"He is the Central Event That, in the Midst of the Troubles of the World, Remains the Firm and Stable Point"
Here is a translation of the address Benedict XVI gave Sunday before and after praying the midday Angelus in St. Peter's Square.
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Dear brothers and sisters!
This difficulty derives both from the
content and the language: Jesus speaks of a future that is beyond our
categories, and because of this Jesus uses images and words taken from
the Old Testament, but, importantly, he inserts a new center, namely,
himself, the mystery of his person and his death and resurrection.
Today’s passage too opens with some cosmic images of an apocalyptic
nature: “The sun will be darkened, the moon will no longer give its
light, the stars will fall from the sky and the powers in the skies will
be shaken” (Mark 13:24-25); but this element is relativized by what
follows: “Then the Son of Man will come upon the clouds in the sky with
great power and glory” (13:26). The “Son of Man” is Jesus himself, who
links the present with the future; the ancient words of the prophets
have finally found a center in the person of the Messiah of Nazareth: he
is the central event that, in the midst of the troubles of the world,
remains the firm and stable point.
Another passage from today’s Gospel
confirms. Jesus says: “The sky and the earth will pass away but my words
will not pass away” (13:31). In fact, we know that in the Bible the
word of God is at the origin of creation: all creatures, starting with
the cosmic elements – sun, moon, sky – obey God’s Word, they exist
insofar as they are “called” by it. This creative power of the divine
Word (“Parola”) is concentrated in Jesus Christ, the Word (“Verbo”) made
flesh, and also passes through his human words, which are the true
“sky” that orients the thought and path of man on earth. For this reason
Jesus does not describe the end of the world and when he uses
apocalyptic images he does not conduct himself like a “visionary.” On
the contrary, he wants to take away the curiosity of his disciples in
every age about dates and predictions and wishes instead to give them a
key to a deep, essential reading, and above all to indicate the right
path to take, today and tomorrow, to enter into eternal life. Everything
passes – the Lord tells us – but God’s Word does not change, and before
this Word each of us is responsible for his conduct. It is on this
basis that we will be judged.
Dear friends, even in our times there is no
lack of natural calamities, nor, unfortunately, of war and violence.
Today too we need a stable basis for our life and our hope, much more
because of the relativism in which we are immersed. May the Virgin help
us to accept this center in the Person of Christ and in his Word.
[Following the recitation of the Angelus the
Holy Father greeted those gathered in St. Peter’s Square in various
languages. In Italian he said:]
Dear brothers and sisters!
Yesterday in Pergamino, Argentina María
Crescencia Pérez of the Congregation the Figlie di Maria Santissima
dell’Orto (Daughters of Mary Most Holy of the Garden) was declared
blessed. She lived in the first half of last century and is a model of
evangelical sweetness animated by faith. Let us praise the Lord for her
witness!
[In English he said:]
I greet all the English-speaking visitors
and pilgrims present for today’s Angelus. This Sunday, as the liturgical
year draws to a close, Jesus tells us that although heaven and earth
will pass away, his words will remain. Let us pledge ourselves to build
our lives more and more on the solid foundation of his holy word, the
true source of life and joy.
[Concluding in Italian he said:]
I wish everyone a good Sunday. Thank you. Have a good Sunday. Have a good week. Goodbye.
[Translation by Joseph Trabbic]
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