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April 28, 2013, Fifth Sunday of Easter
ST. PIERRE CHANEL (b France 1801, d Futuna,South Pacific 1841)
Marist Priest, Missionary, Martyr
Pierre always wanted to be a missionary but after being ordained as a priest, he was given a parish assignment
to a district considered 'bad', which he managed to rehabilitate during the three years he served it, by his
devotion to the poor. At age 28, he was one of the first to join the new Society of Mary which was dedicated
to missionary work in the South Pacific. He led a small group of Marists that headed there, one of them
staying in New Zealand to be the first bishop of Auckland, while Pierre went on to the island of Futuna, a French
possession halfway between Samoa and Fiji. He had to learn the language and deal with whalers, traders and
warring natives, but he converted a few natives gradually. When he managed to convert the son of the local
chieftain, he was clubbed to death and hacked to pieces. He became the first martyr in Oceania and of the Marist
order. Within a few years, the other missionaries who followed him converted the whole island including the king.
They were also able to recover Pierre's remains, which followed an odyssey from Futuna to Auckland to Sydney,
then finally back to France in 1850. He was beatified in 1889 and canonized in 1954. He is considered the
patron saint of Oceania.
Readings for today's Mass: www.usccb.org/bible/readings/042813.cfm
AT THE VATICAN TODAY
Mass for Confirmands - As a special event in the Year of Faith decreed by Benedict XVI, Pope Francis concelebrated a Mass in St. Peter's Square for Catholics receiving confirmation or who have recently been confirmed, and administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to 44 of them. At the end of the Mass, he also led the Regina caeli prayers.
Here is the Vatican's official English translation of Pope Francis's homily:
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Dear Confirmands,
I would like to offer three short and simple thoughts for your reflection.
1. In the second reading, we listened to the beautiful vision of Saint John: new heavens and a new earth, and then the Holy City coming down from God. All is new, changed into good, beauty and truth; there are no more tears or mourning…
This is the work of the Holy Spirit: he brings us the new things of God. He comes to us and makes all things new; he changes us. The Spirit changes us! And Saint John’s vision reminds us that all of us are journeying towards the heavenly Jerusalem, the ultimate newness which awaits us and all reality, the happy day when we will see the Lord’s face – that marvelous face, the most beautiful face of the Lord Jesus - and be with him for ever, in his love.
You see, the new things of God are not like the novelties of this world, all of which are temporary; they come and go, and we keep looking for more. The new things which God gives to our lives are lasting, not only in the future, when we will be with him, but today as well. God is even now making all things new; the Holy Spirit is truly transforming us, and through us he also wants to transform the world in which we live.
Let us open the doors to the Spirit, let ourselves be guided by him, and allow God’s constant help to make us new men and women, inspired by the love of God which the Holy Spirit bestows on us!
How beautiful it would be if each of you, every evening, could say: Today at school, at home, at work, guided by God, I showed a sign of love towards one of my friends, my parents, an older person! How beautiful!
2. A second thought. In the first reading Paul and Barnabas say that "we must undergo many trials if we are to enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22).
The journey of the Church, and our own personal journeys as Christians, are not always easy; they meet with difficulties and trials. To follow the Lord, to let his Spirit transform the shadowy parts of our lives, our ungodly ways of acting, and cleanse us of our sins, is to set out on a path with many obstacles, both in the world around us but also within us, in the heart.
But difficulties and trials are part of the path that leads to God’s glory, just as they were for Jesus, who was glorified on the cross; we will always encounter them in life! Do not be discouraged! We have the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome these trials!
3. And here I come to my last point. It is an invitation which I make to you, young confirmandi, and to all present.
Remain steadfast in the journey of faith, with firm hope in the Lord. This is the secret of our journey! He gives us the courage to swim against the tide. Pay attention, my young friends: to go against the current; this is good for the heart, but we need courage to swim against the tide.
Jesus gives us this courage! There are no difficulties, trials or misunderstandings to fear, provided we remain united to God as branches to the vine, provided we do not lose our friendship with him, provided we make ever more room for him in our lives.
This is especially so whenever we feel poor, weak and sinful, because God grants strength to our weakness, riches to our poverty, conversion and forgiveness to our sinfulness. The Lord is so rich in mercy: every time, if we go to him, he forgives us.
