Pope Benedict XVI's General Audience on Wednesday November 30, 2011

Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday offered his support to a major international meeting underway this week through the sponsorship of the Sant’Egidio Community aimed at eliminating capital punishment.

I greet the distinguished delegations from various countries taking part in the meeting promoted by the Community of Sant’Egidio on the theme: No Justice without Life. I express my hope that your deliberations will encourage the political and legislative initiatives being promoted in a growing number of countries to eliminate the death penalty and to continue the substantive progress made in conforming penal law both to the human dignity of prisoners and the effective maintenance of public order.

The Holy Father’s appeal came at the end of his weekly General Audience, during which he continued his series of catecheses on Christian prayer. The Pope on Wednesday focused on how Christ, Himself, prays, saying that Christ’s example most fully reveals the mystery of Christian prayer.

A significant moment in this regard is Jesus’ prayer following his Baptism, which expresses his both his deepest identity as the Son of God and his solidarity with the sinful humanity whom he came to save. Jesus’ prayer reflects his complete, filial obedience to the Father’s will, an obedience which would lead him to death on the Cross for the redemption of our sins. “With his human heart,” said Pope Benedict, “Jesus learned to pray from his Mother and from the Jewish tradition, yet the source of his prayer is his eternal communion with the Father.”

As the incarnate Son, he shows us perfectly how to pray as children of the heavenly Father. Jesus’ example of fidelity to prayer challenges us to examine the time and effort we devote to our own prayer. While prayer is a gift of God, it is also an art learned through constant practice. Pope Benedict concluded, saying, “Jesus teaches us to pray constantly, but also to bear witness before others of the beauty of prayer, self-surrender and complete openness to God.”

Full Text of the Pope's Catechesis and Greetings in English:

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In our catechesis on prayer, we now turn to Jesus, who by his own example most fully reveals the mystery of Christian prayer. A significant moment in this regard is Jesus’ prayer following his Baptism, which expresses his both his deepest identity as the Son of God and his solidarity with the sinful humanity whom he came to save. Jesus’ prayer reflects his complete, filial obedience to the Father’s will, an obedience which would lead him to death on the Cross for the redemption of our sins. With his human heart, Jesus learned to pray from his Mother and from the Jewish tradition, yet the source of his prayer is his eternal communion with the Father; as the incarnate Son, he shows us perfectly how to pray as children of the heavenly Father. Jesus’ example of fidelity to prayer challenges us to examine the time and effort we devote to our own prayer. While prayer is a gift of God, it is also an art learned through constant practice. Jesus teaches us to pray constantly, but also to bear witness before others of the beauty of prayer, self-surrender and complete openness to God.

I greet the distinguished delegations from various countries taking part in the meeting promoted by the Community of Sant’Egidio on the theme: No Justice without Life. I express my hope that your deliberations will encourage the political and legislative initiatives being promoted in a growing number of countries to eliminate the death penalty and to continue the substantive progress made in conforming penal law both to the human dignity of prisoners and the effective maintenance of public order. Upon all the English-speaking pilgrims present, including those from the United States, I invoke God’s blessings of joy and peace!

Daily Gospel: Feast of Saint Andrew, Apostle. November 30, 2011

Saints of the day: St Andew, Apostle - St Beshai, confessor

First Letter to the Corinthians 1:26-31

Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, in order that, as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.’

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to

Saint Matthew 4:18-23

As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the lake for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him. Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.

Les Enjeux de la Présence Chrétienne au Moyen-Orient

Le Patriarche Maronite, sa Beatitude Mar Beshara Boutros Al Rahi a prononcé un discours à l'université du Saint Esprit Kaslik en la présence de Parlementaires Européens et de plusieurs personalités religieuses et politiques sur les enjeux de la présence chrétienne au Moyen-Orient. Voici le texte intégral de son discours:

'Je voudrais tout d’abord saluer les organisateurs de cette conférence sur «le futur des chrétiens au Moyen-Orient» et le Recteur de l’Université St. Esprit, Kaslik, qui l’accueille dans cet Amphithéâtre. Je salue donc les honorables Membres du Parlement Européen, de l’Assemblée Parlementaire du Conseil d’Europe, des Parlements du Liban et du Moyen-Orient, ainsi que la Commission des Conférences des Évêques de l’Union Européenne.

S’adressant ensemble pour la première fois à leurs fidèles, les Patriarches catholiques d’Orient affirmaient en 1991, que «L’Eglise ne se mesure pas en chiffres. Elle n’est pas tributaire de la statistique, mais de la conscience que ses fils et filles ont de leur vocation et de leur mission.» Je souhaite aujourd’hui, dans le cadre de ce colloque, élargir cet appel et l’adresser à la fois aux Communautés Européenne et internationale ainsi qu’à nos compatriotes Musulmans. Vingt ans plus tard, le Synode des évêques, convoqué par Sa Sainteté le Pape Benoit XVI en Assemblée spéciale pour le Moyen-Orient du 10 au 24 Octobre 2010, a confirmé cette affirmation en considérant que la présence chrétienne en Orient se comprend en termes de «Communion et témoignage»; ce qui signifie que nous ne pouvons penser notre avenir en dehors, en marge ou contre les sociétés où nous vivons et dont nous faisons partie essentielle, mais en partageant les responsabilités avec nos compatriotes pour construire ensemble cet avenir. Je souhaite que la tenue de ce colloque soit une prise de conscience de cette responsabilité partagée et que ses travaux et leur suivi atteignent ses finalités. Dans ce cadre j’ai choisi de parler des enjeux et défis auxquels nous faisons face à partir de ces deux concepts fondamentaux de communion et témoignage.


I. La communion

2. La communion est un concept théologique qui signifie l’unité dans la diversité que les chrétiens sont tout d’abord appelés à vivre dans l’amour au sein de l’Eglise, à l’image de la Sainte Communion Trinitaire. Le Concile Vatican II nous enseigne que l’Eglise est appelée à être « le signe et le moyen de l’union intime avec Dieu et de l’unité de tout le genre humain. ». Cela montre que les fondements de notre présence en Orient se trouvent inscrits au cœur de notre foi, et pas uniquement liés aux circonstances historiques et matérielles de cette présence ou à notre propre choix. C’est pourquoi notre «vivre-commun» ne signifie pas une existence parallèle ou une simple collaboration entre les différentes parties d’une même société, mais une conscience d’une vie partagée et d’une interdépendance qui va jusqu’à l’identité culturelle et spirituelle des uns et des autres. « Les chrétiens d’Orient, disent en ce sens les patriarches catholiques d’Orient, sont une partie inséparable de l’identité culturelle des musulmans. De même, les musulmans en Orient sont une partie inséparable de l’identité culturelle des chrétiens. De ce fait, nous sommes responsables les uns des autres devant Dieu et devant l’histoire.»

