POPE'S FAREWELL TO CARDINALS

This morning at 11:00 AM, Pope Benedict XVI met with all of the Cardinals who were in Rome for the Conclave.  It was a very moving and touching event as we were participating in the final apostolic work of our Holy Father.  His words to us:


Dear beloved brothers
I welcome you all with great joy and cordially greet each one of you. I thank Cardinal Angelo Sodano, who as always, has been able to convey the sentiments of the College, Cor ad cor loquitur. Thank you, Your Eminence, from my heart.
And referring to the disciples of Emmaus, I would like to say to you all that it has also been a joy for me to walk with you over the years in light of the presence of the Risen Lord.

As I said yesterday, in front of thousands of people who filled St. Peter's Square, your closeness, your advice, have been a great help to me in my ministry. In these 8 years we have experienced in faith beautiful moments of radiant light in the Churches’ journey along with times when clouds have darkened the sky. We have tried to serve Christ and his Church with deep and total love which is the soul of our ministry. We have gifted hope that comes from Christ alone, and which alone can illuminate our path.

Together we can thank the Lord who has helped us grow in communion, to pray to together, to help you to continue to grow in this deep unity so that the College of Cardinals is like an orchestra, where diversity, an expression of the universal Church, always contributes to a superior harmony of concord.

I would like to leave you with a simple thought that is close to my heart, a thought on the Church, Her mystery, which is for all of us, we can say, the reason and the passion of our lives. I am helped by an expression of Romano Guardini’s, written in the year in which the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council approved the Constitution Lumen Gentium, his last with a personal dedication to me, so the words of this book are particularly dear to me .
Guardini says: "The Church is not an institution devised and built at table, but a living reality. She lives along the course of time by transforming Herself, like any living being, yet Her nature remains the same. At Her heart is Christ. "This was our experience yesterday, I think, in the square.

We could see that the Church is a living body, animated by the Holy Spirit, and truly lives by the power of God, She is in the world but not of the world. She is of God, of Christ, of the Spirit, as we saw yesterday. This is why another eloquent expression of Guardini’s is also true: "The Church is awakening in souls." The Church lives, grows and awakens in those souls which like the Virgin Mary accept and conceive the Word of God by the power of the Holy Spirit. They offer to God their flesh and in their own poverty and humility become capable of giving birth to Christ in the world today.

Through the Church the mystery of the Incarnation remains present forever. Christ continues to walk through all times in all places. Let us remain united, dear brothers, to this mystery, in prayer, especially in daily Eucharist, and thus serve the Church and all humanity. This is our joy that no one can take from us.
Prior to bidding farewell to each of you personally, I want to tell you that I will continue to be close to you in prayer, especially in the next few days, so that you may all be fully docile to the action of the Holy Spirit in the election of the new Pope. May the Lord show you what is willed by Him.

And among you, among the College of Cardinals, there is also the future Pope, to whom, here to today, I already promise my unconditional reverence and obedience. For all this, with affection and gratitude, I cordially impart upon you my Apostolic Blessing.

 

At the end we each met him personally, and I asked him to pray deeply for the Church across southern California, especially for victims of abuse and for our immigrant brothers and sisters.  He promised to include all in his prayers.

 

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POPE'S GRATITUDE TOWARDS ALL

Pope Benedict's final General Audience was a very personal and warm message of gratitude towards all who collaborated with him in his ministry as Successor of Peter.

He models for us the need for constant gratitude to God for so many blessings, but also, to all who assist us in our daily lives:  family members, co-workers, neighbors, friends, colleagues.  We tend to express our displeasure and dislikes without hesitation, but we are not so quick to thank all who have helped us.

For me, this Lent is a wonderful time to reflect more deeply on God's many gifts in our lives, and especially to thank personally all who accompany us on our faith journeys.  We sometimes look at Lent as a time of privation; but a far more penitential practice is reaching out to one another in expressions of gratitude.

Let's listen to what the Pope said on Wednesday at the Audience:

At this time, however, it is not only God, whom I desire to thank. A Pope is not alone in guiding St. Peter’s barque, even if it is his first responsibility – and I have not ever felt myself alone in bearing either the joys or the weight of the Petrine ministry.

The Lord has placed next to me many people, who, with generosity and love for God and the Church, have helped me and been close to me. First of all you, dear Brother Cardinals: your wisdom, your counsels, your friendship, were all precious to me. My collaborators, starting with my Secretary of State, who accompanied me faithfully over the years, the Secretariat of State and the whole Roman Curia, as well as all those who, in various areas, give their service to the Holy See: the many faces which never emerge, but remain in the background, in silence, in their daily commitment, with a spirit of faith and humility. They have been for me a sure and reliable support.

