LISTEN TO AND FOLLOW CHRIST, A FUNDAMENTAL EXPERIENCE

VATICAN CITY, MAR 6, 2004 (VIS) - The Holy Father celebrated Mass this afternoon in the Paul VI Hall for the faithful of the Roman parishes of Saints Bridget, Hilary and Maximus.

Commenting on the Gospel of the second Sunday in Lent which recounts the Transfiguration of the Lord on Mount Tabor, the Pope recalled that "Christ reveals His glory as the son of God in the presence of Peter, James and John. . In Him, blazing in glory, we recognize the chosen one, the Messiah, 'the light of the world,' who gives meaning to our life. A mysterious voice from on high invites us to follow Him docilely: 'He is my Son, listen to him!"

"Listen to and follow Christ! Twenty-five years ago, at the beginning of Lent, I felt the need to urge the entire Christian people toward this
fundamental experience. 'Jesus is the chief way of the Church,' I wrote in my first encyclical 'Redemptor hominis' which I would like to symbolically present to you again this afternoon, dear parishioners."

John Paul II affirmed that in the area served by these three parishes, "the phenomenon of 'sects' is unfortunately widespread. These sects try especially to attract those who are lonely or experiencing difficulty. It is necessary in this context to make a strong and courageous evangelizing effort. It is necessary for Jesus, center of the world and of history, to encounter every human being because in the mystery of Redemption 'the question of man is inscribed with a special vigor of truth and love'. Announcing Christ means allowing others, especially those who suffer from spiritual or material poverty, to experience divine tenderness and mercy."

After urging "every community, under the generous and illuminated guidance of their respective pastors, to become a place of warm acceptance and solidarity," the Holy Father emphasized that the Eucharist should be the "center of every pastoral project." He invited families in a special way to make the Eucharist central to their lives as they are "called to accompany your children in their preparation for the sacraments of Christian initiation and to follow them in adolescence and beyond so that they may carry out faithfully the mission that God has for them."
HML/EVANGELIZATION/ROMAN PARISHES VIS 20040308 (370)