3. En politique, cette communion se traduit en termes d’identité nationale commune, de «citoyenneté» et de participation. Nous confrontons l’enjeu des changements en cours dans certains pays arabes. Tout en étant une expression d’un éveil et d’un engagement pour une identité nationale commune, nous craignons que ces changements ne conduisent vers des conflits inter confessionnaux, une transition à des régimes plus durs encore et une partition de la région sur une base confessionnelle. Il ne doit y avoir qu’une identité nationale partagée, inclusive de tous les apports culturels, et qui peut assurer la base d’un vivre-commun serein et fructueux. Les chrétiens, avec tous leurs amis d’ici ou d’ailleurs, doivent faire face à toutes les tentatives de définir nos sociétés ou nos pays en terme d’identité religieuse. Nous devons nous opposer clairement à l’islamité exclusive de l’identité de nos pays ainsi qu’à la judaïté d’Israël. Nous saluons ici l’heureuse déclaration d’AL Azhar du mois de juin dernier, qui confirme que l’Islam ne stipule aucune identité religieuse pour l’Etat lequel ne doit être ni religieux, ni théocratique, mais civil respectant les valeurs religieuses fondamentales. Nous invitons à un dialogue sincère entre les divers partenaires, politiques et religieux, libéraux, modérés ou conservateurs, islamistes et laïcs, locaux et internationaux, autour du concept de l’Etat civil afin de clarifier dans son contexte les exigences d’une citoyenneté partagée par tous sur un pied d’égalité.

4. Il reste ensuite l’enjeu de la participation politique de tous au service du bien commun, comme concrétisation de cette citoyenneté juste et inclusive. Il y a cependant de grandes disparités dans les situations des pays de la région au niveau de la représentation des chrétiens dans les parlements. Alors qu’au Liban, l’accord de Taëf de 1990 stipule d’une manière unique en son genre et originale la parité entre chrétiens et musulmans indépendamment des calculs démographiques, mais sur la base du Pacte National de convivialité islamo-chrétienne.

La présence chrétienne au Moyen-Orient a besoin de bénéficier avec les autres citoyens d’un cadre politique sain et impartial pour pouvoir assumer son rôle propre et contribuer au développement futur et équitable de ses sociétés. L’Etat civil, séparant entre les religieuses et les institutions politiques, sans pour autant reléguer les premières dans les marges de la vie publique, semble être le cadre adapté aux situations de nos pays. Il a cependant besoin d’être étudié afin d’arriver à un consensus dans sa compréhension loin de toute ambiguïté. Il pourrait être de modèle pour l’intégration des communautés musulmanes dans l’espace politique européen.

II. Le témoignage

5. Comme après la communion vient le témoignage, ainsi après la citoyenneté vient l’engagement. Or, trois défis font face au témoignage et à l’engagement des chrétiens en Orient. Il s’agit de la sécurité, des libertés fondamentales et de la reconnaissance de la diversité.

6. Nous savons combien la sécurité est fondamentale pour toute vie individuelle et collective. Personne ne peut vivre, grandir et s’épanouir dans une atmosphère insécurisante. La Résolution du Parlement européen du 20 janvier 2011 sur la situation des chrétiens dans le contexte de la liberté de religion reconnaît très clairement les situations d’insécurité dans lesquelles se trouvent des communautés chrétiennes au Moyen-Orient et ailleurs. L’article 9 du texte demande «instamment aux autorités des États qui sont confrontés à de nombreux attentats visant les confessions religieuses de prendre leurs responsabilités et de veiller à ce que les pratiques religieuses de toutes les confessions religieuses puissent se dérouler normalement, d'intensifier leurs efforts afin de fournir une protection fiable et efficace aux confessions religieuses dans leurs pays et d'assurer la sécurité personnelle et l'intégrité physique des membres des confessions religieuses dans le pays, se conformant ainsi aux obligations auxquels ils ont déjà souscrit sur la scène internationale.»

Dans ce contexte, nous voulons affirmer que la sécurité est un droit à tout citoyen et que l’Etat se doit d’assurer. Il ne s’agit donc en aucune manière d’une protection d’une minorité par une majorité, mais d’un droit fondamental et commun à tous, sans distinction et sans discrimination aucune. Toutefois, vu l’aspect d’intolérance religieuse qu’ont manifesté certains événements sanglants et douloureux, je réitère l’invitation, déjà exprimée par le Sommet islamo-chrétien tenu au Patriarcat maronite le 12 mai dernier, de toutes les instances supérieures musulmanes et chrétiennes du Moyen-Orient à proclamer un document historique rejetant tous les aspects de guerres de religion et promouvant la convivialité à la base de la citoyenneté et des droits fondamentaux de l’homme.

7. Le second enjeu est celui des libertés fondamentales. Car comme nous souffrons parfois de manque de sécurité, nous souffrons également, dans quelques pays de la région de certaines formes de régime sécuritaire étatique ou social qui oppriment les libertés fondamentales de conscience, de culte et d’expression. Or la liberté est l’oxygène du citoyen et du croyant. Elle est tellement importante pour nous que toute l’histoire de l’Eglise Maronite se caractérise par une longue aventure d’attachement et de défense de la liberté au prix d’énormes sacrifices. Notre liturgie est un chant d’action de grâce continu pour ce don divin et inaliénable de la liberté et une offrande à l’intention de nos martyrs à travers les siècles. Mon prédécesseur, le patriarche Nasrallah-Pierre Sfeir avait clairement affirmé que «si les Libanais étaient mis devant le choix difficile entre le vivre-ensemble et la liberté, l’histoire montre qu’ils n’ont jamais hésité – et surtout les chrétiens parmi eux – de choisir la liberté, qui constitue un principe et une constante pour eux.»

Le Synode spéciale pour le Moyen-Orient est revenu sur la question des libertés en montrant sa complexité et ses différentes dimensions: sociale, culturelle, religieuse, législative et politique. L’Instrumentum Laboris (n. 36) distingue entre la liberté de culte et la liberté de conscience. Les deux fromes connaissent des limites et entraves. Si la liberté de conscience, «c’est-à-dire la liberté de croire ou de ne pas croire, de pratiquer une religion seul ou en public, sans aucune entrave, et donc de la liberté de changer de religion» est encore – à l’exception du Liban – loin d’être garantie dans nos sociétés et parfois prohibée par la législation. La simple liberté de culte elle aussi est parfois indirectement entravée par les procédures difficiles et injustes pour l’obtention de permis pour la construction de lieux de culte ou de leur restauration. Nous estimons que la résolution de cette question, ainsi que la garantie d’une entière et inconditionnelle liberté de culte et de conscience, constitue un indicateur intransigeant de la justesse et de l’avenir des sociétés arabes après les révolutions et les changements de régimes.

8. Le troisième enjeu est celui de la reconnaissance de la diversité. En effet la liberté ouvre le chemin à une autre valeur fondamentale à savoir l’acceptation positive de la diversité et la reconnaissance des autres dans leur altérité. Avouons qu’il n’est jamais facile à un croyant d’accueillir l’autre – dans sa différence religieuse – comme un élément positif dans son espace social et culturel, ainsi que dans son espace intérieur. Or, l’histoire plus que millénaire du vivre-commun entre chrétiens et musulmans dans la région nous apprend par le biais du dialogue de la vie que ces différences irréductibles peuvent être surmontées, voire même transformées en source d’enrichissement mutuel. Parlant précisément de cette réalité, le Bienheureux Pape Jean-Paul II avait déclaré que «Le Liban est plus qu’un pays: il est un message de liberté et un modèle de pluralisme pour l’Orient comme pour l’Occident.»

En ces temps de bouleversements et de quête de vérité, notre espoir est de voir le Liban assumer son rôle de message. Malgré ses multiples fragilités, le Liban reste en effet porteur de cette mission humaniste et civilisationnelle d’une pluralité réconciliée dont l’Orient ainsi que l’Occident ont tant besoin. Cette responsabilité passe par la lutte contre toutes les formes de fondamentalisme et de fanatisme ou xénophobie. Elle exige de nous un réexamen de nos discours religieux et éducatifs et l’interpellation des autres pour faire de même aussi, afin que nos pratiques soient cohérentes avec nos principes. Ainsi le climat de sécurité et de libertés constituera le contexte propice à un dialogue islamo-chrétien fécond, fondé sur la base des valeurs communes et le respect des différences.


