Benedict XVI's last Angelus from
the world's most famous window
'I will continue to serve the Church
with the same love and dedication but
in a way more suited to my age and strength'
"The Lord is calling me to 'climb the mountain', to devote myself even more to prayer and meditation. But this does not mean abandoning the Church, indeed, if God is asking me to do this, it is so I can continue to serve the Church with the same dedication and the same love with which I have done thus far, but in a way that is better suited to my age and my strength... We will always be close in prayer!"
This was Pope Benedict XVI’s parting message on Sunday, during his last Angelus address. At noon the canons sounded from the Janiculum hill and the great bells of St Peter’s basilica rang out. And as the curtains were drawn from his study windows and the red papal banner unfurled, the ocean of pilgrims waiting below erupted into acclamation.
They had come in their thousands, pouring into the square since early dawn, men, women and children, old and young, religious and lay Catholics. They held banners, emblazoned with messages of gratitude and farewell for the 85-year old Pope, who had guided them in the faith over the past eight years.
Pilgrims such as a father and his young son from the earthquake devastated city of Aquilla, central Italy, who held aloft a homemade sign, thanking Pope Benedict for having visited the city’s people in their time of need, for his material support and spiritual solidarity.
the Dominican nuns from the Philippines who had held vigil since dawn praying the rosary. And beside them the young people in their sleeping bags, from Spain, Brazil, Mexico, with their banner that read “the gates of hell will never prevail”.
With outstretched arms and visibly moved, Pope Benedict greeted them all, repeating ‘Grazie, Grazie,’ as he attempted to quiet the crowds. An almost impossible task.
Here is a translation of Benedict XVI's last Angelus reflection as Pope:
Dear brothers and sisters:
Thank you for your affection.
Today, the second Sunday of Lent, we have a particularly beautiful Gospel account, that of the Transfiguration of the Lord.
The evangelist Luke especially highlights the fact that Jesus was transfigured as he prayed: His was a profound experience of relationship with the Father during a kind of spiritual retreat that Jesus had on a mountain in the company of Peter, James and John - the three disciples who were always present at the moments of the Master's divine manifestation (Lk 5,10; 8,51; 9,28).
The Lord, who had pre-announced his death and resurrection not long before this (9,22), offered the disciples a foretaste of his glory. In the Transfiguration, as at the Baptism, the voice of the heavenly Father rang out: "this is my chosen Son. Listen to him!" (9,35).
The presence of Moses and Elijah, who represent the Law and the Prophets of the Old Testament, is just as significant: The entire story of the Old Covenant is oriented towards him, the Christ, who would lead a new 'exodus' (9,31), not towards the Promised Land as in the time of Moses, bot towards Heaven.
Peter's remark, "Master, it is good that we are here" (9,33) the represents the impossible attempt to dwell in such a mystical experience.
St. Augustine commented: "(Peter)... on the mountain.., had Christ for nourishment of the soul. Why did he have to descend to return to labor and suffering when up there, it was full of holy love for God which therefore inspired holy conduct?" (Discourse 78,3: PL 38,491).
Meditating on this Gospel passage, we can draw a very important teaching. First of all, the primacy of prayer, without which all the commitment of apostolate and charity is reduced to activism.
During Lent, let us learn to give the proper time to prayer, personal as well as communal, which gives breath to our spiritual life. Moreover, prayer is not isolation from the world and its contradictions, as Peter wished it to be on Mt. Tabor, but prayer leads us back to the journey, to action.
"Christian existence", I wrote in the Message for Lent this year, "consists in continuously scaling the mountain to meet God and then coming back down, bearing the love and strength drawn from him, so as to serve our brothers and sisters with God’s own love." (No.3).
Dear brothers and sisters, this Word of God I have felt particularly addressed to me at this time in my life...Thank you!
The Lord has called me to 'climb the mountain', to dedicate myself more to prayer and meditation. But this does not mean abandoning the Church. Rather, is God is asking this of me, it is so that I can continue to serve her with the same dedication and the same love that I have tried to do till now, but in a way that is more suitable to my age and strength.
Let us ask the intercession of the Virgin Mary, she who helps all of os us to always follow the Lord Jesus in prayer and in charitable acts.
'WE HAVE UNDERSTOOD YOU AND WILL CONTINUE TO LOVE YOU..
THANK YOU' - YOUR YOUNG PEOPLE
A final Angelus blessing
by Frances D'Emilio
VATICAN CITY, February 24, 2013 (AP) — Pope Benedict XVI gave his pontificate's final Sunday blessing from his studio window to the cheers of tens of thousands of people packing St. Peter's Square, but sought to reassure the faithful that he wasn't abandoning the church by retiring to spend his final years in prayer.
The 85-year-old Benedict is stepping down on Thursday evening, the first pope to do so in 600 years, after saying he no longer has the
mental or physical strength to lead the world's 1.2 billion Catholics.
[I don't know why the AP keeps using this phrase!]
But while he has lately looked tired and frail, the crowd filling the cobblestone square seemed to energize him, and he spoke in a clear, strong voice, repeatedly thanking the faithful for their closeness and affection as they interrupted him, again and again, with applause and cheers. Police estimated some 100,000 people turned out.
Benedict told the crowd that God is calling him to dedicate himself "even more to prayer and meditation," which he will do in a secluded monastery being renovated for him on the grounds behind Vatican City's ancient walls.
"But this doesn't mean abandoning the church," he said, as many in the crowd looked sad at his departure from regular view. "On the contrary, if God asks this of me, it is so I can continue to serve it (the Church) with the same dedication and the same love which I have tried to do until now, but in a way more suitable to my age and to my strength."
The phrase "tried to" was the Pope's adlibbed addition to his prepared text.
Benedict has one more public appearance, a Wednesday general audience in St. Peter's Square.
Benedict smiled at the crowd after an aide parted the white curtain at his window, telling the people, "thank you for your affection."
Heavy rain had been forecast for Rome, and some drizzle dampened the square earlier in the morning. But when Benedict appeared, to the peal of church bells as the clock struck noon, blue sky crept through the clouds.
"We thank God for the sun he has given us," the Pope said, sounding cheerful.
As cheers continued in the crowd, the Pontiff simply turned away from the window and stepped back down into apartment, which he will leave on Thursday, taking a helicopter to the Vatican summer residence in the hills outside Rome while he waits for the monastery to be ready.
A child in the crowd held up a sign on a yellow placard, written in Italian, "You are not alone, I'm with you." Other admirers held homemade signs, saying "Grazie."
No date has yet been set for the start of the conclave of cardinals, who will vote in secret to elect Benedict's successor.
One Italian in the crowd seemed to be doing a little campaigning, hoisting a sign which mentioned the name of two Italian cardinals considered by observers to be potential contenders in the selection of the next pontiff.
Flags in the crowd represented many nations, with a large number from Brazil.
The cardinals in the conclave will have to decide whether it's time to look outside of Europe for a Pope.
The last Angelus blessing from Benedict XVI as Pope...
and Georg Gaenswein closes the 'Angelus window' for the last time...
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 24/02/2013 15:40]