"We Have to Be Saints"
- Here is a Vatican translation of the homily Benedict XVI gave today when he celebrated Mass with seminarians during the context of the 26th World Youth Day, under way in Madrid.
* * *
Your Eminence the Archbishop of Madrid,
Dear Brother Bishops,
Dear Priests and Religious,
Dear Rectors and Formators,
Dear Seminarians,
Dear Friends,
I am very pleased to celebrate Holy Mass with you who aspire to be Christ’s priests for the service of the Church and of man, and I thank you for the kind words with which you welcomed me. Today, this holy cathedral church of Santa María La Real de la Almudena is like a great Upper Room, where the Lord greatly desires to celebrate the Passover with you who wish one day to preside in his name at the mysteries of salvation. Looking at you, I again see proof of how Christ continues to call young disciples and to make them his apostles, thus keeping alive the mission of the Church and the offer of the Gospel to the world. As seminarians you are on the path towards a sacred goal: to continue the mission which Christ received from the Father. Called by him, you have followed his voice and, attracted by his loving gaze, you now advance towards the sacred ministry. Fix your eyes upon him who through his incarnation is the supreme revelation of God to the world and who through his resurrection faithfully fulfills his promise. Give thanks to him for this sign of favour in which he holds each one of you.
The first reading which we heard shows us Christ as the new and eternal priest who made of himself a perfect offering. The response to the psalm may be aptly applied to him since, at his coming into the world, he said to the Father, "Here I am to do your will" (cf. Ps 39:8). He tried to please him in all things: in his words and actions, along the way or welcoming sinners. His life was one of service and his longing was a constant prayer, placing himself in the name of all before the Father as the first-born son of many brothers and sisters. The author of the Letter to the Hebrews states that, by a single offering, he brought to perfection for all time those of us who are called to share his sonship (cf. Heb10:14).
The Eucharist, whose institution is mentioned in the Gospel just proclaimed (cf. Lk 22:14-20), is the real expression of that unconditional offering of Jesus for all, even for those who betrayed him. It was the offering of his body and blood for the life of mankind and for the forgiveness of sins. His blood, a sign of life, was given to us by God as a covenant, so that we might apply the force of his life wherever death reigns due to our sins, and thus destroy it. Christ’s body broken and his blood outpoured – the surrender of his freedom – became through these Eucharistic signs the new source of mankind’s redeemed freedom. In Christ, we have the promise of definitive redemption and the certain hope of future blessings. Through Christ we know that we are not walking towards the abyss, the silence of nothingness or death, but are rather pilgrims on the way to a promised land, on the way to him who is our end and our beginning.
Dear friends, you are preparing yourselves to become apostles with Christ and like Christ, and to accompany your fellow men and women along their journey as companions and servants. How should you behave during these years of preparation? First of all, they should be years of interior silence, of unceasing prayer, of constant study and of gradual insertion into the pastoral activity and structures of the Church. A Church which is community and institution, family and mission, the creation of Christ through his Holy Spirit, as well as the result of those of us who shape it through our holiness and our sins. God, who does not hesitate to make of the poor and of sinners his friends and instruments for the redemption of the human race, willed it so. The holiness of the Church is above all the objective holiness of the very person of Christ, of his Gospel and his sacraments, the holiness of that power from on high which enlivens and impels it. We have to be saints so as not to create a contradiction between the sign that we are and the reality that we wish to signify.
Meditate well upon this mystery of the Church, living the years of your formation in deep joy, humbly, clear-mindedly and with radical fidelity to the Gospel, in an affectionate relation to the time spent and the people among whom you live. No one chooses the place or the people to whom he is sent, and every time has its own challenges; but in every age God gives the right grace to face and overcome those challenges with love and realism. That is why, no matter the circumstances in which he finds and however difficult they may be, the priest must grow in all kinds of good works, keeping alive within him the words spoken on his Ordination day, by which he was exhorted to model his life on the mystery of the Lord’s cross.
To be modeled on Christ, dear seminarians, is to be identified ever more closely with him who, for our sake, became servant, priest and victim. To be modeled on him is in fact the task upon which the priest spends his entire life. We already know that it is beyond us and we will not fully succeed but, as St Paul says, we run towards the goal, hoping to reach it (cf. Phil 3:12-14).
That said, Christ the High Priest is also the Good Shepherd who cares for his sheep, even giving his life for them (cf. Jn 10:11). In order to liken yourselves to the Lord in this as well, your heart must mature while in seminary, remaining completely open to the Master. This openness, which is a gift of the Holy Spirit, inspires the decision to live in celibacy for the sake of the kingdom of heaven and, leaving aside the world’s goods, live in austerity of life and sincere obedience, without pretence.
