Happy New Year!

Dear Readers,

There is an inspiring New Year’s resolution in Igino Giordani’s Diary of Fire:

Take love away from life and life grows cold. Take love out of social relationships and the whole earth becomes a North Pole. It is the lack of love which has made human life the most difficult of professions. Love resolves all; it heals all wounds, compensates for all harm done and sets people free from all forms of servitude.

Over the years, as a tradition, we’ve dedicated the January issue of our magazine to ecumenical dialogue in order to offer poignant stories and useful insights that we can all benefit from and apply to our efforts to build unity everywhere. “That they may become one in your hand” (Ezek 37:17) is the theme for this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (January 18–25).

Addressing close to 50 religious leaders in Australia during the recent World Youth Day, Benedict XVI said that the ecumenical movement “has reached a critical juncture” and that doctrine must not be viewed as divisive. Dialogue between Christians advances not only through an exchange of ideas, he continued, “but by sharing in mutually enriching gifts.” He explained: “An idea aims at truth; a gift expresses love. Both are essential to dialogue.”

May these inspiring thoughts give us new determination to do all we can to bring love wherever we are. May the year 2009 become a beacon of hope for this young millennium.

Best wishes for a happy, joyful and love-filled New Year!