VATICAN CITY, 3 NOV 2008 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican Basilica, the Pope presided at the traditional November Mass for the souls of cardinals and bishops who died over the course of the year. Members of the College of Cardinals concelebrated with the Holy Father.
At the beginning of his homily, Benedict XVI recalled the names of the ten cardinals who passed away during the last 12 months: Stephen Fumio Hamao, Alfons Maria Stickler S.D.B., Aloísio Lorscheider O.F.M., Peter Porekuu Dery, Adolfo Antonio Suarez Rivera, Ernesto Corripio Ahumada, Alfonso Lopez Trujillo, Bernardin Gantin, Antonio Innocenti and Antonio Jose Gonzalez Zumarraga.
"God", he said continuing his homily, "is the true wisdom that never ages, He is the authentic wealth that does not decay, He is the joy to which the depth of each human heart aspires. This truth, which runs through the Books of Wisdom and re-emerges in the New Testament, reaches fulfilment in the life and teaching of Jesus. From the perspective of evangelical wisdom, death itself brings beneficial guidance because it forces us to look reality in the face, it compels us to recognise the transience of what appears so great and strong to the eyes of the world. In the face of death all reasons for human pride fall away, and what is really worthwhile emerges".
"All of us in this world are passing through, because all of us are creatures. In a word, none of us is God. To recognise this difference between us and Him is the primary condition for being with Him and in Him. It is also a condition for becoming like Him, but only by welcoming the grace of His free gift".
"If God", the Holy Father went on, "loved us freely, we too can (and therefore must) allow ourselves to be involved in this oblatory movement, and make of ourselves a free gift for others. In this way we know God as we are known by Him, ... and we pass from death to life like Jesus Christ, Who defeated death with His resurrection thanks to the heavenly Father's glorious power of love".
"This Word of life and hope is of great comfort to us as we face the mystery of death, especially when it strikes people who are dear to us. The Lord today assures us that our lamented brethren, for whom we are praying in a special way in this Mass, passed from death to life because they chose Christ ... and consecrated themselves to the service of others. And therefore, even if they have to accept their share of redress due to human frailty - which marks us all, helping to keep us humble - their faithfulness to Christ allows them to enter into the freedom of the children of God".
"Let us pray that we, pilgrims upon the earth, always keep our hearts and eyes turned towards the final goal to which we all aspire, the House of the Father, Heaven".
HML/DECEASED CARDINALS BISHOPS/... VIS 20081103 (510)
At the beginning of his homily, Benedict XVI recalled the names of the ten cardinals who passed away during the last 12 months: Stephen Fumio Hamao, Alfons Maria Stickler S.D.B., Aloísio Lorscheider O.F.M., Peter Porekuu Dery, Adolfo Antonio Suarez Rivera, Ernesto Corripio Ahumada, Alfonso Lopez Trujillo, Bernardin Gantin, Antonio Innocenti and Antonio Jose Gonzalez Zumarraga.
"God", he said continuing his homily, "is the true wisdom that never ages, He is the authentic wealth that does not decay, He is the joy to which the depth of each human heart aspires. This truth, which runs through the Books of Wisdom and re-emerges in the New Testament, reaches fulfilment in the life and teaching of Jesus. From the perspective of evangelical wisdom, death itself brings beneficial guidance because it forces us to look reality in the face, it compels us to recognise the transience of what appears so great and strong to the eyes of the world. In the face of death all reasons for human pride fall away, and what is really worthwhile emerges".
"All of us in this world are passing through, because all of us are creatures. In a word, none of us is God. To recognise this difference between us and Him is the primary condition for being with Him and in Him. It is also a condition for becoming like Him, but only by welcoming the grace of His free gift".
"If God", the Holy Father went on, "loved us freely, we too can (and therefore must) allow ourselves to be involved in this oblatory movement, and make of ourselves a free gift for others. In this way we know God as we are known by Him, ... and we pass from death to life like Jesus Christ, Who defeated death with His resurrection thanks to the heavenly Father's glorious power of love".
"This Word of life and hope is of great comfort to us as we face the mystery of death, especially when it strikes people who are dear to us. The Lord today assures us that our lamented brethren, for whom we are praying in a special way in this Mass, passed from death to life because they chose Christ ... and consecrated themselves to the service of others. And therefore, even if they have to accept their share of redress due to human frailty - which marks us all, helping to keep us humble - their faithfulness to Christ allows them to enter into the freedom of the children of God".
"Let us pray that we, pilgrims upon the earth, always keep our hearts and eyes turned towards the final goal to which we all aspire, the House of the Father, Heaven".
HML/DECEASED CARDINALS BISHOPS/... VIS 20081103 (510)
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