Conclusion

9. Dans le contexte de la tenue du XXe congrès des Patriarches Catholiques d’Orient, je m’unis à mes frères les Patriarches pour exprimer notre gratitude envers les diverses délégations européennes, avec ceux qui ont contribué à la préparation de ce colloque, pour l’intérêt que vous portez pour la cause de la présence chrétienne au Moyen-Orient. Nous voulons vous assurer que votre démarche ne sera pas mal comprise, comme étant un appui à une partie de la population de la région sans ou contre les autres. En effet, soutenir les chrétiens de la région, c’est soutenir le vivre-commun et par conséquent c’est aussi soutenir – quoique indirectement – les musulmans. Car le vivre-commun est une valeur partagée qui enrichit ses deux composantes et dont nous avons tous besoin. Ainsi nous ne craignons pas pour la présence chrétienne en Orient. Car nous croyons que cela dépend davantage de la volonté de Dieu que de notre choix. Nous savons aussi que le scénario d’un monde arabe sans les chrétiens serait un scénario catastrophique pour l’Orient et pour l’Occident. Car ceci sera la fin de l’arabité en tant que culture plurielle et elle sera engloutie par la culture religieuse de l’islam. Ni l’islam, ni l’Europe ne pourront supporter une telle situation. Quant à nous, nous affirmons que l’identité nationale, la citoyenneté, la participation, la sécurité, la liberté et l’accueil de la diversité sont tous des jalons sur cet autre chemin quotidien que nous parcourons inséparablement avec nos concitoyens et frères les musulmans de tous les pays du Moyen-Orient. Ensemble, nous en sont responsables devant Dieu.

10. Chers amis venus de l’Europe, restez avec nous sur ce chemin. Vous êtes venus en frères, soucieux du sort des chrétiens; nous vous introduisons dans notre famille plus large, où chrétiens et musulmans nous portons ensemble les soucis des uns et des autres. Car dans cette région du monde, berceau de civilisations antiques et du monothéisme, le conflit n’est pas et nous refusons qu’il en soit entre chrétiens et musulmans. Nous le disons à vous et à nous-mêmes, l’avenir, notre avenir à nous tous, dépend de l’issu d’une autre confrontation. Elle est celle qui met face-à-face, dans la vie de tous les jours et sur différents niveaux: politique, culturel, théologique, éducatif et médiatique, les fanatiques d’une part et les croyants authentiques avec tous les hommes de bonne volonté d’autre part. Nous savons que le combat est rude, mais dans la foi, nous savons aussi que nous sommes vainqueurs.'

Daily Gospel: Tuesday After the Sunday of the Visitation to Elizabeth, November 29, 2011

Letter to the Ephesians 2:1-10

You were dead through the trespasses and sins in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ by grace you have been saved and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.


Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ According to

Saint Luke 10:38-42
Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.’ But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.’

Daily Gospel: Monday After the Sunday of the Visitation to Elizabeth, November 28, 2011

Letter to the Ephesians 1:15-23

I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love towards all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to

Saint Luke 1:46-56

And Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’ And Mary remained with her for about three months and then returned to her home.

The Maronite Patriarch's Homily on Sunday, November 27, 2011

The Maronite Patriarch Mar Beshara Boutros Al Rahi criticized on Sunday the government’s “hesitation” in adhering to international legitimacy, especially regarding the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.

He said during his Sunday homily: “We warn against failing to respect international obligations and we hold the officials responsible for the dangerous repercussions that Lebanon and the Lebanese people would incur as a result of this failure.” He stressed that Lebanon is under a strict obligation to respect the special tribunal for Lebanon, justice, and the truth. Furthermore, the patriarch noted that Lebanon is one of the founding members of the United Nations and therefore it would be wrong to reject its resolutions and agreements.

The Maronite Patriarch was celebrating Sunday Mass for the memory of Myriam Al Ashkar, who was found dead tuesday in the woods, in the area located between the Keserwan towns of Sahel Alma and Harissa. Myriam, whose body was recovered after a day-long search and rescue operation by the army and internal security forces, was stabbed at least eight times in her chest and suffered other injuries. 

Myriam Al Ashkar was killed by Fathi Al Salateen the janitor of the 'Our Lady of the Annunciation' monastery in Baqloush, after that he attempted to rape her. Myriam was heading for the church to pray on Monday as she used to do several times every other week. Security forces arrested Al-Salateen, who is well-known in the town, where he had been residing over the last year and a half. The murderer who has confessed to the crime, is also suspected of having been a member in a Syrian intelligence unit in Lebanon and having quit his post several years ago.

Al Rahi has strongly condemned the murder and has asked religious institutions to avoid employing non-Christian foreign labor to prevent a repeat of such events. He said:“We ask officials of monasteries, religious Christian institutions, in a bid to preserve their sanctity, inviolability and message, not to entrust their protection to non-Christian foreigners or house them.”

The patriarch praised the security forces for uncovering the murderer, demanding that arms possession in Lebanon be controlled. “We ask security and judicial officials to protect Lebanese and to apply the most severe form of punishment upon the criminal,” Rahi said to the believers attending the Mass, which included Myriam’s family members and Interior Minister Marwan Charbel. He also asked the Internal Security Forces to be vigilant with regards to the security of citizens and protect them against any threats. The patriarch also asked unions and workers to implement necessary laws governing foreign labor, voicing appreciation for foreigners who are genuinely working in the country. 

After the Holy Mass the Patriarch received Myriam's mourning family members and he shared with them their grief and pain.

Pope Benedict XVI's Angelus Message on Sunday, November 27, 2011

Advent, which begins today, is a "wonderful time which awakens in our hearts the expectation of the return of Christ and the memory of His first coming, when He strips Himself of His divine glory to take on our mortal flesh". It is even more important in a "post-modern world .... Where God seems absent" and in which "... we sometimes think that God has withdrawn and has, so to speak, abandoned us."

This is how Benedict XVI explained the meaning of Advent before praying the Angelus with the faithful in St. Peter's Square. A time that marks the beginning of the new liturgical year, "a new journey of faith, to live together in Christian communities, but also, as always, to live within the history of the world, so it can be opened to the mystery of God, the salvation that comes from his love. "

The pope commented on the Christ’s words in this Sunday’s Gospel, "Be watchful! Be alert!": "This – he said - is the call of Jesus in the Gospel today. It is addressed not only to his disciples, but to everyone: ' Be watchful! Be alert!' (Mt 13.37). It is a healthy reminder to us that life is not only the earthly dimension, but it is projected towards a' beyond ', like a tender shoot that sprouts from the earth and opens up to the sky. A thinking seedling, man, endowed with freedom and responsibility, for this each of us will be called to account for how he has lived, how he used his abilities: if he kept them to themselves, or put them to use also for the benefit of others. "

The pontiff then commented on the words of the prophet Isaiah, " There is none who calls upon your name, who rouses himself to cling to you; for you have hidden your face from us and have delivered us up to our guilt." (Isaiah 64.6 ): "How can we not be impressed by this description? It seems to reflect certain views of the post-modern cities where life becomes anonymous and horizontal, where God seems absent and man his own master, as if he was the creator and director of everything: constructions, employment, economy, transport, science, technology, everything seems to depend on man alone. And sometimes, in this world that seems almost perfect, shocking things happen, or in nature, or in society, so we think that God has withdrawn, so to speak, abandoning us to ourselves. "

"In fact - he added - the true"Lord "of the world is not man, but God. The Gospel says: Watch, therefore; you do not know when the Lord of the house is coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning. May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping '(Mark 13.35-36). The Season of Advent comes each year to remind us of this, so that our lives find their proper orientation toward the face of God. The face, not of a 'master', but a Father and a Friend. With the Virgin Mary to guide us on our Advent journey, may we make our own the words of the prophet: Yet, O LORD, you are our father; we are the clay and you the potter: we are all the work of your hands (Isaiah 64.7). "

After the Marian prayer and before the greetings in different languages, Benedict XVI recalled the importance of the UN Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol, which begin tomorrow in Durban (South Africa). "I hope - said the pontiff - that all members of the international community will agree on a responsible, credible and supportive response to this disturbing and complex phenomenon, taking into account the needs of the poorest people and future generations."

