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Pope Benedict XVI- Angelus |
Angelus Message
On the Scandal of the Christian Faith
"Jesus’ Teaching Seems Hard"
H.H. Benedict XVI
August 23, 2009
www.zenit.org
Dear
brothers and sisters!
These past few Sundays, the liturgy has proposed for our reflection
Chapter 6 of John's Gospel in which Jesus presents himself as the
"bread of life come down from heaven," adding: "If anyone eats of
this bread he will live forever and the bread that I give is my
flesh for the life of the world" (John 6:51).
To the Jews who heatedly dispute among themselves, asking: "How can
he give us his flesh to eat?" (6:52), Jesus stresses: "If you do not
eat of the flesh of the Son of man or drink of his blood, you shall
not have life within you" (6:53). Today, the 21st Sunday in Ordinary
Time, we meditate on the concluding part of this chapter, in which
the Fourth Evangelist relates the reaction of the people and of the
disciples themselves, scandalized by the words of the Lord, to the
point that many, after having followed him up till that time,
exclaim: "This is a hard saying! Who can listen to it?" (6:60). And
from that moment "many of his disciples left and no longer traveled
with him" (6:66). Jesus, however, does not soften his statements,
indeed, he turns to the Twelve directly and asks: "Do you also wish
to leave?" (6:67).
This provocative question is not addressed only to the people of
that time, but to the believers and men of every age. Today too, not
a few are scandalized by the paradox of the Christian faith. Jesus'
teaching seems "hard," too difficult to put into practice. There are
thus those who reject it and abandon Christ; there are those who try
to "adapt" the word to the fashions of the times, distorting its
meaning and value.
"Do you also wish to leave?" This disturbing provocation resounds in
our hearts and awaits a personal response from each person. Jesus in
fact is not satisfied with a superficial and formal following, a
first and enthusiastic adhesion is not sufficient for him; on the
contrary, we must take part "in his thinking and in his willing" all
of our lives. Following him fills the heart with joy and gives
complete meaning to our existence, but it brings difficulties and
renunciations because very often we must go against the current.
"Do you also wish to leave?" To Jesus' question Peter responds in
the name of the Apostles: "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the
words of eternal life and we have come to believe and are convinced
that you are the Holy One of God" (6:68-69).
Dear brothers and sisters, we too can repeat Peter's answer, aware
of course of our human fragility, but confident in the power of the
Holy Spirit, who expresses himself and manifests himself in
communion with Jesus. Faith is a gift of God to man and it is, at
the same time, man's free and total entrusting of himself to God;
faith is the docile listening to the word of the Lord, that is the
"lamp" for our steps and the "light" on our way (cf. Psalm 119:105).
If we open our hearts to Christ with confidence, if we let ourselves
be conquered by him, we too can experience, together with the Curé
d'Ars, "that our only happiness on this earth is to love God and to
know that he loves us." Let us ask the Virgin Mary always to keep
alive in us this faith impregnated by love, which made her, the
humble girl of Nazareth, Mother of God and model for all believers.
[After the Angelus, the Holy Father greeted the people in several
languages. In Italian, he said:]
Today the 30th edition of the "Meeting for Friendship Among Peoples"
has opened in Rimini, [Italy], taking as its title "Knowledge Is
Always an Event." In addressing a cordial greeting to those who are
taking part in this significant gathering, I hope that it will be a
propitious occasion for understanding that "[k]nowing is not simply
a material act, since ... [i]n all knowledge and in every act of
love the human soul experiences something ‘over and above,' which
seems very much like a gift that we receive, or a height to which we
are raised" ("Caritas in Veritate," No. 77).
[Translation by Joseph G. Trabbic]
[In English, the Holy Father said:]
I greet all the English-speaking pilgrims present at today's
Angelus. May your visit to Castel Gandolfo and Rome strengthen your
faith in our Lord, the Holy One of God, and renew your desire to
share the peace of his kingdom with others. Upon you and your loved
ones, I invoke God's blessings of true happiness and joy!
© Copyright 2009 -- Libreria Editrice Vaticana
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