VATICAN CITY, 1 APR 2010 (VIS) - In the Vatican Basilica at 9.30 a.m. today, Holy Thursday, the Holy Father presided at the Chrism Mass, which is celebrated on this day in churches and cathedrals throughout the world. Cardinals, bishops and priests present in Rome concelebrated with the Pope. Following the homily, there was the renewal of priestly vows and the blessing of the oil used for catechumens, the sick and those being confirmed.
In his homily the Pope explained how in the Chrism Mass "the holy oils are at the centre of the liturgical action. They are consecrated in the bishop's cathedral for the whole year. Thus they serve also as an expression of the Church's unity, guaranteed by the episcopate, and they point to Christ. ... At the same time, they hold together the entire liturgical year, anchored in the mystery of Holy Thursday. Finally, they point to the Garden of Olives, the scene of Jesus' inner acceptance of His passion".
For priests, the oils "speak of Christ Whom God anointed King and Priest, of the One Who makes us share in His priesthood, in His 'anointing', through our own priestly ordination".
"A further aspect of the symbolism of oil is that it strengthens for battle. This does not contradict the theme of peace, but forms part of it. The battle of Christians consisted (and still consists) ... in the fact that they reject whatever within the legal system in force is not just but unjust".
"Today too it is important for Christians to follow what is right, which is the foundation of peace. Today too it is important for Christians not to accept a wrong enshrined in law, for example the killing of innocent unborn children. In this way we serve peace, in this way we find ourselves following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ".
Benedict XVI then recalled how, "in the early Church, the consecrated oil was considered a special sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit, Who communicates Himself to us as a gift from Christ. He is the oil of gladness. This gladness is different from entertainment and from the outward happiness that modern society seeks for itself. Entertainment, in its proper place, is certainly good and enjoyable. It is good to be able to laugh. But entertainment is not everything".
"The gladness that comes to us from Christ is different. It does indeed make us happy, but it can also perfectly well coexist with suffering. It gives us the capacity to suffer and, in suffering, to remain nevertheless profoundly glad. ... Anyone who loves is ready to suffer for the beloved and for the sake of his love, and in this way he experiences a deeper joy".
At 5.30 p.m. in the Basilica of St. John Lateran, Benedict XVI presided at the Mass of the Lord's Supper. During the celebration, imitating the gesture of the Lord towards the Apostles, the Pope washed the feet of twelve priests. At the presentation of the gifts, he was given alms collected for the reconstruction of the seminary in Port-au-Prince in Haiti.
In his homily, the Pope commented on Jesus' "priestly prayer" saying that "when Jesus speaks about eternal life, He is referring to real and true life, a life worthy of being lived. He is not simply speaking about life after death. He is talking about authentic life, a life fully alive and thus not subject to death, yet one which can already, and indeed must, begin in this world".
Referring to Jesus' words - "this is eternal life: that they may know you and Jesus Christ whom you have sent" - the Pope said: "Knowledge of God becomes eternal life. ... Knowledge, in the language of sacred Scripture, is an interior becoming one with the other. Knowing God, knowing Christ, always means loving Him; becoming, in a sense, one with Him by virtue of that knowledge and love. Our life becomes authentic and true life, and thus eternal life, when we know the One Who is the source of all being and all life".
The Holy Father highlighted the fact that, "in the course of the priestly prayer, Jesus twice speaks of revealing God's name. 'I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world'. ... The revelation of the divine name, then, means that the infinite and self-subsistent God enters into the network of human relationships; that He comes out of Himself, so to speak, and becomes one of us, present among us and for us".
"The mystery of the Eucharist, the presence of the Lord in the species of bread and wine, is the highest and most sublime way in which this new mode of God's being-with-us takes shape".
"The best-known petition of the priestly prayer is the petition for the unity of the disciples, now and yet to come", said the Pope, noting how the Lord first "prays for His disciples, present and future. ... Jesus thus prays that the preaching of the disciples will continue for all time, that it will gather together men and women who know God and the One He has sent, His Son Jesus Christ. He prays that men and women may be led to faith and, through faith, to love".
Pope Benedict concluded his homily: "At this hour the Lord is asking us: are you living, through faith, in fellowship with me and thus in fellowship with God? Or are you rather living for yourself, and thus separate from faith? And are you not thus guilty of the inconsistency which obscures my mission in the world and prevents men and women from encountering God's love? The fact that Jesus saw, and even now continues to see, all that threatens and destroys unity, was part of His historical passion, and remains part of His ongoing Passion throughout history".