Finally the Pope greeted all the english-speaking pilgrims saying:"I offer a warm welcome to the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present at this Angelus prayer. Today, the Church begins the celebration of Advent, which marks the beginning of a new liturgical year and our spiritual preparation for the celebration of Christmas. Let us heed the message in today’s Gospel by entering prayerfully into this holy season, so that we may be ready to greet Jesus Christ, who is God with us. I wish you all a good Sunday. May God bless all of you!"     

Daily Gospel: Sunday of the Visitation to Elizabeth, November 27, 2011

 

Saint of the day: St James Intercisus, Martyr

Letter to the Ephesians 1:1-14

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus and are faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance towards redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to

Saint Luke 1:39-45

In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’

Daily Gospel: Saturday After the Sunday of the Announcement to the Virgin Mary, November 26, 2011

Letter to the Galatians 4:13-20

You know that it was because of a physical infirmity that I first announced the gospel to you; though my condition put you to the test, you did not scorn or despise me, but welcomed me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. What has become of the goodwill you felt? For I testify that, had it been possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth? They make much of you, but for no good purpose; they want to exclude you, so that you may make much of them. It is good to be made much of for a good purpose at all times, and not only when I am present with you. My little children, for whom I am again in the pain of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, I wish I were present with you now and could change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to

Saint Luke 10:21-24

At that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.’ Then turning to the disciples, Jesus said to them privately, ‘Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.’

Message of the Virgin Mary for the World on November 25, 2011 From Medjugorje

“Dear children! Today I desire to give you hope and joy. Everything that is around you, little children, leads you towards worldly things but I desire to lead you towards a time of grace, so that through this time you may be all the closer to my Son, that He can lead you towards His love and eternal life, for which every heart yearns. You, little children, pray and may this time for you be one of grace for your soul. Thank you for having responded to my call.”

Daily Gospel: Friday After the Sunday of the Announcement to the Virgin Mary, November 25, 2011

Letter to the Galatians 4:8-12

Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to beings that by nature are not gods. Now, however, that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and beggarly elemental spirits? How can you want to be enslaved to them again? You are observing special days, and months, and seasons, and years. I am afraid that my work for you may have been wasted. Friends, I beg you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have done me no wrong.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to

Saint John 6:40-44

This is indeed the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in him may have eternal life; and I will raise them up on the last day.’ Then the Jews began to complain about him because he said, ‘I am the bread that came down from heaven.’ They were saying, ‘Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, "I have come down from heaven"?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Do not complain among yourselves. No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me; and I will raise that person up on the last day.

New Maronite Monastery in Portland, Oregon

Maronite Bishop Robert Shaheen of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon established the Oregon Monastery of Jesus, Mary and Joseph June 27 during a ceremony in St. Raymond Cathedral in St. Louis. Brother Anthony Joseph Alles professed vows of poverty, chastity and obedience and received a simple black habit. The bishop blessed Abouna Jonathan Decker, a longtime Maronite priest and spiritual director, as prior.

Father Jonathan and Brother Anthony Joseph
in the monastery chapel

The new monastery is for now housed in a simple home on a suburban cul de sac. Abouna Jonathan and Brother Anthony Joseph hope with the support of backers to purchase land for a larger monastery that will endure through the centuries. Abouna, which is Arabic for "Father," is still known by a few as Father Decker. He's a hermit who also is pastor of St. Sharbel Maronite Parish in Portland. The Monastery of Jesus, Mary and Joseph is the first Maronite monastery in the western U.S. The only other is in Petersham, Mass. and is home to about two dozen monks.

The new monastery is located in an area of Beaverton known as Bethany. That's the name of the Palestinian village where Mary and Martha lived and where Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. These facts are not lost on the monks as they seek to live lives of deep attention to Jesus. A former bedroom has been transformed into a chapel, paneled with cedar from Lebanon, a deeply symbolic choice. This room is the heart of the small monastery. The two monks chant psalm-based prayer five times daily, including at 3 a.m. "There are no days off in the monastery," Abouna Jonathan says. "This is not a profession, it is a life. It's disciplined, but it's disciplined by love."

The Maronite tradition is one of the eastern rites of the Catholic Church. Maronites, who trace their ritual to the 5th-century monk Maron in the mountains of Syria, are in full communion with the Holy See. "Ours is a spirituality of the desert," Abouna Jonathan says. "Monasticism is our topography." Some early Christians took to the dry lands and mountains of the Levant to live simple, undistracted lives. The Maronite rite emerged in that context and became the primary expression of Christianity in Lebanon, but has adherents from all backgrounds.

Maronite monasticism includes distinctive charisms and language, but it shares tradition with Latin rite monks. The most common guidelines for all Christian monastic life come from St. Benedict of Nursia, who drew partly on eastern traditions when he wrote his 6th-century rule. "We are not reinventing the wheel," Abouna Jonathan says. "What we can do is bring eastern mysticism to the people, to the whole church." Brother Anthony Joseph, 26, is a graduate in philosophy from the Franciscan University of Steubenville. "We live in a world filled with noise," he says. "We operate in that world and we operate impulsively a lot of times. This is about going out to the desert — silence, external and internal. It's a rich silence, a musical silence."

For his monastic name, Brother Anthony Joseph combined a 3rd-century monk — Anthony of the Desert — and the earthly father of Jesus. In them, he valued perseverance and resilience. "Anthony's life was spent conquering unredeemed parts of himself and giving them over to Christ," says Brother Anthony Joseph. "He was totally given over to Christ." He chose St. Joseph because the saint became fully what God wanted him to be, and because St. Joseph moved through a time of confusion into clarity.

"We have to be godly men like St. Joseph," says Abouna Jonathan. "We need constantly to be discerning what we are supposed to do." Monks, like St. Joseph, should respond "immediately" to God's messages, the priest says. The monastery is named after the Holy Family because of a deep commitment to Christian love and unity, as in a family.

"This is called a monastery, but it's a family and families are built on love," says Abouna Jonathan, holding out his clasped hands in a gesture of gratitude. "We are constantly asking ourselves, 'Are we loving one another as he loved us?' We came from loving families. They taught us how to love. We continue that love here."

As among the Desert Fathers, hospitality is key at the new Maronite monastery. Visitors receive an embrace at the doorway, a sprinkling of holy water and kisses on the cheeks. Then guests are taken to the tabernacle for prayer. Back in the living room, a warm cup of tea and a snack appear. The conversation flows.

