The Pope to his parishioners:
'Be witnesses of love in a world
where God seems absent'
Translated from the Italian service of
December 11, 2011
As originally scheduled, the Pope was first welcomed by the schilren of the parish gathered in the internal courtyard of the Church, at which time he addressed these remarks to them:
A good Sunday to you all! We know that Christmas is near, Let us prepare ourselves not only with gifts but with our hearts. Let us think that Christ our Lord is close, he enters our life and gives us light and joy. St. Paul tells us today to 'pray all the time'. Of course, he doesn't mean we should always be saying words of prayer, but that we should never lose contact with God in our heart. If we are in touch with him, then there is joy. So I wish you all the joy of Christmas and all the joy of the presence in our hearts of the Child Jesus who is God. Best wishes, a good Sunday, and a merry Christmas to all!
A very warm welcome this morning for the Pope at the Roman parish of Santa Maria delle Grazie, where he made a pastoral visit on the third Sunday of Advent.
Benedict XVI began his homily with the prophecy from Isaiah: "The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; He has sent me to bring good news to the afflicted... to announce a year of favor from the LORD" (Is 61,1-2).
"These words," he said, "pronounced so many centuries ago, "resound very actually to us today, while we are in mid-Advent, already in view of the great Solemnity of the Nativity. They are words that rekindle hope, prepare us to receive the salvation of the Lord, and announce the inauguration of a time of grace and liberation".
"Advent," he said, "is precisely a time of waiting, of hope, and of preparation for the visit of the Lord. To this task, we are invited by the figure and the preaching of John the Baptist, as we heard in the Gospel proclaimed earlier (cfr Jn 1,6-8,19-38).
"John retreated to the desert to live a very austere life and by his very life, to invite the people to conversion. He conferred a baptism of water. a unique rite of penitence which distinguished it from the multiple rites of exterior purification by the various sects of his time.
"Who then was this man? Who was John the Baptist? His response was of a surprising humility. He was not the Messiah, he was not the light. He was not Elijah returned to earth, nor the awaited great prophet. He was a precursor, a simple witness, totally subordinate to him whom he was announcing".
He was 'a voice in the wilderness", he added extemporaneously. "Likewise today, in the deserts of the big cities of this world where we see the absence of God, we need voices that simply announce to us: 'There is a God, and he is always near to us even if he seems absent'. (The Baptist) was a voice in the desert, a witness to the light, and this touches us to the core because in this world with so many shadows, so much darkness, we are called to be witnesses to the light. This is our mission in Advent: to be witnesses to the Light, and we can be thus only if we carry the Light in us, not just that we are sure there is Light, but that we have seen that Light".
The Pope then thanked Cardinal Agostini Vallini, his Vicar General in Rome, and the entire parish community as well as "all the residents of the neighborhood, especially the aged, the sick, persons who are alone and are in difficulty, without forgetting the large Filipino community within the parish which participates actively in the fundamental events of community life".
[
The Pope went on to enumerate the various parochial activities and initiatives which he praised.]
He praised activities like prayer meetings,
lectio divina and Eucharistic Adoration as "initiatives that are invaluable for spiritual growth at the personal and community levels".
"But I wish to remind you of the importance and centrality of the Eucharist. The Holy Mass must be the center of your Sundays, which must be rediscovered and lived as a day for God and the community, a day on which to praise and celebrate him who who was born for us, died and resurrected for our salvation, and asks us to live together in joy, to be a community that is open and ready to welcome every person who is alone or in difficulty. Do not lose the sense of Sunday and be faithful to the Eucharistic encounter. The first Christians were ready to give their life for this".
He spoke of their role in the new evangelization.
"It is my duty to ask you to be vigilant and to know in depth the reasons for our faith and for the Christian message as it has been transmitted to us with a guarantee of authenticity by the bimillennial tradition of the Church.
"Continue the work of evangelization with catechesis and correct information on what we believe, what the Catholic Church announces. Propose with clarity the truths of Christian faith, and be ready to respond to whoever asks you the reason for the hope that you have" (1Pt 3,15).
"Live the language understandable to all of love and brotherhood, without forgetting your duty to purify and strengthen your own faith in the face of dangers and traps which threaten it in these times.
"Overcome the limits of individualism, of closing in upon yourselves, the fascination of relativism which considers every behavior permissible, the attraction of certain forms of religious sentiment which exploit the most profound needs and aspirations of the human soul by proposing illusory prospects of easy relief.
"Faith is a gift of God, but it demands our response, a decision to follow Christ not only when he heals or relieves us, but even when he speaks of the love that means giving oneself if necessary".
He spoke of the need to bear witness through charity, which, he said, should characterize the life of the community.
"In these years, you have seen the number of your members grow rapidly, but you have also seen the arrival of many people in difficult conditions who need you, your material help, but also and above all, your faith and witness as believers. Act so that the face of your community may always express concretely God's love which is rich in mercy and invites us to go to him with trust".
