,
which is a fundamental aid for
that unitary act with which the Church commu-
nicates the entire content of her faith: âÂÂall that
she herself is, and all that she believesâÂÂ.
39
The unity and integrity of faith
47.âÂÂThe unity of the Church in time and space
is linked to the unity of the faith: âÂÂthere is one
body and one Spirit⦠one faithâ (
Eph
4:4-5).
These days we can imagine a group of people
being united in a common cause, in mutual af-
fection, in sharing the same destiny and a single
purpose. But we find it hard to conceive of a
unity in one truth. We tend to think that a uni-
ty of this sort is incompatible with freedom of
thought and personal autonomy. Yet the experi-
ence of love shows us that a common vision is
possible, for through love we learn how to see
reality through the eyes of others, not as some-
thing which impoverishes but instead enriches
our vision. Genuine love, after the fashion of
GodâÂÂs love, ultimately requires truth, and the
shared contemplation of the truth which is Jesus
Christ enables love to become deep and endur-
ing. This is also the great joy of faith: a unity of
vision in one body and one spirit. Saint Leo the
Great could say: âÂÂIf faith is not one, then it is
not faithâÂÂ.
40
39
âÂÂS
econd
V
atican
E
cumenical
C
ouncil
, Dogmatic
Constitution on Divine Revelation
Dei Verbum
, 8.
40
In Nativitate Domini Sermo
, 4, 6: SC
22, 110.