When there are no visitors, it's largely a silent life inside the monastery's clean white walls. There is conversation on occasion, but it's not trite. "When we talk, it is about something with meaning," Abouna Jonathan says. Still, these monks laugh regularly. For example, they explain why Abouna Jonathan does most of the cooking. Brother Anthony took charge of a meal once when visitors were expected and set the smoke alarm off three times.

The monks do their own work, cleaning bathrooms, sweeping, washing windows, dusting the holy statues. Friends send food on occasion, but the men do go grocery shopping. At Fred Meyer, the store workers know them by name and greet them joyfully. At meals, the monks listen to holy recorded books or read to each other.

Abouna Jonathan and Brother Anthony are balanced men. Drawn to silence, they also seek fellowship with people in the world. Eastern monasticism fits them well. Instead of a strict cloister tradition, eastern monks have a custom of welcoming sojourners who want to tap into the holy pursuits. The desert hermits saw people all the time.

The monks look for an example to the 4th-century monk St. Pachomius, who left the Egyptian army to begin an ascetic life near the Nile. The saint went into the desert precisely so he could help visitors encounter God more deeply. "You share the fruits of your contemplation with others," Brother Anthony Joseph says. Another model at the monastery is St. Sharbel Makhlouf, the 19th Maronite monk after whom the Portland parish is named. St. Sharbel was a hermit but not a recluse. Fasting and praying through decades, he made himself available if someone needed spiritual guidance or advice.

"The fruit of silence is to give back," Abouna Jonathan says. "It's not for yourself. It's to give back to God, to God's people." "This monastery is for the whole church," he says. In his 1995 encyclical letter on ecumenism, Ut Unum Sint, Pope John Paul II said the Western and Eastern Catholic rites like the Maronites work together to embody the fullness of Christian tradition and spirituality.

"The Church must breathe with her two lungs," Pope John Paul wrote. Oregon is also home to St. Irene, a Byzantine Catholic parish in North Portland and Nativity of the Mother of God, a Ukrainian Byzantine parish in Springfield. "We came not to compete, we came to complete," Abouna Jonathan says of his own arrival in Oregon in the mid-1980s, when few people here knew the Catholic Church had eastern rites, many of them in the Middle East.

Brother Anthony Joseph studies theology via online courses from Holy Apostles Seminary in Connecticut. At the monastery, he receives spiritual and human formation. At St. Sharbel, he gains pastoral experience as the people of the parish teach him about family life and how to love. Abouna Jonathan makes sure his junior monk stays physically active each day, swimming and running.

Chanting God's praises comes naturally to Brother Anthony Joseph. He spent six years in a Portland children's choir singing Renaissance polyphony and Gregorian chant. He was able to travel to Mexico and Rome with the group. The young monk has long been a thoughtful and insightful man. In 2008, just out of college, he began working in the pro-life movement. That year, he spoke with the Catholic Sentinel outside the construction site of a new Planned Parenthood building in Portland.

“People see abortion as a way to protect their freedom. I think our society has lost its sense of real freedom,” he said then, wearing a red shirt with a small white cross and the words, “Lifeguard for the unborn.” Even before he became a monk, he would help homeless people whenever he could. He'd have long conversations about faith with a Protestant workmate.

Young Nathaniel came for spiritual direction to Abouna Jonathan, who suggested visiting various religious communities to discern his call. After getting to know the options and getting to know himself, the young man chose Maronite monastic life. "You take the gifts God gave you and you put them in God's hands to be at his disposal," Brother Anthony Joseph says. "This is not a human vocation; it's a divine vocation. You can only live it by God's grace."

Inquiries about the monastic vocation and life can go to the monks’ recently launched website at www.mmjmj.com, and they can be reached by mail at Maronite Monks of Jesus Mary and Joseph, 1804 SE 16th Ave., Portland, OR 97214. To reach the monastery by phone, call 503-231-3853. Good will donations and prayers are greatly appreciated.

In gratitude to almighty God for His many graces already received, the monks would also like to thank Bishop Robert J. Shaheen of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon for his blessing and support as well Archbishop John Vlazny for his generous welcome on behalf of the Archdiocese of Portland, Oregon. The monks say they are grateful for "this wonderful opportunity to serve God in this capacity."


by Ed Langlois, Catholic Sentinel

Daily Gospel: Thursday After the Sunday of the Announcement to the Virgin Mary, November 24, 2011

Letter to the Galatians 4:1-7

My point is this: heirs, as long as they are minors, are no better than slaves, though they are the owners of all the property; but they remain under guardians and trustees until the date set by the father. So with us; while we were minors, we were enslaved to the elemental spirits of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to

Saint Matthew 12,46-50.While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers were standing outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, ‘Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.’ But to the one who had told him this, Jesus replied, ‘Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?’ And pointing to his disciples, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.’

Pope Benedict XVI's General Audience on Wednesday November 23, 2011

“I ask you to join me in commending all Christ’s followers in Africa to the maternal intercession of Our Lady of Africa, so that by their witness of fidelity to God’s word, their commitment to the spread of the Gospel and their efforts to build communion, peace and solidarity they can become protagonists of a new season of hope for that great Continent”, this was Pope Benedict XVI’s appeal Wednesday during his weekly general audience.

As per tradition the Holy Father dedicated his first major public appointment since his return from Benin, West Africa, on Sunday to the major themes of this three day Apostolic Voyage, during which he handed his guidelines for the future of the Church there, the post-Synodal Exhortation - Africae Munus - to the people of the continent.

Reflecting on that moment, Sunday morning during Mass in Cotonou stadium, Pope Benedict said: “The Exhortation gathers the fruits of the Second Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops, held in Rome two years ago, and it offers guidelines for the Church’s future mission on the continent. In the light of the Synod, the Church in Africa is called to deepened faith and commitment in the service to reconciliation, justice and peace”.

Earlier in comments in Italian the Holy Father told the pilgrims to the Paul VI audience hall: “In Africa I saw a freshness in their yes to life, a freshness of religious awareness and of hope, a perception of reality in its totality with God and not reduced to a positivism which eventually extinguishes hope. All of this speaks of the presence on that continent of a reservoir of life and vitality for the future, on which we can count, on which the Church can rely. "

One of the indelible images of the apostolic visit was the prayer at the tomb of a great churchman and illustrious son of Benin in Africa: “The unforgettable Cardinal Bernardin Gantin, whose revered memory is alive more than ever in his country, which regards him as a Father of the Nation, and the whole continent."


Pope Benedict spoke of the need for a spirit of reconciliation on the civil level, which he said “requires an openness to the hope that is animating sociopolitical and economic life of the continent, as I was able underline in the meeting with the political institutions, the Diplomatic Corps and Representatives of Religions. "

On that occasion the Holy Father stressed "the hope that should animate the path of the continent, noting that burning desire for freedom and justice, especially in recent months, which animates the hearts of many African peoples" :

"I also stressed the need to build a society in which relations between ethnic groups and religions are characterized by dialogue and harmony. I invited all to be true sowers of hope in every situation and environment. "

The Pope recalled his moving meeting with children: “In the parish church of Santa Rita, I really tasted the joy of living, the joy and enthusiasm of the younger generation who are the future of Africa. Speaking to the ranks of festive children, one of the many resources and wealth of the continent, I pointed to the figure of St. Kizito, a Ugandan boy, who was killed because he wanted to live the gospel, and I urged everyone to bear witness to Jesus with their peers. "

And his visit to the Foyer “Peace and Joy” hospice, of Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity, a moment of “great emotion, encountering sick and abandoned children, which allowed me to concretely see how love and solidarity know how to make the strength and love of the Risen Christ present in the midst of weakness”.

