ANGELUS TODAY
Reflecting on today's Gospel from St. Luke, the Holy Father recalled St. Augustine's observation on the two Gospel stories in which the Lord specifically orders the apostles to cast their net for fish - before the Passion, as recounted in today's Gospel, and after the Resurrection.
The first image recalls the Church today, when it must cast its net for everyone, good and bad, whereas the second image is of the net after the resurrection of the dead, when only the good remain.
In some ways an extension of his
lectio divina Friday evening to the seminarians of Rome, Benedict XVI recalls how in today's Gospel, Peter says, "Master, at your command I will lower the nets", an act of faith, and after the miraculous catch, he addressed Jesus as 'Lord' - in what he calls the pedagogy of God whose call does not depend on the quality of those he calls but on their faith.
He said Peter's experience was singular but represents the call to every apostle of the Gospel to never be discouraged from announcing Christ to all men. In English, he said:
In today’s Gospel, the crowds press round Jesus, 'listening to the word of God'. May we too listen attentively to Jesus’s words, as he calls us, like Simon Peter, to go out fearlessly and draw others to Christ. God bless you and your loved ones!
After the prayers, he greeted the peoples of the Orient who celebrate the Lunar New Year today, and called on the Catholics in those nations to live the Year of Faith guided by the wisdom of Christ.
Finally, he expressed his closeness to all the sick and the afflicted, reminding the faithful that tomorrow, on the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, the observance of the World Day for the Sick will be centered at the Marian shrine of Altoetting in his native Bavaria.
Here is a translation of the Holy Father's words today:
Dear brothers and sisters:
In the liturgy today, the Gospel according to St. Luke presents the account of how the first disciples were called, with a version that is original compared to that of the other Synoptic evangelists, Matthew and Mark (cfr Mt 4,18-32; Mk 1,16-20).
In fact, it is preceded by Jesus preaching to the crowd and by a miraculous catch of fish achieved by the will of the Lord (Lk 5,1-6). As the crowd is gathering along the shore of Lake Gennesaret (Sea of Galilee) to listen to Jesus, he sees Simon who is disheartened because he had not caught any fish the whole night.
First, he asks if he can get into Simon's boat to preach to the people a little distance away from the shore. After his preaching, he tells Peter to go out into the deep with his companions and to cast their nets (cfr v 5). Simon obeys, and they catch an incredible number of fish.
In this way, the evangelist makes us see how the first disciples followed Jesus, trusting in him, in his Word, which is also accompanied by prodigious signs.
Let us note that before the sign [the miraculous catch], Simon addresses Jesus as 'Master' (v 5), whereas afterwards, he calls him 'Lord' (v 7). It is the pedagogy of God's call, who looks not so much at the quality of those he chooses but at their faith, such as that of Simon who says, "At your command, I will lower the nets" (v 6).
The imagery of fishing points to the mission of the Church. St. Augustine comments about this: "Twice the disciples set out to fish on the Lord's command: once before the Passion, and again, after the Resurrection. The whole Church is pictured in the two events: the Church as it is today, and as it will be after the resurrection of the dead. Today, it gathers together a multitude that is impossible to enumerate, including the good and the bad. After the resurrection of the dead, it will only have the good ones" (Discourse 248,1).
The experience of Peter, which is certainly unique, is also representative of the call to every apostle of the Gospel who must never be discouraged from announcing Christ to all men to the very ends of the world.
Nonetheless, today's text also makes us reflect on the call to priesthood and the consecrated life, It is the work of God. Man is not the author of his own vocation, but responds to the divine invitation.
Human weakness should not make us fear when God calls. We must trust in the power of his mercy which acts precisely on our poverty. We must confide ever more in the power of his mercy which transforms and renews.
Dear brothers and sisters, may this Word of God also revive in us and our Christian communities the courage, the confidence and the initiative to announce and bear witness to the Gospel.
Let not failures and difficulties lead to discouragement. It is for us to cast the nets with faith - the Lord will do the rest.
Let us trust also in the intercession of the Virgin Mary, Queen of the Apostles. To the call of the Lord, she - well aware of her littleness - responded with total trust, "Here I am" (Behold your handmaid...)
With her maternal help, let us renew our readiness to follow Jesus, Master and Lord.
After the prayers, he said:
Today, various peoples in the Far East are celebrating the Lunar New Year. Peace, harmony and gratitude to heaven are the universal values that are celebrated on this joyous event and are desired by everyone in order to build their own family, society and the nation.
I wish that the aspiration for a happy and prosperous life may be achieved in those nations. I send a special greeting to the Catholics in those lands, so that in this Year of Faith they will let themselves be guided by the wisdom of Christ.
Tomorrow, the liturgical commemoration of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lourdes, is the World Day for the Sick. The solemn celebration will take place in the Marian shrine of Altoetting in Bavaria.
With prayers and affection, I am, close to all who are ailing, and I spiritually join those who will gather in that shrine which is particularly dear to me.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 10/02/2013 19:19]