Let us trust in God’s work! With him we can do great things; he will give us the joy of being his disciples, his witnesses. Commit yourselves to great ideals, to the most important things.
We Christians were not chosen by the Lord for little things; push onwards toward the highest principles. Stake your lives on noble ideals, my dear young people!
The new things of God, the trials of life, remaining steadfast in the Lord. Dear friends, let us open wide the door of our lives to the new things of God which the Holy Spirit gives us. May he transform us, confirm us in our trials, strengthen our union with the Lord, our steadfastness in him: this is a true joy! So may it be.
A similar event was led by Benedict XVI on June 20, 2012, in Milan, but without the Mass and administering Confirmation. His address to them was yet another example of how he spoke to young people very accessibly without talking down to them...
Day 2:
MEETING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE
who were recently confirmed
or about to be confirmed
June 2, 2012
As part of his Apostolic Visit to Milan, Pope Benedict XVI met with young people who are preparing for Confirmation, or who have recently received it.
Addressing the 'confirmands' gathered in Milan’s San Siro stadium on Saturday morning, the Holy Father spoke about the gifts of the Holy Spirit, saying that they are a “stupendous reality that will allow them to be formed as Christians, to live the Gospel, and to be active members of the community.”
Through the grace of these gifts, the Holy Father continued, one can enter into a more profound relationship with Christ.
“Christian life,” he said, “is a journey, it is like hiking up a mountain path in the company of Jesus. With these precious gifts [of the Holy Spirit] your friendship with Him will become ever closer, and ever more true.”
“Learn to dialogue with the Lord,” said Pope Benedict, “confide in Him, tell Him your joys and your worries, and ask Him for light and sustenance for your journey.”
The theme of the gathering was 'PUT OUT TO SEA WITH PETER'.
Here is a translation of the Pope's address to the confirmands:
Dear boys and girls:
It is a great joy to be able to meet with you during my visit to your city. In this famous football stadium, today you are the protagonists.
I thank your Archbishop, Cardinal Angelo Scola, for his kind words. I thank don Samuel Marelli as well - your friend who has welcomed me in your behalf.
I am happy to greet the episcopal vicars who, in the name of the Archbishop, have administered or will administer Confirmation.
I particularly thank the Fondazione Oratori Milanesi who organized this encounter, your parents, all the catechists, your educators, your godfathers and godmothers, and those who, in each of your parish communities, have been your 'travelling companions' and have given witness to you of their faith in Jesus Christ who died, resurrected, and lives among us.
You, dear children, are preparing to receive the sacrament of Confirmation or have received it recently. I know you have gone through a beautiful formative course, which this year your dicoese called "The miracle of the Spirit".
Helped by this itinerary in various stages, you have learned to recognize the amazing things that the Holy Spirit has done and continues to do in your life and in the lives of all those who say YES to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
You have discovered the great value of Baptism, the first of the Sacraments, the gateway to Christian life. You received it, thanks to your parents, who along with your godparents, and in your name, professed the Creed and vowed to educate you in the faith.
That has been for you - as it was for me a long time ago! - an immense grace. From that time, reborn in water and the Holy Spirit, you became part of the family of God's children, you became Christians, members of the Church.
Now you have grown up, and you can say your own personal Yes to God, a Yes that is free and aware. The sacrament of the Chrism confirms Baptism, and brings the Holy Spirit abundantly to you.
You yourselves, filled with gratitude, now have the chance to welcome the great gifts of the Spirit which will help you, in the journey of life, to become faithful and courageous witnesses to Jesus.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit are wonderful realities which allow you to be formed as Christians, to live the Gospel and be active members of the community. Remember briefly these gifts, of which first the prophet Isaiah and then Jesus himself spoke:
- The first gift is wisdom, which makes you discover how good and great the Lord is, and as the Word says, makes your life full of flavor, because you are, as Jesus said, the 'salt of the earth'.
- Then the gift of intellect, so that you can understand deeply the Word of God and the truth of the faith.
- The gift of counsel, which will guide you in the discovery of God's plan for your life, the life of each and everyone.
