Pope Benedict XVI, the pope who declared the Year of Faith, did so in hopes of rekindling the passion and love among the whole Church for the essential truths of our faith. The Second Vatican Council produced many profound documents that address, open up, and apply these truths to the people.
One of these documents is entitled Nostra Aetate in Latin and alternatively recognized in English as The Declaration of the Church on Relations to Non-Christian Religions. Paragraph 2 of Nostra Aetate reads:
Likewise, other religions found everywhere try to counter the restlessness of the human heart, each in its own manner, by proposing "ways," comprising teachings, rules of life, and sacred rites. The Catholic Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in these religions. She regards with sincere reverence those ways of conduct and of life, those precepts and teachings which, though differing in many aspects from the ones she holds and sets forth, nonetheless often reflect a ray of that Truth which enlightens all men.
Thus, even within other religions, some "ray of Truth" can be found.
Since, the law of the Lord is written on the hearts of his people, we all yearn for our God. Dt.30:11-20
As we near the end of the Year of Faith, let's work in patience and fortitude to become one, more and more, with every human being who shares our journey and search for God, whether Christian or non-Christian, whether practicing or non-practicing.
Let us pray for the grace to encourage and to be encouraged to find God where we are, in our hearts and in our lives.
Let us especially pray for the grace to encourage and to be encouraged to find God in the Church, through prayer and Sacrament.
Let us BE Sacrament that we all may seek God where he may be found and reach out to God where God already eagerly waits to embrace us.