Ask him to let you imitate him in his perfect charity towards all, so that you do not shun the excluded and sinners, but help them convert and return to the right path. Ask him to teach you how to be close to the sick and the poor in simplicity and generosity. Face this challenge without anxiety or mediocrity, but rather as a beautiful way of living our human life in gratuitousness and service, as witnesses of God made man, messengers of the supreme dignity of the human person and therefore its unconditional defenders. Relying on his love, do not be intimidated by surroundings that would exclude God and in which power, wealth and pleasure are frequently the main criteria ruling people’s lives. You may be shunned along with others who propose higher goals or who unmask the false gods before whom many now bow down. That will be the moment when a life deeply rooted in Christ will clearly be seen as something new and it will powerfully attract those who truly search for God, truth and justice.
Under the guidance of your formators, open your hearts to the light of the Lord, to see if this path which demands courage and authenticity is for you. Approach the priesthood only if you are firmly convinced that God is calling you to be his ministers, and if you are completely determined to exercise it in obedience to the Church’s precepts.
With this confidence, learn from him who described himself as meek and humble of heart, leaving behind all earthly desire for his sake so that, rather than pursuing your own good, you build up your brothers and sisters by the way you live, as did the patron saint of the diocesan clergy of Spain, St John of Avila. Moved by his example, look above all to the Virgin Mary, Mother of Priests. She will know how to mould your hearts according to the model of Christ, her divine Son, and she will teach you how to treasure for ever all that he gained on Calvary for the salvation of the world. Amen.
Showing posts with label World Youth Day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label World Youth Day. Show all posts
Sunday, August 28, 2011
On World Youth Day 2011
"The Cross of Christ Gives Much More Than It Demands"
- Here is a translation of the Italian-language catechesis Benedict XVI gave today during the general audience held at Castel Gandolfo.
* * *
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today I would like to return briefly in mind and heart to the extraordinary days spent in Madrid for the XXVI World Youth Day. It was, as you know, a moving ecclesial event: approximately 2 million youth from every continent gathered for a truly exceptional experience of fraternity, of encounter with the Lord, of sharing and of growth in the faith: a true cascade of light. I thank God for this precious gift, which gives hope for the future of the Church: young people with the unwavering and sincere desire to root their lives in Christ, to remain firm in the faith, and to walk together with the Church.
A thanks to all those who worked so generously for this Day: the cardinal archbishop of Madrid, his auxiliaries, the other bishops of Spain and of other parts of the world, the Pontifical Council for the Laity, priests, men and women religious and lay faithful. I renew my gratitude to the Spanish authorities, to the institutions and associations, to the volunteers and to all those who offered the support of their prayer. Nor can I forget the warm welcome I received from their majesties the king and queen of Spain, as well as from the entire country.
Naturally I cannot describe in only a few words the intense moments we experienced. I have in mind the uncontainable enthusiasm with which the young people welcomed me the first day at Plaza de Cibeles, their words so rich in expectations; their strong desire to turn to the most profound truth and to root themselves in it -- that truth that God has given us to know in Christ.
In the imposing Monastery of El Escorial -- so rich in history, spirituality and culture -- I met with young women religious and young university professors. I reminded the former -- the young women religious -- of the beauty of their vocation lived with fidelity, and the importance of their apostolic service and their prophetic witness. And within me there remains the impression of their enthusiasm, of a youthful faith, full of courage for the future and of a willingness to serve mankind. I reminded professors to be true educators of the new generations by guiding them in the search for truth -- not only by their words but also by their lives -- aware that the Truth is Christ Himself. In encountering Christ, we encounter the truth.
That evening, in the celebration of the Way of the Cross, a variegated multitude of young people relived with great intensity the scenes of the passion and death of Christ: the cross of Christ gives much more than it demands -- it gives all, because it leads us to God.
The following day, the Holy Mass [was celebrated] in the Cathedral of Almudena, Madrid, with seminarians: young men who want to root themselves in Christ in order to make Him present one day as His ministers. I hope that vocations to the priesthood increase! Among those present, there was more than one who had heard the call of the Lord at a former World Youth Day. I am certain that -- also in Madrid -- the Lord knocked at the door of the hearts of many young men, [calling them] to follow Him generously in priestly ministry or in religious life.
The visit to a center for disabled youth allowed me to see the great respect and love that is fostered toward each person, and it provided me the occasion to thank the thousands of volunteers who silently witness to the Gospel of charity and of life.
The evening Prayer Vigil and the great concluding Eucharistic Celebration the day after were two very intense moments: In the evening a great multitude of young people full of joy – and not at all intimidated by the rain and wind -- remained in silent adoration of Christ present in the Eucharist, to praise Him, to thank Him, to ask of Him help and light; and then on Sunday, the young people showed their exuberance and joy in celebrating the Lord in Word and Eucharist, in order that they might enter ever more deeply into Him and strengthen their faith and Christian life.
In a climate of enthusiasm, lastly I met with volunteers, whom I thanked for their generosity, and with the farewell ceremony I left the country carrying these days in my heart as a great gift.
Dear friends, the meeting in Madrid was, first and foremost, a marvelous demonstration of faith -- for Spain and for the world. For the multitude of young people who had come from every corner of the world, it was a special occasion to reflect, discuss, exchange positive experiences and, above all, to pray together and to renew their commitment to root their own lives in Christ, the Faithful Friend. I am sure that they have returned home, and that they return there with the firm purpose of being a leaven in society by carrying the hope that is born of faith. For my part, I continue to accompany them in prayer, so that they might remain faithful to the commitments they have assumed. I entrust the fruits of this Day to the maternal intercession of Mary.
