“[The Father made] known to us the mystery of his will, a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth” (Eph. 1:9a-10).
This is our Father’s plan of salvation: that all people may become one in Christ. In His infinite love, He has paved this way of grace for us, and it is up to us alone to walk it. In His only begotten Son, the Father has given us a visible Head for both angels and men, and in this unity we are called to live.
When people recognize the love of our Father manifested in Christ Jesus and return home, this unity between heaven and earth arises. It is already an undisturbed reality in heaven, but all the saints and angels long for us, as redeemed human beings and their brothers and sisters, to join their voices in unceasing praise of God’s wisdom.
In praising the wisdom of God, who has shown us this way of salvation, we become vigilant lest we somehow fall into the temptation to believe that there might be other ways of salvation outside of Jesus Christ, as if He were not the only Savior of all people. If we were to fall into this, not only would we be departing from the truth, but we would no longer be able to comprehend the all-encompassing love of our Father, nor would we be able to join the faithful angels in worshiping Him who is our common Head: Jesus Christ.
Therefore, we Catholics show and preserve our love for the Father and for all those who are united in Christ by holding fast to the biblical message and the authentic teaching of the Church, without falling into false illusions about other ways of achieving unity and fraternity among all people.