He had special words of affection for the children and young people of the parish. "The today and tomorrow of history, and the future of the faith are entrusted specially to you who are the new generations. The Church expects much from your enthusiasm, your ability to look ahead, to be inspired by ideals, and your desire for radical choices in life. Your parish is with you, and I wish you all to feel my encouragement".
Finally, the Pontiff recalled the invitation to rejoice addressed by St. Paul to the Thessalonians, "Brothers, rejoice always" (1Ts 5,16) which "marks this Sunday, commonly called Gaudete. It resounds from the first word of today's entrance antiphon: 'Rejoice always in the Lord: I repeat, rejoice! The Lord is near' - words that S. Paul wrote from prison".
'Yes," the Pope concluded, "we are joyful because the Lord is near, and in a few days, on the night of the Nativity, we will celebrate the mystery of his birth. Mary, she who first heard the angel's invitation - 'Rejoice, (you who are) full of grace, the Lord is with you' (Lk 1,28) - shows us the way to reach true joy, that which comes from God. Santa Maria delle Grazie, Mother of Divine Love, pray for us. Amen."
Dear brothers and sisters of the Parish of Santa Maria delle Grazie:
We earlier heard the prophecy of Isaiah: "The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; He has sent me to bring good news to the afflicted... to announce a year of favor from the LORD" (Is 61,1-2).
These words, pronounced so many centuries ago, resound more actual than ever for us today, while we are midway through Advent and almost in sight of the great Solemnity of the Nativity. They are words that reawaken hope, prepare us to welcome the salvation of the Lord, and announce the inauguration of a time of grace and liberation.
Advent is precisely a time of waiting, of hope, and of preparation for the Lord's visit. We are invited to this task by the figure and the preaching of John the Baptist, as we heard in the Gospel proclaimed just a while ago (cfr Jn 1,6-8,19-28).
John had retreated to the desert to live a very austere life and to invite, through his way of life, the people to conversion. He conferred a baptism of water, a unique rite of penitence that was distinct from the multiple rites of exterior purification practised by the sects in his time.
Who then is this man? Who is John the Baptist? His response was of a surprising humility. Ne was not the Messiah, he was not the light. He was not Elijah returned to earth, nor the great prophet who was awaited. He was the precursor, a simple witness, totally subordinate to him whom he announced.
He was a voice in the desert, just as today, in the desert of the world's large cities, of the great absence of God, we need voices that will simply tell us, ""There is a God, he is always close to us even when he seems absent".
He was a voice in the desert and a witness to the light - and this touches us to the core, because in this world of so many shadows, so much darkness, we are all called to be witnesses to the light.
This is our mission at Advent time: to bear testimony to the light, and we can be such witnesses if we carry the light within us, if we are not just sure that there is light, but that we have seen it.
In the Church, in the Word of God, in the celebration of the Sacraments - in the Sacrament of Confession, with the forgiveness we receive, in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, where the Lord gives himself into our hands and hearts - we touch the light and receive this mission: to be witnesses today that there is light, and to carry that light in our time.
Dear brothers and sisters! I am very happy to be among you on this beautiful Sunday - 'Gaudete' - the Sunday of joy that tells us, "Even in the midst of so much doubt and difficulty, joy exists because God exists and is with us".
I heartily greet the Cardinal Vicar, the Auxiliary Bishop of the sector, your parish priest, don Domenico Monteforte, whom I thank not just for the kind words he addressed to me in the name of everyone here, but also for the beautiful gift of recounting the history of the parish.
I greet the parish vicar, and the religious communities: The Apostle Sisters of La Consolata, the Maestre Pie Venerini, and the Guanellians. They are among the valuable presences in your parish and a great spiritual and pastoral resource for the life of the community, as witnesses to the light.
I greet all those who are involved in parish activities: I refer to the catechists - whom I thank for their work -, to the members of prayer groups animated by the movement, Renewal of the Holy Spirit, and to the young people of the Ardent Marian Youth movement.
I extend my thoughts to all the residents of this district, especially to the aged, the sick, persons who are alone and in difficulty, without forgetting the numerous members of the local Filipino community who are well settled here and actively participate in the events that are fundamental to community life.
Your parish was born in one of the typical once-agricultural suburbs of Rome, and was canonically established in 1985 with the beautiful name of Santa Maria delle Grazie. It had taken its first steps in the 1960s when, at the initiative of a group of Dominican priests, led by the unforgettable Fr. Gerard Reed, a small chapel was set up in a family home, a small chapel that was then transferred to a larger space which functioned as the parish church until 2010.
As you know, on May 1 last year, the building in which we are celebrating the Eucharist was dedicated. This new church is a privileged space in which to grow in the knowledge and love of him who in a few days we shall welcome with joy on his Nativity.
As I look at this church and the other parish buildings, I see the fruits of patience, dedication, love - and with my presence, I wish to encourage you to make real in even better ways that church of living stones that you are. Each of you should feel he is an element of this living edifice.