- The gift of strength, to conquer the temptations of evil and to always do good, even when it means sacrifice.
- Then comes the gift of science - not in the technical sense as it is taught in the university - but in the deeper sense, as that which teaches us to find in creation the signs of God, the traces by which God has spoken in every time, of how he speaks to me, to each of us; and how to animate the work of every day with the Gospel, to understand that there is a depth in our work, to understand this depth itself and thus give flavor to work, even difficult work.
- Mercy is another gift, which keeps alive the flame of love in our heart for our Father who is in heaven, so we can pray to him daily with the confidence and loving tenderness of children who are loved, in order not to forget the fundamental reality of the world and your own life - that God exists and God knows me and awaits my response to his plan for me.
- And finally, the seventh and last gift is fear of God. Fear of God does not mean being afraid of him, but to feel for him a profound respect, respect for the will of God which is the true design for my life, and the way through which personal as well as communitarian life can be good; and today, with all the crises in the world, we see how important it is to that everyone respects this will of God which is impressed in our hearts and according to which we must live. Thus, fear of God is the desire to do good, to do what is true, to do the will of God.
Dear boys and girls, all of Christian life is a journey - it is like going along a path that climbs a mountain - therefore, it is not always easy, but climbing a mountain is a beautiful thing, in the company of Jesus. With these precious gifts, your friendship with him becomes even truer and closer.
That friendship is continuously nourished by the sacrament of Eucharist, in which we receive his Body and Blood. That is why I invite you to always take part with joy and faithfulness in Sunday Mass, when the whole community gathers together to pray, to listen to the Word of God, and take part in the Eucharistic Sacrifice.
Therefore, always avail of the Sacrament of Penitence, of confession. It is an encounter with Jesus who pardons our sins and helps us to fulfill what is good. To receive this gift, to start anew, is a great gift in life - to know that I am free, that I can start anew, that everything has been forgiven.
And do not miss your daily personal prayer - learn to dialog with the Lord, trust him, tell him your joys and your concerns, and ask for light and support during your journey of life.
Dear friends, you are fortunate because in your parishes, there are oratories, a great gift in the diocese of Milan. The oratory, as the word says, is a place where one prays, but also a place where you gather together in the joy of the faith, you learn catechesis, you play, you organize activities for service and other purposes, and I would say, where you learn to live. So be frequent and assiduous users of your oratory so that you may increasingly ripen in your knowledge of Jesus and in following him.
The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit grow precisely in such a community where life in the truth, with God, is the practice. In your families, be obedient to your parents, listen to the instructions they give you, so that like Jesus, you may "grow in wisdom, age and grace before God and men" (Lk 2,51-52).
Finally, do not be lazy, but children and youth who are committed, especially to your studies, with a view to your future life - it is your daily duty and a great opportunity for you to grow and to prepare your future.
Be there for others, and be generous, conquering the temptation to place yourself in the center, because selfishness is the enemy of true joy. Once you enjoy the beauty of being part of the community of Jesus, you can make your own contribution to make it grow and you will know how to invite others to be part of it.
Allow me to tell you also that the Lord - every day, today - calls you to great things. Be open to what he suggests to you, and if he asks you to follow him in priesthood or in the consecrated life, do not say No to him! It would be a mistake of laziness. Jesus will fill your heart for all your life.
Dear boys and girls, I tell you this, with particular force: Keep to high ideals - all of them can be held to high measure, not just some. Be saints! But is it possible to be saints at your age? I tell you, of course! St. Ambrose said so himself, the great saint of your city, where he writes in one of his works: "Every age is mature for Christ" (De virginitate, 40).
Above all, this has been shown by many saints who were your age, like Domenico Savio or Maria Goretti. Holiness is the normal way of the Christian - it is not reserved for a few chosen ones, but open to everyone, of course, with the light and the power of the Holy Spirit who will not fail us if we hold out our hands and open our hearts. And with the guidance of our Mother.
Who is our Mother? She is the Mother of Jesus, Mary. To her, Jesus entrusted everyone, before he died on the Cross. May the Virgin Mary always safeguard the beauty of your Yes to Jesus, her Son, the great and faithful friend in your life. So be it.[DIM]
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 28/04/2013 15:28] |