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Pope's luncheon for the cardinals:
'History is a struggle between
love of oneself and love of God'
Translated from the 5/21-5/22 issue of
Sorry for the poor photo quality. The pictures are from thumbnails on RV (left) and on OR (right).
History is a struggle between two loves: love of oneself and love of God - a struggle in which it is important to have friends around.
Pope Benedict XVI said this to the cardinals present in Rome who attended a luncheon offered Monday by the Holy Father to thank them for the good wishes they extended on his 85th birthday and the seventh anniversary of his Pontificate.
He began his after-luncheon remarks by saying:
At this time, my words can only be of gratitude. Gratitude to the Lord first of all for the years that he has conceded to me. Years with so many days of joy, splendid times, but also dark nights.
Looking back, however, one understands that even dark nights are necessary and good, and a reason for thanks a well.
Today, the words ecclesia militans ('Church militant') are a bit out of fashion, but in fact, we can understand even better that it is true, that it carries the truth.
We see how evil is trying to be dominant in the world and that it is necessary to join this struggle against evil. We see how evil is working in so many ways, often bloody, with various forms of violence, but also masquerading as good and as such, destroying the moral foundations of society.
The Pontiff then recalled St. Augustine for whom all of history is the struggle between two loves: love of oneself to the point of spurning God; and love of God to the point of giving oneself in martyrdom.
"We are in this struggle, and in this, it is very important to have friends. As for myself, I am surrounded by friends from the College of Cardinals - they are my friends, and I feel at home. I feel secure in this company of great friends who are with me and all of us together with the Lord".
[How many of those cardinals present could have heard those words without flinching? As holy as the Holy Father is, I cannot help thinking he was also being ironic in a typically German way to say those words the week a book came out in Italy that exposed his private letters to the world - never mind if it is not he that comes out looking bad in any of it.
Vatileaks is a criminal and most despicable act of betrayal that is probably looked on favorably, if not with cheers, by some of these very cardinals, whose minions in the Secretariat of State are most likely responsible for actually handing out those documents to a journalist - and then claiming shamelessly that they were doing it for the good of the Church and the Pope!
What did those documents reveal that was not already known or that could even bring one iota of benefit to the Church and to the Pope? All that this has done is to show the world that sinners in the Vatican can be as despicable as the most notorious criminals in the news but for now, they have the advantage - temp[orary, one hopes - of remaining anonymous.]
In conclusion, the Pope expressed his thanks for that friendship. First addressing Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals, he said: Thanks to you, Eminence, for everything you have done in this respect, and will always do. Thank you to all of you for your communion in joy as well as in sorrow.
Let us go forward. The Lord has said to us, "Take courage! I have defeated the world", and we are on the Lord's team, the winning team.
thank you to everyone, and may the Lord Bless you all. Let us drink to that.
Earlier, Cardinal Sodano addressed the following tribute to the Holy Father in the name of the College of Cardinals:
Holy Father, beloved Successor of Peter, last April 16 you observed your 85th birthday, celebrating Mass with the bishops of Bavaria at the Pauline Chapel.
On that day, I had the honor to take part myself in that moment of intense prayer representing the larger Pontifical family. Before the Mass began, I had the duty to thank you for the generous service you have given to the Church in the course of these years, after having responded with love to Jesus's call, "If you love me, feed my lambs, feed my sheep" (Jn 21,15-17).
On that occasion, I asked the Lord to realize in you the promise made by God to the righteous man in Psalm 91: "Longitudine dierum replebo eum et ostendam illi salutare meum" (With length of days I will satisfy him, and fill him with my saving power) (Ps 91,16).
With the same sentiments, I am happy today to renew to Your Holiness, the wishes of my brother cardinals who live in Rome, who congratulate you on the milestone that you have reached and express to you their most fervent wishes for the future.
We are still in Easter time, and 'Alleluia' continues to come from our hearts for the wonders that God continues to manifest among us through the ministry of the Successor of Peter.
Of course, our voices cannot be like those of the Rome Opera Chorus which recently performed for you Verdi's Te Deum, nor can we be like the powerful voices of the Leipzig Choir who on April 20, sang for you Mendelssohn-Bartholdy's famous Lobgesang.
But with the same enthusiasm, at least, we raise a hymn of thanks to the Lord for the gifts that he has given you ad that he has given his Holy Church through your Petrine ministry.
Indeed, during the past seven years, you have never ceased to invite all believers to rediscover the content of the faith, a faith that is professed, celebrated, lived and prayed, as you reminded us very well in the Apostolic Letter Porta fidei.
To a world in search of a better future, Your Holiness has always reminded us that the only forces for progress are those that change man's heart, in fidelity to the spiritual values that can never be extinguished.
Moreover, as a good Samaritan on the roads of the world, you continue to urge us to serving our neighbor, reminding us of the words of Jesus: "Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me" (Mt 25,41).
And now, Holy Father, thank you for inviting us to this fraternal agape. Among the many gravosi negotia (serious matters) of every day, may Your Holiness be able to enjoy at least a moment, or some moments, of that otia (leisure) that the ancient Romans spoke of.
Grateful for your example of great fraternity, we express to you our closeness at the start of the eighth year of your Pontificate and we wish you long and happy and blessed years.
It's too bad that the OR carries the full text of Cardinal Sodano's remarks but not that of the Pope. the full text could not have been appreciably longer than the excerpts they did quote! Speaking as a non-professional translator, I say that if you can translate five paragraphs, you can surely translate double that with just a little more effort!
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 20/05/2013 21:05] |