Vatican
City, 12 March 2013
(VIS) – Following is the text of the homily delivered this morning
by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals, during
the “pro eligendo Romano Pontifice” Mass that was celebrated this
morning at 10:00am in St. Peter's Basilica.
“'Forever
I will sing the mercies of the Lord' is the hymn that resounds once
again near the tomb of the Apostle Peter in this important hour of
the history of the Holy Church of Christ. These are the words of
Psalm 89 that have flowed from our lips to adore, give thanks, and
beg the Father who is in heaven. 'Misericordias Domini in aeternum
cantabo' is the beautiful Latin text that has introduced us into
contemplation of the One who always watches over his Church with
love, sustaining her on her journey down through the ages, and giving
her life through his Holy Spirit.
Such
an interior attitude is ours today as we wish to offer ourselves with
Christ to the Father who is in heaven, to thank him for the loving
assistance that he always reserves for the Holy Church, and in
particular for the brilliant Pontificate that he granted to us
through the life and work of the 265th Successor of Peter, the
beloved and venerable Pontiff Benedict XVI, to whom we renew in this
moment all of our gratitude.
At
the same time today, we implore the Lord, that through the pastoral
solicitude of the Cardinal Fathers, He may soon grant another Good
Shepherd to his Holy Church. In this hour, faith in the promise of
Christ sustains us in the indefectible character of the Church.
Indeed Jesus said to Peter: 'You are Peter and on this rock I will
build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against
her.' (Mt. 16:18).
My
brothers, the readings of the World of God that we have just heard
can help us better understand the mission that Christ has entrusted
to Peter and to his successors.
The
Message of Love
The
first reading has offered us once again a well-known messianic oracle
from the second part of the book of Isaiah that is known as “the
book of consolation” (Isaiah 40-66). It is a prophecy addressed to
the people of Israel who are in exile in Babylon. Through this
prophecy, God announces that he will send a Messiah full of mercy, a
Messiah who would say: 'The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, … he
has sent me to bring good news to the poor, to bind up the wounds of
broken hearts, to proclaim liberty to captives, freedom to prisoners,
and to announce a year of mercy of the Lord' (Isaiah 61:1-3).
The
fulfilment of such a prophecy is fully realized in Jesus, who came
into the world to make present the love of the Father for all people.
It is a love which is especially felt in contact with suffering,
injustice, poverty and all human frailty, both physical and moral.
It is especially found in the well known encyclical of Pope John Paul
II, 'Dives in Misericordia' where we read: 'It is precisely the mode
and sphere in which love manifests itself that in biblical language
is called “mercy” (No. 3).'
This
mission of mercy has been entrusted by Christ to the pastors of his
Church. It is a mission that must be embraced by every priest and
bishop, but is especially entrusted to the Bishop of Rome, Shepherd
of the universal Church. It is in fact to Peter that Jesus said:
“Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?... Feed my
lambs (John 21:15). In his commentary on these words, St. Augustine
wrote: 'May it be therefore the task of love to feed the flock of the
Lord' (In Iohannis Evangelium, 123, 5; PL 35, 1967).
It
is indeed this love that urges the Pastors of the Church to undertake
their mission of service of the people of every age, from immediate
charitable work even to the highest form of service, that of offering
to every person the light of the Gospel and the strength of grace.
This
is what Benedict XVI wrote in his Lenten Message for this year (No.
3). “Sometimes we tend, in fact, to reduce the term “charity”
to solidarity or simply humanitarian aid. It is important, however,
to remember that the greatest work of charity is evangelization,
which is the “ministry of the word”. There is no action more
beneficial – and therefore more charitable – towards one’s
neighbour than to break the bread of the word of God, to share with
him the Good News of the Gospel, to introduce him to a relationship
with God: evangelization is the highest and the most integral
promotion of the human person. As the Servant of God Pope Paul VI
wrote in the Encyclical 'Populorum Progressio', the proclamation of
Christ is the first and principal contributor to development (cf. No.
16).”
The
Message of Unity
The
second reading is taken from the letter to the Ephesians., written by
the Apostle Paul in this very city of Rome during his first
imprisonment (62-63 AD) It is a sublime letter in which Paul
presents the mystery of Christ and his Church. While the first part
is doctrinal (ch.1-3), the second part, from which today’s reading
is taken, has a much more pastoral tone (ch. 4-6). In this part Paul
teaches the practical consequences of the doctrine that was
previously presented and begins with a strong appeal for church
unity: 'As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life
worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and
gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every
effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.'
(Eph 4,1-3).
St.
Paul then explains that in the unity of the Church, there is a
diversity of gifts, according to the manifold grace of Christ, but
this diversity is in function of the building up of the one body of
Christ. “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the
evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works
of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up (Eph 4:11-12).
In
our text, St. Paul teaches that each of us must work to build up the
unity of the Church, so that “From him the whole body, joined and
held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself
up in love, as each part does its work (Eph 4:16). Each of us is
therefore called to cooperate with the Successor of Peter, the
visible foundation of such an ecclesial unity.
The
Mission of the Pope
Brothers
and sisters in Christ today’s Gospel takes us back to the Last
Supper, when the Lord said to his Apostles: 'This is my commandment:
that you love one another as I have loved you' (John 15:12). The
text is linked to the first reading from the Messiah’s actions in
the first reading from the prophet Isaiah, reminding us that the
fundamental attitude of the Pastors of the Church is love. It is
this love that urges us to offer our own lives for our brothers and
sisters. Jesus himself tells us: 'There is no greater love than to
lay down one’s life for one’s friends' (John 15:12).
The
basic attitude of every Shepherd is therefore to lay down one’s
life for his sheep (John 10:15). This also applies to the Successor
of Peter, Pastor of the Universal Church. As high and universal the
pastoral office, so much greater must be the charity of the Shepherd.
In the heart of every Successor of Peter, the words spoken one day
by the Divine Master to the humble fisherman of Galilee have
resounded: 'Diligis me plus his? Pasce agnos meos ... pasce oves
meas'; (Do you love me more than these? Feed my lambs ... feed my
sheep!) (John 21:15-17)
In
the wake of this service of love toward the Church and towards all of
humanity, the last popes have been builders of so many good
initiatives for people and for the international community,
tirelessly promoting justice and peace. Let us pray that the future
Pope may continue this unceasing work on the world level.
Moreover,
this service of charity is part of the intimate nature of the Church.
Pope Benedict XVI reminded us of this fact when he said: 'The
service of charity is also a constitutive element of the Church’s
mission and an indispensable expression of her very being';
(Apostolic Letter in the form of a Motu Proprio Intima Ecclesiae
natura, November 11, 2012, introduction; cf. Deus caritas est, n.
25).
It
is a mission of charity that is proper to the Church, and in a
particular way is proper to the Church of Rome, that in the beautiful
expression of St. Ignatius of Antioch, is the Church that 'presides
in charity' (praesidet caritati) (cf. Ad Romanos (preface).; Lumen
Gentium, n. 13).
My
brothers, let us pray that the Lord will grant us a Pontiff who will
embrace this noble mission with a generous heart. We ask this of the
Lord, through the intercession of Mary most holy, Queen of the
Apostles and of all the Martyrs and Saints, who through the course of
history, made this Church of Rome glorious through the ages. Amen.
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