A special thought [goes] to the Church of Rome, my diocese! I can not forget the Brothers in the Episcopate and in the Priesthood, the consecrated persons and the entire People of God: in pastoral visits, in public encounters, at Audiences, in traveling, I have always received great care and deep affection; I also loved each and every one, without exception, with that pastoral charity which is the heart of every shepherd, especially the Bishop of Rome, the Successor of the Apostle Peter. Every day I carried each of you in my prayers, with a father’s heart.

I wish my greetings and my thanks to reach everyone: the heart of a Pope expands to [embrace] the whole world. I would like to express my gratitude to the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See, which makes present the great family of nations. Here I also think of all those who work for good communication, whom I thank for their important service....

 

God guides His Church, always sustaining her even and especially in difficult times.  Let us never lose this vision of faith, which is the only true vision of the path of the Church and of the world.  In our hearts, in the heart of each one of you, may there always be the joyous certainty that the Lord is beside us, that He does not abandon us, that He is near and embraces us with His love.  Thank you!:

Let's follow his lead:  may our hearts expand to embrace all who journey with us as disciples of Jesus Christ!

 

DIFFERENT MOOD IN ROME

The overall mood here in Rome now is quite different from 2005.  Recall that Pope John Paul II had been in declining health from early 2004 until his death April 1, 2005.  It was obvious that the Pope would not remain much longer on this earth, and we had all begun to mourn him even before he died.

The mood back in April of 2005 was somber and sad.  So many people had never really known any other Pope in their lives, and it was like losing a revered Grandfather--someone whom we had made a part of our own families.

There then followed the official days of mourning, the Pope lying in state in St. Peter's Basilica, countless pilgrims coming to pay their respect and gratitude for his ministry in our midst.

This time, the mood is two-fold.  On one hand, we give thanks for the incredible eight years which Pope Benedict served as Successor to Peter.  We recall his wonderful teachings and homilies, and we were all in awe at his scholarship.  There is no real sense of loss this time, because we have not "lost" Benedict.  He is stepping away from the very active role as Pope to serve God and the Church in a more prayerful fashion--outside the fury of activities that swirl around the Pope who is active.

On the other hand, there is great anticipation and expectation everywhere.  People on the streets are wondering which Pope God has chosen to replace Benedict.  Questions abound:  where will he be from?  How old will he be?  What new directions for the Church will he bring?  How will he deal with problems--older ones, and newer ones? 

The two characteristics which many people are hoping for are that he be a Pope who has abundant pastoral ministry experience, and who can help shape a new and dynamic future for the Church in today's world. 

There is concern that the Church is proceeding down two opposite directions:  in many countries of the northern hemisphere, the Church is not fully alive and dynamic, with far fewer Catholics living out their faith.  At the same time, the Church in many countries of the southern hemisphere are experiencing great vitality and growth.

Many are praying that our new Pope will enliven the Church world-wide, bringing us the dynamism of the Church in the Acts of the Apostles.

Come, Holy Spirit!! 

TOUGH LENTEN CHALLENGE

We have many challenges on our Lenten journey, but one in particular is the focus of my prayer and work this Lent:  the love of our enemies in life.

Jesus' words could not be more clear or compelling:

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'  But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. 

For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?  Do not the tax collectors do the same?  And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that?  Do not the pagans do the same?  So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect."  [Matthew 5:43--48]

I can't recall a time such as now when people tend to be so judgmental and even self-righteous, so quick to accuse, judge and condemn.  And often with scant real facts and information.  Because of news broadcasts now 24/7 there is little or no fact checking; no in-depth analysis; no context or history given.  Rather, everything gets reported as "news" regardless of the basis for the item being reported--and passed on by countless other news outlets.

We have ended up with a climate in which it's the norm to instantly pass judgement on one another, taking in and repeating gossip, sharing someone else's judgment as the truth, no regard for other people who may be harmed.  Whatever happened to the norm of giving others the benefit of a doubt until hard evidence proves otherwise?

Witness the hatred which has boiled up across the Middle East and other conflicted parts of the world, and the deep emotions which do not allow for understanding or love to emerge at all.

But Jesus calls us to something far different and much more difficult:  we are to love our enemies, pray for those who persecute us.  In today's world, to follow Jesus and his Gospel message means to "be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect."  That's a really high bar for all of us, and certainly for me.