And now, I desire to announce the themes of the next World Youth Days. Next year's, which will take place in the individual dioceses, will have as its motto: "Rejoice in the Lord always!" taken from the Letter to the Philippians (4:4); while the motto for the 2013 World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro will be Jesus' mandate: "Go and make disciples of all nations!" (cf. Matthew 28:19). With this, I entrust to everyone's prayer the preparations for these very important meetings. Thank you.
- Here is a translation of the Italian-language catechesis Benedict XVI gave today during the general audience held at Castel Gandolfo.
* * *
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today I would like to return briefly in mind and heart to the extraordinary days spent in Madrid for the XXVI World Youth Day. It was, as you know, a moving ecclesial event: approximately 2 million youth from every continent gathered for a truly exceptional experience of fraternity, of encounter with the Lord, of sharing and of growth in the faith: a true cascade of light. I thank God for this precious gift, which gives hope for the future of the Church: young people with the unwavering and sincere desire to root their lives in Christ, to remain firm in the faith, and to walk together with the Church.
A thanks to all those who worked so generously for this Day: the cardinal archbishop of Madrid, his auxiliaries, the other bishops of Spain and of other parts of the world, the Pontifical Council for the Laity, priests, men and women religious and lay faithful. I renew my gratitude to the Spanish authorities, to the institutions and associations, to the volunteers and to all those who offered the support of their prayer. Nor can I forget the warm welcome I received from their majesties the king and queen of Spain, as well as from the entire country.
Naturally I cannot describe in only a few words the intense moments we experienced. I have in mind the uncontainable enthusiasm with which the young people welcomed me the first day at Plaza de Cibeles, their words so rich in expectations; their strong desire to turn to the most profound truth and to root themselves in it -- that truth that God has given us to know in Christ.
In the imposing Monastery of El Escorial -- so rich in history, spirituality and culture -- I met with young women religious and young university professors. I reminded the former -- the young women religious -- of the beauty of their vocation lived with fidelity, and the importance of their apostolic service and their prophetic witness. And within me there remains the impression of their enthusiasm, of a youthful faith, full of courage for the future and of a willingness to serve mankind. I reminded professors to be true educators of the new generations by guiding them in the search for truth -- not only by their words but also by their lives -- aware that the Truth is Christ Himself. In encountering Christ, we encounter the truth.
That evening, in the celebration of the Way of the Cross, a variegated multitude of young people relived with great intensity the scenes of the passion and death of Christ: the cross of Christ gives much more than it demands -- it gives all, because it leads us to God.
The following day, the Holy Mass [was celebrated] in the Cathedral of Almudena, Madrid, with seminarians: young men who want to root themselves in Christ in order to make Him present one day as His ministers. I hope that vocations to the priesthood increase! Among those present, there was more than one who had heard the call of the Lord at a former World Youth Day. I am certain that -- also in Madrid -- the Lord knocked at the door of the hearts of many young men, [calling them] to follow Him generously in priestly ministry or in religious life.
The visit to a center for disabled youth allowed me to see the great respect and love that is fostered toward each person, and it provided me the occasion to thank the thousands of volunteers who silently witness to the Gospel of charity and of life.
The evening Prayer Vigil and the great concluding Eucharistic Celebration the day after were two very intense moments: In the evening a great multitude of young people full of joy – and not at all intimidated by the rain and wind -- remained in silent adoration of Christ present in the Eucharist, to praise Him, to thank Him, to ask of Him help and light; and then on Sunday, the young people showed their exuberance and joy in celebrating the Lord in Word and Eucharist, in order that they might enter ever more deeply into Him and strengthen their faith and Christian life.
In a climate of enthusiasm, lastly I met with volunteers, whom I thanked for their generosity, and with the farewell ceremony I left the country carrying these days in my heart as a great gift.
Dear friends, the meeting in Madrid was, first and foremost, a marvelous demonstration of faith -- for Spain and for the world. For the multitude of young people who had come from every corner of the world, it was a special occasion to reflect, discuss, exchange positive experiences and, above all, to pray together and to renew their commitment to root their own lives in Christ, the Faithful Friend. I am sure that they have returned home, and that they return there with the firm purpose of being a leaven in society by carrying the hope that is born of faith. For my part, I continue to accompany them in prayer, so that they might remain faithful to the commitments they have assumed. I entrust the fruits of this Day to the maternal intercession of Mary.
And now, I desire to announce the themes of the next World Youth Days. Next year's, which will take place in the individual dioceses, will have as its motto: "Rejoice in the Lord always!" taken from the Letter to the Philippians (4:4); while the motto for the 2013 World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro will be Jesus' mandate: "Go and make disciples of all nations!" (cf. Matthew 28:19). With this, I entrust to everyone's prayer the preparations for these very important meetings. Thank you.
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