Finally he greeted pilgrims in various languages, including English: “I offer a cordial greeting to the Sisters of Jesus and Mary taking part in a course of spiritual renewal. I also greet the international group of Marist and Marianist Brothers. My warm welcome likewise goes to the pilgrims from Indonesia. Upon all the English-speaking visitors present at today’s Audience, including the groups from Nigeria, South Korea and the United States of America, I invoke God’s blessings of joy and peace”.

 

Daily Gospel: Wednesday After the Sunday of the Announcement to the Virgin Mary, November 23, 2011

Letter to the Galatians 3:23-29

Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ According to

Saint Matthew 13:54-58

He came to his home town and began to teach the people in their synagogue, so that they were astounded and said, ‘Where did this man get this wisdom and these deeds of power? Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all this?’ And they took offence at him. But Jesus said to them, ‘Prophets are not without honour except in their own country and in their own house.’ And he did not do many deeds of power there, because of their unbelief.

Daily Gospel: Tuesday After the Sunday of the Announcement to the Virgin Mary, November 22, 2011

Letter to the Galatians 3:7-14

so, you see, those who believe are the descendants of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, declared the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, ‘All the Gentiles shall be blessed in you.’ For this reason, those who believe are blessed with Abraham who believed. For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the things written in the book of the law.’ Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law; for ‘The one who is righteous will live by faith.’ But the law does not rest on faith; on the contrary, ‘Whoever does the works of the law will live by them.’ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’ in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.


Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ According to

 Saint Matthew 11:25-30

At that time Jesus said, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. ‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’

Daily Gospel: Feast of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary in the Temple, November 21, 2011

Letter to the Hebrews 2:14-18, 3:1-6

Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death. For it is clear that he did not come to help angels, but the descendants of Abraham. Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested. Therefore, brothers and sisters, holy partners in a heavenly calling, consider that Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses also ‘was faithful in all God’s house.’ Yet Jesus is worthy of more glory than Moses, just as the builder of a house has more honour than the house itself. (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that would be spoken later. Christ, however, was faithful over God’s house as a son, and we are his house if we hold firm the confidence and the pride that belong to hope.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to

Saint Luke 11:27-32

While he was saying this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, ‘Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts that nursed you!’ But he said, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it!’ When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, ‘This generation is an evil generation; it asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so the Son of Man will be to this generation. The queen of the South will rise at the judgement with the people of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, and see, something greater than Solomon is here! The people of Nineveh will rise up at the judgement with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the proclamation of Jonah, and see, something greater than Jonah is here!

The Pope's Homily in Cotonou, Benin on Sunday November 20, 2011

Dear Brother Bishops and Priests,
Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Following in the footsteps of my blessed predecessor Pope John Paul II, it is a great joy for me to visit for the second time this dear continent of Africa, coming among you, in Benin, to address to you a message of hope and of peace. I would like first of all to express my cordial gratitude to Archbishop Antoine Ganyé Cotonou, for his words of welcome and to greet the Bishops of Benin, as well as the Cardinals and Bishops from various African countries and from other continents. To all of you, dear brothers and sisters, who have come to this Mass celebrated by the Successor of Peter, I offer my warm greetings. I am thinking certainly of the faithful of Benin, but also of those from other French-speaking countries, such as Togo, Burkina Faso, Niger and others. Our Eucharistic celebration on the Solemnity of Christ the King is an occasion to give thank to God for the one hundred and fifty years that have passed since the beginnings of the evangelization of Benin; it is also an occasion to express our gratitude to him for the Second Special Assembly of the Synod of African Bishops which was held in Rome a few months ago.

 

 

The Gospel which we have just heard tells us that Jesus, the Son of Man, the ultimate judge of our lives, wished to appear as one who hungers and thirsts, as a stranger, as one of those who are naked, sick or imprisoned, ultimately, of those who suffer or are outcast; how we treat them will be taken as the way we treat Jesus himself. We do not see here a simple literary device, or a simple metaphor. Jesus’s entire existence is an example of it. He, the Son of God, became man, he shared our existence, even down to the smallest details, he became the servant of the least of his brothers and sisters. He who had nowhere to lay his head, was condemned to death on a cross. This is the King we celebrate!

Without a doubt this can appear a little disconcerting to us. Today, like two thousand years ago, accustomed to seeing the signs of royalty in success, power, money and ability, we find it hard to accept such a king, a king who makes himself the servant of the little ones, of the most humble, a king whose throne is a cross. And yet, the Scriptures tell us, in this is the glory of Christ revealed; it is in the humility of his earthly existence that he finds his power to judge the world. For him, to reign is to serve! And what he asks of us is to follow him along the way, to serve, to be attentive to the cry of the poor, the weak, the outcast. The baptized know that the decision to follow Christ can entail great sacrifices, at times even the sacrifice of one’s life. However, as Saint Paul reminds us, Christ has overcome death and he brings us with him in his resurrection. He introduces us to a new world, a world of freedom and joy. Today, so much still binds us to the world of the past, so many fears hold us prisoners and prevent us from living in freedom and happiness. Let us allow Christ to free us from the world of the past! Our faith in him, which frees us from all our fears and miseries, gives us access to a new world, a world where justice and truth are not a byword, a world of interior freedom and of peace with ourselves, with our neighbours and with God. This is the gift God gave us at our baptism! “Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Mt 25:34). Let us receive this word of blessing which the Son of Man will, on the Day of Judgement, address to those who have recognized his presence in the lowliest of their brethren, with a heart free and full of the love of the Lord! Brothers and sisters, the words of the Gospel are truly words of hope, because the King of the universe has drawn near to us, the servant of the least and lowliest. Here I would like to greet with affection all those persons who are suffering, those who are sick, those affected by AIDS or by other illnesses, to all those forgotten by society. Have courage! The Pope is close to you in his thoughts and prayers. Have courage! Jesus wanted to identify himself with the poor, with the sick; he wanted to share your suffering and to see you as his brothers and sisters, to free you from every affliction, from all suffering. Every sick person, every poor person deserves our respect and our love because, through them, God shows us the way to heaven.

This morning, I invite you once again to rejoice with me. One hundred and fifty years ago the cross of Christ was raised in your country, and the Gospel was proclaimed for the first time. Today, we give thanks to God for the work accomplished by the missionaries, by the “apostolic workers” who first came from among you or from distant lands, bishops, priests, men and women religious, catechists, all those who, both yesterday and today, enabled the growth of the faith in Jesus Christ on the African continent. I honour here the memory of the venerable Cardinal Bernardin Gantin, an example of faith and of wisdom for Benin and for the entire African continent.

Dear brothers and sisters, everyone who has received this marvellous gift of faith, this gift of an encounter with the risen Lord, feels in turn the need to proclaim it to others. The Church exists to proclaim this Good News! And this duty is always urgent! After 150 years, many are those who have not heard the message of salvation in Christ! Many, too, are those who are hesitant to open their hearts to the word of God! Many are those whose faith is weak, whose way of thinking, habits and lifestyle do not know the reality of the Gospel, and who think that seeking selfish satisfaction, easy gain or power is the ultimate goal of human life. With enthusiasm, be ardent witnesses of the faith which you have received! Make the loving face of the Saviour shine in every place, in particular before the young, who search for reasons to live and hope in a difficult world!