BXVI-HOLY WEEK/HOLY THURSDAY/... VIS 20100407 (990)
In his homily the Pope explained how in the Chrism Mass "the holy oils are at the centre of the liturgical action. They are consecrated in the bishop's cathedral for the whole year. Thus they serve also as an expression of the Church's unity, guaranteed by the episcopate, and they point to Christ. ... At the same time, they hold together the entire liturgical year, anchored in the mystery of Holy Thursday. Finally, they point to the Garden of Olives, the scene of Jesus' inner acceptance of His passion".
For priests, the oils "speak of Christ Whom God anointed King and Priest, of the One Who makes us share in His priesthood, in His 'anointing', through our own priestly ordination".
"A further aspect of the symbolism of oil is that it strengthens for battle. This does not contradict the theme of peace, but forms part of it. The battle of Christians consisted (and still consists) ... in the fact that they reject whatever within the legal system in force is not just but unjust".
"Today too it is important for Christians to follow what is right, which is the foundation of peace. Today too it is important for Christians not to accept a wrong enshrined in law, for example the killing of innocent unborn children. In this way we serve peace, in this way we find ourselves following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ".
Benedict XVI then recalled how, "in the early Church, the consecrated oil was considered a special sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit, Who communicates Himself to us as a gift from Christ. He is the oil of gladness. This gladness is different from entertainment and from the outward happiness that modern society seeks for itself. Entertainment, in its proper place, is certainly good and enjoyable. It is good to be able to laugh. But entertainment is not everything".
"The gladness that comes to us from Christ is different. It does indeed make us happy, but it can also perfectly well coexist with suffering. It gives us the capacity to suffer and, in suffering, to remain nevertheless profoundly glad. ... Anyone who loves is ready to suffer for the beloved and for the sake of his love, and in this way he experiences a deeper joy".
At 5.30 p.m. in the Basilica of St. John Lateran, Benedict XVI presided at the Mass of the Lord's Supper. During the celebration, imitating the gesture of the Lord towards the Apostles, the Pope washed the feet of twelve priests. At the presentation of the gifts, he was given alms collected for the reconstruction of the seminary in Port-au-Prince in Haiti.
In his homily, the Pope commented on Jesus' "priestly prayer" saying that "when Jesus speaks about eternal life, He is referring to real and true life, a life worthy of being lived. He is not simply speaking about life after death. He is talking about authentic life, a life fully alive and thus not subject to death, yet one which can already, and indeed must, begin in this world".
Referring to Jesus' words - "this is eternal life: that they may know you and Jesus Christ whom you have sent" - the Pope said: "Knowledge of God becomes eternal life. ... Knowledge, in the language of sacred Scripture, is an interior becoming one with the other. Knowing God, knowing Christ, always means loving Him; becoming, in a sense, one with Him by virtue of that knowledge and love. Our life becomes authentic and true life, and thus eternal life, when we know the One Who is the source of all being and all life".
The Holy Father highlighted the fact that, "in the course of the priestly prayer, Jesus twice speaks of revealing God's name. 'I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world'. ... The revelation of the divine name, then, means that the infinite and self-subsistent God enters into the network of human relationships; that He comes out of Himself, so to speak, and becomes one of us, present among us and for us".
"The mystery of the Eucharist, the presence of the Lord in the species of bread and wine, is the highest and most sublime way in which this new mode of God's being-with-us takes shape".
"The best-known petition of the priestly prayer is the petition for the unity of the disciples, now and yet to come", said the Pope, noting how the Lord first "prays for His disciples, present and future. ... Jesus thus prays that the preaching of the disciples will continue for all time, that it will gather together men and women who know God and the One He has sent, His Son Jesus Christ. He prays that men and women may be led to faith and, through faith, to love".
Pope Benedict concluded his homily: "At this hour the Lord is asking us: are you living, through faith, in fellowship with me and thus in fellowship with God? Or are you rather living for yourself, and thus separate from faith? And are you not thus guilty of the inconsistency which obscures my mission in the world and prevents men and women from encountering God's love? The fact that Jesus saw, and even now continues to see, all that threatens and destroys unity, was part of His historical passion, and remains part of His ongoing Passion throughout history".
BXVI-HOLY WEEK/HOLY THURSDAY/... VIS 20100407 (990)
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