VATICAN CITY, 6 JAN 2009 (VIS) - Following this morning's Mass in the Vatican Basilica for the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, at midday the Pope appeared at the window of his private study to pray the Angelus with thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square below.
The Holy Father referred to the episode of the Magi, as recounted by the Gospel of St. Matthew. "Each time we hear this story", he said, "we are struck by the marked contrast between the attitude of the Magi, on the one hand, and that of Herod and the Jews on the other. In fact the Gospel say that, on hearing the words of the Magi, King Herod 'was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him'. Their reactions can be understood in different ways: Herod was alarmed because he saw in the person the Magi were seeking a rival to himself and his children, while the leaders and inhabitants of Jerusalem seem more than anything amazed, as if awakened from a torpor and in need of reflection".
"Why, then, was Jerusalem frightened?" asked the Pope. "It seems as if the Evangelist almost wishes to anticipate what will later be the stance of the high priests of the Sanhedrin, and of part of the people, towards Jesus during His public life. ... This brings to mind how, immediately before the Passion, Jesus wept over Jerusalem because it had failed to recognise the time of its visitation from God. Here we touch upon one of the crucial points of the theology of history: the drama of the faithful love of God in the person of Jesus, Who 'came to what was His own, and his own people did not accept Him'".
Benedict XVI highlighted how "in the light of the whole Bible, this attitude of hostility or ambiguity, or superficiality, represents that of each human being and of the 'world' - in a spiritual sense - when they close themselves to the mystery of the true God, Who came to us in the disarming meekness of love. Jesus, 'king of the Jews', is the God of mercy and faithfulness. He wishes to reign in love and truth and asks us to convert, to abandon evil works and resolutely to follow the path of goodness.
"In this sense", he added, "'Jerusalem' is all of us". May the Virgin Mary, who faithfully accepted Jesus, help us not to close our hearts to His Gospel of salvation. Let us, rather, allow ourselves to be conquered and transformed by Him, the 'Emanuel', the God Who came among us to make us a gift of His peace and His love".
ANG/EPIPHANY/... VIS 20090107 (450)
The Holy Father referred to the episode of the Magi, as recounted by the Gospel of St. Matthew. "Each time we hear this story", he said, "we are struck by the marked contrast between the attitude of the Magi, on the one hand, and that of Herod and the Jews on the other. In fact the Gospel say that, on hearing the words of the Magi, King Herod 'was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him'. Their reactions can be understood in different ways: Herod was alarmed because he saw in the person the Magi were seeking a rival to himself and his children, while the leaders and inhabitants of Jerusalem seem more than anything amazed, as if awakened from a torpor and in need of reflection".
"Why, then, was Jerusalem frightened?" asked the Pope. "It seems as if the Evangelist almost wishes to anticipate what will later be the stance of the high priests of the Sanhedrin, and of part of the people, towards Jesus during His public life. ... This brings to mind how, immediately before the Passion, Jesus wept over Jerusalem because it had failed to recognise the time of its visitation from God. Here we touch upon one of the crucial points of the theology of history: the drama of the faithful love of God in the person of Jesus, Who 'came to what was His own, and his own people did not accept Him'".
Benedict XVI highlighted how "in the light of the whole Bible, this attitude of hostility or ambiguity, or superficiality, represents that of each human being and of the 'world' - in a spiritual sense - when they close themselves to the mystery of the true God, Who came to us in the disarming meekness of love. Jesus, 'king of the Jews', is the God of mercy and faithfulness. He wishes to reign in love and truth and asks us to convert, to abandon evil works and resolutely to follow the path of goodness.
"In this sense", he added, "'Jerusalem' is all of us". May the Virgin Mary, who faithfully accepted Jesus, help us not to close our hearts to His Gospel of salvation. Let us, rather, allow ourselves to be conquered and transformed by Him, the 'Emanuel', the God Who came among us to make us a gift of His peace and His love".
ANG/EPIPHANY/... VIS 20090107 (450)
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