My daily prayer list includes both loved ones/friends, as well as those who dislike or even hate me.  One prayer group involves those suffering from cancer and other illnesses, those who have been sexually abused by clergy and others in our Church, those who can't find a decent job, those in danger of losing their homes, our immigrants who live in the shadows of society.

But another prayer group includes individuals who cannot forgive me for my past hurts or offenses, those in the media who constantly malign me and my motives, attorneys who never focus on context or history in their legal matters, groups which picket me or otherwise object to me, and all those who despise me or even hate me.

If I don't pray for all of these people, then I am not following Jesus' specific discipleship demand.

Jesus' message of love and forgiveness has flooded the world over the centuries, and this message has had the power to change hearts and minds.  May his challenge this Lent inspire us to do as he asks.        

POPE BENEDICT'S FINAL ANGELUS

BENEDICT XVI'S FINAL ANGELUS: THE LORD CALLS ME TO DEDICATE MYSELF MORE TO PRAYER, BUT I DO NOT ABANDON THE CHURCH

Vatican City, 24 February 2013 –

 

More than 200,000 people attended the final Angelus of Benedict XVI's pontificate.  Looking up from St. Peter's Square, everyone--near and via television--were able to see a more relaxed and hope-filled Pope. 

The Holy Father was received with much applause and, before beginning his short meditation, responded saying, “Thank you, thank you very much.” He then commented on the Gospel reading for this second Sunday of Lent, which recounts the Transfiguration of the Lord.

 

“Luke the Evangelist places particular attention on the fact that Jesus was transfigured as He prayed. His is a profound experience of relationship with the Father during a type of spiritual retreat that Jesus undergoes on a high mountain in the company of Peter, James, and John, the three disciples who are always present at the moments of the Master's divine manifestation.

 

The Lord, who had foretold His death and resurrection shortly before, offers His disciples an anticipation of His glory. Again at the Transfiguration, as at His Baptism, we hear the voice of the Heavenly Father: 'This is my chosen Son; listen to Him.' The presence of Moses and Elijah, who represent the Law and the Prophets of the Old Covenant, is very important.

 

The entire history of the Covenant is directed toward Him, the Christ, who brings about a new 'exodus', not to the promised land, as in the time of Moses, but to heaven. Peter's exclamation, 'Master, it is good that we are here', represents the impossible attempt to stop this mystical experience.

 

St. Augustine comments: “Peter … on the mountain ... had Christ as the Bread of his soul. Should he then depart from there to return to struggles and sorrows, while up above he was full of the holy love for God that inspired him to saintly behaviour?”

“Meditating on this Gospel passage, we can draw a very important teaching from it. First of all, the primacy of prayer, without which the entire commitment of ministry and charity is reduced to activism. During Lent we learn to give the proper time to the prayer, both personal and communal, which gives breath to our spiritual life.

 

In addition, prayer is not an isolation from the world and its contradictions, as Peter would have wanted on Mt. Tabor. Instead, prayer leads to a path of action. 'The Christian life—I wrote in this year's Lenten Message—consists in continuously scaling the mountain to meet God and then coming back down, bearing the love and strength drawn from Him, so as to serve our brothers and sisters with God’s own love.'”

“I hear this Word of God addressed to me in a special way at this moment of my life. The Lord has called me to 'scale the mountain', to dedicate myself still more to prayer and meditation. But this does not mean abandoning the Church.

 

If God asks me this it is precisely so that I might continue to serve her with the same dedication and the same love with which I have tried to give up to now, but in a way more suitable to my age and my strength. Let us call upon the intercession of the Virgin Mary: May she help all of us to always follow the Lord Jesus, in prayer and in works of charity.”

 

 

After praying the Angelus, in his greetings in various languages, the Pope thanked everyone for expressing their closeness and for keeping him in their prayers in these days, saying: “We also give thanks to God for this sun we have today”, seeing that in Rome, contrary to the meteorological forecasts, it was not raining.

 

CARRYING A SCANDAL BIBLICALLY

One very insightful and powerful Address has sustained me over these past difficult years as all of us in the Church had to face the fact that Catholic clergy sexually abused children and young people.

Entitled On Carrying A Scandal Biblically it was first delivered in late 2002 by Father Ronald Rolheiser, O.M.I., in Canada.  The Address was edited into an article, and is readily available on his website. (1)

There is nothing else in print which has so captivated my heart and soul, and served as the basis for countless meditations and reflections.  I recommend it to anyone who is searching for a truly counter-cultural approach at dealing with this terrible sinfulness which has overwhelmed all of us in the Church.

