VATICAN CITY, 10 MAY 2009 (VIS) - In Amman, Jordan, at 10 a.m. today, the Pope celebrated Mass in the city's international stadium, which has capacity for 25,000 people.
In his homily the Holy Father mentioned the difficulties and uncertainties the Catholic community in the country has to face. "May you never forget", he said, "the great dignity which derives from your Christian heritage, or fail to sense the loving solidarity of all your brothers and sisters in the Church throughout the world!"
Recalling then that the World Day of Prayer for Vocations is being celebrated in Jordan today, Benedict XVI invited the many young people present "to consider how the Lord is calling you to follow Him and to build up His Church", either in the priesthood, in consecrated life or in the Sacrament of Marriage.
The Pope also pointed out that the Church throughout the Holy Land has been celebrating the Year of the Family, in which context he expressed the hope that every Christian family may "grow in fidelity to its lofty vocation to be a true school of prayer, where children learn a sincere love of God, where they mature in self-discipline and concern for the needs of others, and where, shaped by the wisdom born of faith, they contribute to the building of an ever more just and fraternal society. ... May today's families be faithful to that impressive heritage, and never lack the material and moral assistance they need to carry out their irreplaceable role in service to society".
Referring then to "the particular dignity, vocation and mission of women in God's plan", which was an important aspect of reflection during the Year of the Family, the Pope noted "how much the Church in these lands owes to the patient, loving and faithful witness of countless Christian mothers, religious sisters, teachers, doctors and nurses, ... to all those women who in different and at times courageous ways have devoted their lives to building peace and fostering love".
"Sadly, this God-given dignity and role of women has not always been sufficiently understood and esteemed. .... By her public witness of respect for women, and her defence of the innate dignity of every human person, the Church in the Holy Land can make an important contribution to the advancement of a culture of true humanity and the building of the civilisation of love".
Commenting then on today's Gospel in which Jesus describes Himself as "the good shepherd" Who "lays down His life for His sheep", the Pope said: "May the courage of Christ our shepherd inspire and sustain you daily in your efforts to bear witness to the Christian faith and to maintain the Church's presence in the changing social fabric of these ancient lands.
"Fidelity to your Christian roots", he added, "fidelity to the Church's mission in the Holy Land, demands of each of you a particular kind of courage: the courage of conviction, born of personal faith, not mere social convention or family tradition; the courage to engage in dialogue and to work side by side with other Christians in the service of the Gospel and solidarity with the poor, the displaced, and the victims of profound human tragedies; the courage to build new bridges to enable a fruitful encounter of people of different religions and cultures, and thus to enrich the fabric of society. It also means bearing witness to the love which inspires us to 'lay down' our lives in the service of others, and thus to counter ways of thinking which justify 'taking' innocent lives".
Following Mass and before praying the Regina Coeli, the Pope appealed to the Virgin Mary, saying: "Let us ask the Mother of the Church to look down in mercy upon all the Christians of these lands, and with the help of her prayers, may they be truly one in the faith they profess and the witness they bear".
PV-JORDAN/MASS/AMMAN VIS 20090511 (670)
In his homily the Holy Father mentioned the difficulties and uncertainties the Catholic community in the country has to face. "May you never forget", he said, "the great dignity which derives from your Christian heritage, or fail to sense the loving solidarity of all your brothers and sisters in the Church throughout the world!"
Recalling then that the World Day of Prayer for Vocations is being celebrated in Jordan today, Benedict XVI invited the many young people present "to consider how the Lord is calling you to follow Him and to build up His Church", either in the priesthood, in consecrated life or in the Sacrament of Marriage.
The Pope also pointed out that the Church throughout the Holy Land has been celebrating the Year of the Family, in which context he expressed the hope that every Christian family may "grow in fidelity to its lofty vocation to be a true school of prayer, where children learn a sincere love of God, where they mature in self-discipline and concern for the needs of others, and where, shaped by the wisdom born of faith, they contribute to the building of an ever more just and fraternal society. ... May today's families be faithful to that impressive heritage, and never lack the material and moral assistance they need to carry out their irreplaceable role in service to society".
Referring then to "the particular dignity, vocation and mission of women in God's plan", which was an important aspect of reflection during the Year of the Family, the Pope noted "how much the Church in these lands owes to the patient, loving and faithful witness of countless Christian mothers, religious sisters, teachers, doctors and nurses, ... to all those women who in different and at times courageous ways have devoted their lives to building peace and fostering love".
"Sadly, this God-given dignity and role of women has not always been sufficiently understood and esteemed. .... By her public witness of respect for women, and her defence of the innate dignity of every human person, the Church in the Holy Land can make an important contribution to the advancement of a culture of true humanity and the building of the civilisation of love".
Commenting then on today's Gospel in which Jesus describes Himself as "the good shepherd" Who "lays down His life for His sheep", the Pope said: "May the courage of Christ our shepherd inspire and sustain you daily in your efforts to bear witness to the Christian faith and to maintain the Church's presence in the changing social fabric of these ancient lands.
"Fidelity to your Christian roots", he added, "fidelity to the Church's mission in the Holy Land, demands of each of you a particular kind of courage: the courage of conviction, born of personal faith, not mere social convention or family tradition; the courage to engage in dialogue and to work side by side with other Christians in the service of the Gospel and solidarity with the poor, the displaced, and the victims of profound human tragedies; the courage to build new bridges to enable a fruitful encounter of people of different religions and cultures, and thus to enrich the fabric of society. It also means bearing witness to the love which inspires us to 'lay down' our lives in the service of others, and thus to counter ways of thinking which justify 'taking' innocent lives".
Following Mass and before praying the Regina Coeli, the Pope appealed to the Virgin Mary, saying: "Let us ask the Mother of the Church to look down in mercy upon all the Christians of these lands, and with the help of her prayers, may they be truly one in the faith they profess and the witness they bear".
PV-JORDAN/MASS/AMMAN VIS 20090511 (670)
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