The community is built with the contribution that everyone offers, with the commitment of everyone. I am thinking especially of your involvement in the fields of catechesis, of liturgy and of charity, which are the main support columns of Christian life.
Yours is a young community - I saw that when greeting your children. It is young because it is composed, as the new settlements are, of young families, and because, thanks be to God, there are so many children and adolescents.
I sincerely wish that through the contributions of competent and generous persons, your educational task may develop even better, and that your parish, with the help of the Vicariate of Rome, will soon have a well-designed recreation center, with enough space for play as well as for meetings, to satisfy the requirements of growth in the faith and healthy social activities for the younger generations.
I am happy at what you are doing to prepare children and young people for the Sacraments. The challenge we are facing is to design and purpose a true and proper course of formation in the faith, which involves all those who are starting their Christian initiation, helping them not just to receive the Sacraments but to live them in order to be true Christians.
This purpose, as we heard in the first Reading today, must be lived" justice should germinate as seed germinates in the earth. In living the Sacraments, justice germinates, and so do law and love.
In this regard, the diocesan pastoral verification now taking place, which is concerned precisely with Christian initiation, is a propitious occasion for experiencing and living in depth the Sacraments we receive, like Baptism and Confirmation, and those that we approach to nourish our journey of faith, Penitence and the Eucharist.
That is why, it is necessary, first of all, to be attentive to our relationship with God, through listening to his Word, responding to the Word in prayer, and the gift of the Eucharist.
I know that in the parish, you have been holding prayer meetings, lectio divina, and Eucharistic adoration - these are initiatives that are invaluable for spiritual growth at the personal and community level.
I warmly exhort you to take part in these initiatives in greater numbers. In a special way, I wish to call attention to the importance and the centrality of the Eucharist.
The Holy Mass should be the center of your Sundays, a day that must be rediscovered and lived as the day of God and of the community, a day on which to praise and celebrate him who was born for us, who died and resurrected for our salvation, and who asks us to live together in joy, and to be a community that is open and ready to welcome every person who is alone or in difficulty.
Do not lose the meaning of Sunday and be faithful to the Eucharistic encounter. The first Christians were ready to give their life for this. They knew that the Eucharist is life, and it makes us live.
Coming to you, I cannot ignore that in your territory, a great challenge is posed by religious groups who present themselves as the true repositories of Gospel truth. In this respect, it is my duty to urge you to be vigilant and to know in depth the reasons for your faith and the Christian message, as it has been handed down to us with a guarantee of authenticity by the bimillennial tradition of the Church.
Continue your work of evangelization with catechesis and correct information on what the Catholic Church believes and announces - offer clearly the truths of the Christian faith. You must be ready, as St. Peter says, to respond to those who ask you "the reason for your hope" (1Pt 3,11).
Live the language of love and brotherhood that is understandable to all, but without forgetting the task of purifying and strengthening your own faith in the face of dangers and traps that could threaten it in these times.
Go beyond the limits of individualism, of closing in upon yourself, the fascination of relativism, which considers every behavior permissible, the attraction of certain forms of religious sentiment which exploit the most profound needs and aspirations of the human soul, by proposing illusory prospects of easy solutions.
Faith is a gift of God, but it requires our response, the decision to follow Christ not just when he heals and brings relief, but even when he speaks of love that means giving oneself if necessary.
Another point which I wish to emphasize is the witness of charity which should characterize the life of your community. In recent years, you have seen your number grow rapidly, but you have also seen many persons arrive who are in difficulty and situations of distress - who need you, your material help, but also and above all, your faith and your witness as believers. Act so that the face of your community may always concretely express God's love which is rich in mercy and invites us to go to him with trust.
I wish to address a special word of affection and friendship to you, dearest boys, girls and young people who are listening to me, as well as to those of your age who live in this parish. The today and tomorrow of history and the future of the faith are entrusted to you in a special way, to you who are the new generations.
The Church expects much from your enthusiasm, your ability to look ahead, to be inspired by ideals and by your desire for radical choices in life. The parish is with you, and I want you to feel my encouragement as well.
"Dear brothers, rejoice always" (1Ts 5,16) - This invitation to joy, from St. Paul to the Christians of Thessalonica at that time, also characterizes today's Sunday, called 'Gaudete' from the first words of the Entrance Antiphon to the Mass.
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near" - St. Paul wrote this to the Christians of Philippi (cfr Phil 4,4-5), but he says it also to us.
Yes, we rejoice because the Lord is near, and in a few days, on the night of Christmas, we will celebrate the mystery of his birth. Mary - she who first heard the invitation from the angel: "Rejoice, (you who are) full of grace! The Lord is with you" (Lk 1,28) - shows us the way to reach true joy, that which comes from God. Santa Maria delle Grazie, Mother of Divine Love, pray for us all. Amen.
The last four photos are fuzzy enlargements of Vatican Radio thumbnails.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 12/12/2011 09:01]