You will never find the Rolheiser approach even mentioned in any news media, since it is not about condemning others, but about how disciples of Jesus are called to carry and live out a terrible scandal day by day.

He calls our suffering what it really is:  painful and public humiliation, which is spiritually a grace-opportunity.  I have tried to live out--poorly and inadequately far too often--his two implications of humiliation:

1.   the acceptance of being scapegoated, pointing out the necessary connection between humiliation and redemption;

2.   this scandal is putting us, the clergy and the church, where we belong--with the excluded ones; Jesus was painted with the same brush as the two thieves crucified with him.

His example of Mary at the foot of the cross pondering all that is happening has meant so much for me, and I turn to her daily seeking her help to carry this scandal as she carried the scandal of Jesus' cross with such inner strength.  Note how Rolheiser pictures Mary for us:

"Mary at the foot of the cross.  What is Mary doing there?  Overtly nothing.  Notice that, as the foot of the cross, Mary doesn't seem to be doing anything.  She isn't trying to stop the crucifixion, nor even protesting Jesus' innocence.  She isn't saying anything and overtly doesn't seem to be doing anything.  But Scripture tells us that she 'stood' there.  For a Hebrew, that was a position of strength.  Mary was strong under the cross.  And what precisely was she doing?  She was pondering in the biblical sense."

And then, Rolheiser gives us the golden rule for our own thoughts and conducts as we are being humiliated:  "To ponder in the biblical sense means to hold, carry, and transform tension so as not to give it back in kind."

"Jesus models this for us.  He took in hatred, held it, transformed it, and gave back love; he took in bitterness, held it, transformed it, and gave back graciousness; he took in curses, held them, transformed them, and gave back blessing; he took in betrayal, held it, transformed it, and gave back forgiveness."  That's what it means to ponder biblically.

I surely need your prayers and your encouragement in my own life to handle all of my mistakes, omissions, and commissions as God asks, and as Jesus and Mary lived out:  to take in what swirls around me, to hold it, to carry it, to transform it and to give it back as grace, blessing, and gift.

Jesus and Mary, walk with us and show us how to follow you!



1)       http://www.ronrolheiser.com/common/pdf/scandal.pdf

JESUS, SUFFERING SERVANT

As we continue along our Lenten journey, and with a special emphasis upon the humiliations which Jesus suffered, there is great spiritual power in turning to the final Suffering Servant poem from the prophet Isaiah:

He was spurned and avoided by men, a man of suffering, knowing pain, like one from whom you turn your face, spurned, and we held him in no esteem.

Yet it was our pain that he bore, our suffering he endured.  We thought of him as stricken, struck down by God and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our sins, crushed for our iniquity.  He bore the punishment that makes us whole, by his wounds we were healed.

We had all gone astray like sheep, all following our own way; but the Lord laid upon him the guilt of us all.

Though harshly treated, he submitted and did not open his mouth; like a lamb led to slaughter or a sheep silent before shearers, he did not open his mouth.

Seized and condemned, he was taken away.  Who would have thought any more of his destiny?  For he was cut off from the land of the living, struck for the sins of his people  [Isaiah 53: 3--8]  (The entire poem is read every Good Friday during the Liturgy of the Passion of the Lord.  Isaiah 52:13 to 53:12)

The poem of the Suffering Servant is important for all of us who are disciples of Jesus Christ since we are called to imitate his words, actions, and life.  Part of that journey will always entail suffering from time to time.  But what makes Jesus' suffering so different, and so important for us, is that he lived out Isaiah's prophecy fully:  "...he did not open his mouth..." 

That means never rationalizing what is happening in our lives, never protesting misunderstandings, and never getting angry because of false accusations.  And that is so difficult for us human beings.  It is certainly difficult for me on my journey.

Not opening our mouth in repudiation or backlash goes against our human nature, and against our pride.  But remaining silent after the example of Jesus leaves each accusation in the hands of our loving and forgiving God, not in the hands of other humans with varied agendas.

May I encourage all of us to reflect upon the four Suffering Servant poems in Isaiah during Lent.  The first three are used during Holy Week at our Masses on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday; the fourth on Good Friday. (1)

May the silent Jesus become a new petition for each of us this year during Lent.




(1)  The four Suffering Servant poems:  Isaiah 42:1--4; Isaiah 49:1--7; Isaiah 50:4-11; Isaiah 52:13 to 53:12.