VATICAN CITY, MAR 11, 2007 (VIS) - At midday today, Benedict XVI appeared at the window of his study to pray the Angelus with pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square. In his remarks the Pope referred to the Gospel of Luke and its account of Jesus' comments on two events: the revolt of certain Galileans, violently suppressed by Pontius Pilate, and the collapse of the tower of Siloam which killed 18 people.
"According to the mentality of that time," the Pope explained, "people tended to believe that tragedies befell victims because of some grave sin they had committed. However, Jesus says :'Do you think that ... these Galileans ... were worse sinners than all other Galileans? ... Or that those eighteen who perished ... were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem.' And in both cases He concludes: 'No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did'."
"Jesus wishes to convince his hearers of the need for conversion," said the Holy Father. "He does not present His case in moralistic terms, but in realistic ones, as the only adequate response to events that cast doubt upon human certainties. In the face of certain tragedies, He says, it serves no purpose to blame the victims. True wisdom means letting oneself be touched by the precariousness of life and adopting an attitude of responsibility: doing penance and improving our lives.
"This is wisdom, this is the most effective response to evil, at all levels," he added. "Indeed, ruin is the final destiny of people and societies who live without ever questioning themselves. On the other hand conversion, though it does nor free us from problems and misfortune, enables us to face up to these things in a different way."
Conversion, the Pope insisted, "helps to prevent evil by neutralizing certain threats and, in all cases, it helps us to overcome evil with good, if not always in terms of the events themselves - which are at times independent of our will - certainly in spiritual terms. All in all, conversion overcomes evil at its root, which is sin, although it cannot always avoid the consequences of evil."
Benedict XVI concluded by calling upon Mary to help us understand that "doing penance and correcting our behavior is not simple moralism, but the most effective way to improve ourselves and society. This is well expressed by the phrase: 'It is better to light a match than to curse the darkness'."
ANG/CONVERSION/... VIS 20070312 (430)
"According to the mentality of that time," the Pope explained, "people tended to believe that tragedies befell victims because of some grave sin they had committed. However, Jesus says :'Do you think that ... these Galileans ... were worse sinners than all other Galileans? ... Or that those eighteen who perished ... were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem.' And in both cases He concludes: 'No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did'."
"Jesus wishes to convince his hearers of the need for conversion," said the Holy Father. "He does not present His case in moralistic terms, but in realistic ones, as the only adequate response to events that cast doubt upon human certainties. In the face of certain tragedies, He says, it serves no purpose to blame the victims. True wisdom means letting oneself be touched by the precariousness of life and adopting an attitude of responsibility: doing penance and improving our lives.
"This is wisdom, this is the most effective response to evil, at all levels," he added. "Indeed, ruin is the final destiny of people and societies who live without ever questioning themselves. On the other hand conversion, though it does nor free us from problems and misfortune, enables us to face up to these things in a different way."
Conversion, the Pope insisted, "helps to prevent evil by neutralizing certain threats and, in all cases, it helps us to overcome evil with good, if not always in terms of the events themselves - which are at times independent of our will - certainly in spiritual terms. All in all, conversion overcomes evil at its root, which is sin, although it cannot always avoid the consequences of evil."
Benedict XVI concluded by calling upon Mary to help us understand that "doing penance and correcting our behavior is not simple moralism, but the most effective way to improve ourselves and society. This is well expressed by the phrase: 'It is better to light a match than to curse the darkness'."
ANG/CONVERSION/... VIS 20070312 (430)
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