The Church in Benin has received much from her missionaries: she must in turn carry this message of hope to people who do not know or who no longer know the Lord Jesus. Dear brothers and sisters, I ask you to be concerned for evangelization in your country, and among the peoples of your continent and the whole world. The recent Synod of Bishops for Africa stated this in no uncertain terms: the man of hope, the Christian, cannot be uninterested in his brothers and sisters. This would be completely opposed to the example of Jesus. The Christian is a tireless builder of communion, peace and solidarity - gifts which Jesus himself has given us. By being faithful to him, we will cooperate in the realization of God’s plan of salvation for humanity.

Dear brothers and sisters, I urge you, therefore, to strengthen your faith in Jesus Christ, to be authentically converted to him. He alone gives us the true life and can liberate us for all our fears and sluggishness, from all our anguish. Rediscover the roots of your existence in the baptism which you received and which makes you children of God! May Jesus Christ give you strength to live as Christians and to find ways to transmit generously to new generations what you have received from your fathers in faith! AKLUNƆ NI KƆN FƐNU TƆN LƐ DO MI JI [Fon: May the Lord fill you with his graces!]

In English

On this feast day, we rejoice together in the reign of Christ the King over the whole world. He is the one who removes all that hinders reconciliation, justice and peace. We are reminded that true royalty does not consist in a show of power, but in the humility of service; not in the oppression of the weak, but in the ability to protect them and to lead them to life in abundance (cf. Jn 10:10). Christ reigns from the Cross and, with his arms open wide, he embraces all the peoples of the world and draws them into unity. Through the Cross, he breaks down the walls of division, he reconciles us with each other and with the Father. We pray today for the people of Africa, that all may be able to live in justice, peace and the joy of the Kingdom of God (cf. Rom 14:17). With these sentiments I affectionately greet all the English-speaking faithful who have come from Ghana and Nigeria and neighbouring countries. May God bless all of you!

Daily Gospel: Sunday of the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary, November 20, 2011

Letter to the Galatians 3:15-22

Brothers and sisters, I give an example from daily life: once a person’s will has been ratified, no one adds to it or annuls it. Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring; it does not say, ‘And to offsprings’, as of many; but it says, ‘And to your offspring’, that is, to one person, who is Christ. My point is this: the law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. For if the inheritance comes from the law, it no longer comes from the promise; but God granted it to Abraham through the promise. Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring would come to whom the promise had been made; and it was ordained through angels by a mediator. Now a mediator involves more than one party; but God is one. Is the law then opposed to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could make alive, then righteousness would indeed come through the law. But the scripture has imprisoned all things under the power of sin, so that what was promised through faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to

Saint Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.’ But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’ The angel said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.’ Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her.

The Pope Launches the Apostolic Exhortation for the 2009 Synod of Bishops for Africa

In Benin Saturday, Pope Benedict XVI formally signed the Apostolic Exhortation for the 2009 Synod of Bishops for Africa. In his address to bishops, religious and lay faithful in the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in the seaside town of Ouidah, the Pope said the post-Synodal document presents "the bishops' reflections synthetically as part of a broad pastoral vision."
Below is the English translation of his discourse:

Your Eminences,
Dear Brother Bishops and Priests,
Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I cordially thank the Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops, Archbishop Nikola Eterović, for his words of welcome and presentation, as well as all the members of the Special Council for Africa who helped to collate the results of the Synodal Assembly in preparation for the publication of the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation.
Today, the celebration of the Synod concludes with the signing of the Exhortation Africae Munus. The Synod gave an impetus to the Catholic Church in Africa, which prayed, reflected on and discussed the theme of reconciliation, justice and peace. This process was marked by a special closeness uniting the Successor of Peter and the Particular Churches in Africa. Bishops, but also experts, auditors, special guests and fraternal delegates, all came to Rome to celebrate this important ecclesial event. I myself went to Yaoundé to present the Instrumentum Laboris of the Synod to the Presidents of the Bishops’ Conferences, as a sign of my interest and concern for all the peoples of the African continent and the neighbouring islands. I now have the joy of returning to Africa, and particularly to Benin, to consign this final document, which takes up the reflections of the Synod Fathers and presents them synthetically as part of a broad pastoral vision.

In French:

The Second Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops benefited from the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in Africa of Blessed John Paul II, which emphasized the urgent need to evangelize this continent, an activity which cannot be separated from the work of human promotion. The Exhortation also developed the concept of the Church as God’s Family. This concept has borne many spiritual fruits for the Catholic Church and for the activity of evangelization and human promotion which she has carried out in African society as a whole. The Church is called to see herself increasingly as a family. For Christians, this means being a community of believers which praises the triune God, celebrates the great mysteries of our faith and enlivens with charity relationships between individuals, groups and nations, above and beyond ethnic, cultural and religious differences. In offering this service to everyone, the Church is open to cooperation with all the components of society, particularly with the representatives of the Churches and Ecclesial Communities not yet in full communion with the Catholic Church, as well as with the representatives of the non-Christian religions, above all those of traditional religions and of Islam.

Within this ecclesial horizon, the Second Special Assembly for Africa concentrated on the theme of reconciliation, justice and peace. These are important issues for the world in general, but they take on a particular urgency in Africa. We need but recall the tensions, the acts of violence, the wars, the injustices and abuses of all sorts, new and old, which have marked this year. The principal theme was that of reconciliation with God and with one’s neighbour. But a Church reconciled within herself and among all her members can become a prophetic sign of reconciliation in society within each country and the continent as a whole. Saint Paul writes: “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor 5:18). The basis of this reconciliation is found in the very nature of the Church, which “in Christ, is a sacrament – a sign and instrument that is, of communion with God and of the unity of the entire human race” (Lumen Gentium, 1). Following on this assembly, the Church in Africa is called to promote peace and justice. The Gate of No Return, as well as that of Pardon, remind us of this duty and impel us to combat every form of slavery.

In Portuguese:

We must never give up the search for new paths of peace! Peace is one of our greatest treasures! To attain peace, we need to have courage and the reconciliation born of forgiveness, the will once more to live as one, to share a vision of the future and to persevere in overcoming difficulties. Men and women reconciled and at peace with God and neighbour can work for greater justice in society. Let us not forget that the Gospel teaches that justice means above all doing God’s will. This fundamental resolve spawns countless initiatives aimed at promoting justice in Africa and the welfare of all its peoples, especially the most disadvantaged and those in need of employment, schools and hospitals. Africa, land of a New Pentecost, put your trust in God! Impelled by the Spirit of the Risen Christ, become God’s great family, generous with all your sons and daughters, agents of reconciliation, peace and justice! Africa, Good News for the Church, become Good News for the entire world!

Daily Gospel: Saturday After the Sunday of the Announcement to Zechariah, November 19, 2011

Letter to the Romans 3:21-31

But now, irrespective of law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed; it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus. Then what becomes of boasting? It is excluded. By what law? By that of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, since God is one; and he will justify the circumcised on the ground of faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to

Saint John 8:56-59

Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day; he saw it and was glad.’ Then the Jews said to him, ‘You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.’ So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

Pope Benedict XVI's Arrival Speech to Benin, November 18, 2011

Pope Benedict has arrived in Benin at the start of his 48-hour apostolic visit to the West African nation. Here is the full transcript of his arrival address, translated in English, delivered at the international airport of the capital, Cotonou:

"Mr President,
Your Eminence, Dear President of the Episcopal Conference of Benin, Civil, Ecclesiastical and Religious Authorities, Dear Friends,

I thank you, Mr President, for the warm words of welcome. You know well the affection which I have for your continent and for your country. I was eager to return to Africa, and a threefold motivation has provided the occasion for this Apostolic Journey. First and foremost, Mr President, is your kind invitation to visit your country. Your initiative was received along with that of the Episcopal Conference of Benin. These are auspicious, since they come during the year in which Benin celebrates the fortieth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations with the Holy See, as well the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of her evangelization. While among you, I will have the occasion to meet many people, and I look forward to it. Each of these experiences will be different, and will culminate in the Eucharist which I will celebrate before I leave. 

This Apostolic Journey also fulfils my desire to bring back to African soil the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Africae Munus. Its reflections will guide the pastoral activities of numerous Christian communities in the coming years. May this document fall into the ground and take root, grow and bear much fruit “in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty”, as Christ himself said (Mt 13:23). Additionally, there exists a third reason which is more personal and more emotive. I have long held in high esteem a son of this country, His Eminence Cardinal Bernardin Gantin. For many years, we both worked, each according to his proper competence, labouring in the same vineyard. We both happily assisted my predecessor, Blessed John Paul II, in the exercise of his Petrine ministry. We had many occasions to meet, to engage in profound discussions and to pray together. Cardinal Gantin won the respect and the affection of many. So it seemed right that I should come to his country of origin, to pray before his tomb, and to thank Benin for having given the Church such a distinguished son. 

Benin is a country of ancient and noble traditions. Her history is significant. I am pleased to take this opportunity to greet the traditional Chiefs. Their contribution is important in the construction of the country’s future. I would like to encourage them to contribute, with their wisdom and understanding of local customs, in the delicate transition currently under way from tradition to modernity. Modernity need not provoke fear, but neither can it be constructed by neglecting the past. It needs to be accompanied by prudence for the good of all in order to avoid the pitfalls which exist on the African continent and elsewhere, such as unconditional surrender to the law of the market or that of finance, nationalism or exaggerated and sterile tribalism which can become destructive, a politicization of interreligious tensions to the detriment of the common good, or finally the erosion of human, cultural, ethical and religious values. The transition to modernity must be guided by sure criteria based on recognized virtues, which are listed in your national motto, but equally which are firmly rooted in the dignity of the person, the importance of the family and respect for life. All of these values exist in view of the common good which must take first place, and which must constitute the primary concern of all in positions of responsibility. God trusts in man and desires his good. It is our task to respond, in honesty and justice, to his high expectations. 

The Church, for her part, offers her own specific contribution. By her presence, her prayer and her various works of mercy, especially in education and health care, she wishes to give her best to everyone. She wants to be close to those who are in need, near to those who search for God. She wants to make it understood that God is neither absent nor irrelevant as some would have us believe but that he is the friend of man. It is in this spirit of friendship and of fraternity that I come to your country, Mr President." AC? MAWU T?N NI K?N DO BENIN TO ? BI JI [May God bless Benin!]

Daily Gospel: Friday After the Sunday of the Announcement to Zechariah, November 18, 2011

Saint of the day : St Romanos (Raymond), Martyr

Letter to the Romans 3:1-12

Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? Much, in every way. For in the first place the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. What if some were unfaithful? Will their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? By no means! Although everyone is a liar, let God be proved true, as it is written, ‘So that you may be justified in your words, and prevail in your judging.’ But if our injustice serves to confirm the justice of God, what should we say? That God is unjust to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) By no means! For then how could God judge the world? But if through my falsehood God’s truthfulness abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? And why not say (as some people slander us by saying that we say), ‘Let us do evil so that good may come’? Their condemnation is deserved! What then? Are we any better off? No, not at all; for we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under the power of sin, as it is written: ‘There is no one who is righteous, not even one; there is no one who has understanding,there is no one who seeks God. All have turned aside, together they have become worthless; there is no one who shows kindness,there is not even one.’

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to

Saint John 8:51-55

Very truly, I tell you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.’ The Jews said to him, ‘Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, and so did the prophets; yet you say, "Whoever keeps my word will never taste death." Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets also died. Who do you claim to be?’ Jesus answered, ‘If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, he of whom you say, "He is our God", though you do not know him. But I know him; if I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him and I keep his word.

Pope Benedict XVI's General Audience on Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Psalm 110, says Pope Benedict, tells us : “Yes, there is much evil in the world, there is an ongoing battle between good and evil and evil seems to be stronger. No! The Lord, our true King and Priest, Christ, is stronger because he fights with the power of God and despite all those things which make us doubt a positive outcome for history, Christ wins and good wins, love wins, not hatred”.

Reflecting on this particularly important messianic text in Church tradition, the Holy Father concluded his series of catechesis on the Psalms, part of his wider cycle on the Christian school of prayer.

Twenty thousand pilgrims and visitors filled St Peter’s Square for the Wednesday audience. Pope Benedict began by tracing the history of this Psalm one of the famous “royal psalms”, originally linked to the enthronement of a Davidic monarch.

He said : “The Church reads this Psalm as a prophecy of Christ, the messianic king and eternal priest, risen from the dead and seated at the right hand of the Father. Saint Peter, in his speech on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:32-36), applies its words to the Lord’s victory over death and his exaltation in glory. From ancient times, the mysterious third verse of the Psalm has been interpreted as a reference to the king’s divine sonship, while the fourth verse speaks of him as “a priest for ever, according to the order of Melchizedek”. The Letter to the Hebrews specifically applies this imagery to Christ, the Son of God and our perfect high priest, who lives eternally to make intercession for all those who, through him, approach the Father (cf. Heb 7:25). The final verses of the Psalm present the triumphant King as executing judgment over the nations. As we pray this Psalm, we acclaim the victory of our risen Lord and King, while striving to live ever more fully the royal and priestly dignity which is ours as members of his Body through Baptism”.

In comments in Italian Pope Benedict noted : “"In the Lord Jesus resurrected and ascended into heaven, where he is seated at the right hand of the Father, the prophecy of our Psalm is accomplished and the priesthood of Melchizedek is completed, because it is rendered absolute and eternal, a reality that knows no sunset. And the offering of bread and wine, made by Melchizedek in Abraham's time, finds its fulfillment in the Eucharistic gesture of Jesus, who in the bread and wine offers himself, and having overcome death, brings life to all believers. Priest eternal, holy, innocent, unstained, he, as we can read in the Letter to the Hebrews, can save those who through Him approach God; he is ever-living to intercede for them ".

At the end of the Psalm is the triumphant king who, "supported by the Lord" scatters his enemies and judges the nations: "The sovereign, protected by the Lord, breaks down every obstacle and proceeds safely to victory. It tells us: yes, there is much evil in the world, there is an ongoing battle between good and evil and evil seems to be stronger. No! The Lord, our true King and Priest, Christ, is stronger because he fights with the power of God and despite all those things which make us doubt a positive outcome for history, Christ wins and good wins, love wins, not hatred. "


And finally the Holy Father greeted all of the pilgrims and visitors present in the various languages, including English: “I offer a cordial greeting the many student groups present at today’s Audience. My welcome also goes to the delegation of the American Israel Affairs Committee. Upon all the English-speaking pilgrims present, especially those from Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Japan, Canada and the United States, I invoke God’s blessings of joy and peace!”.

It was Pope Benedict XVI’s final public appointment ahead of his departure this Friday for Benin, Africa.