|
Pope Benedict XVI- Angelus |
Angelus Message
On the Beatitudes and Divine Justice
"This is the Task that the Lord's Disciples are Called to
Undertake"
H.H. Benedict XVI
February 14, 2010
www.zenit.org
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
The liturgical year is a great journey of faith, which the Church
undertakes, always proceeded by the Virgin Mother Mary. In the
Sundays of Ordinary Time this year the readings from the Gospel of
Luke trace out this itinerary. Today's reading from this Gospel
accompanies us "in a level stretch of land" (Luke 6:17), where Jesus
pauses with the 12 and where a crowd of the other disciples and
people from every part gather to listen to him. It is in this
context that the proclamation of the "beatitudes" takes place (Luke
6:20-26; cf. Matthew 5:1-12). Jesus, looking upon his disciples,
says: "Blessed are you poor... Blessed are you who hunger now...
Blessed are you who weep now... Blessed shall you be when men hate
you ... and reject your name" for my sake. Why does he call them
blessed? Why will the justice of God see to it that they will be
satisfied, joyous, compensated for every false accusation, in a
word, why will it welcome them into his kingdom? The beatitudes are
based on the existence of a divine justice, which raises up those
who have been wrongly humiliated and casts down those who have been
exalted (cf. Luke 14:11). In fact, the evangelist Luke, after the
four blessings adds four admonishments: "Woe to you rich... Woe to
you who are filled... Woe to you who laugh now..." and "Woe to you
when all men speak well of you...," because, as Jesus states, things
will be reversed, the last will be first, and the first last (cf.
13:30).
This justice and this beatitude are realized in the "Kingdom of
Heaven," or the "Kingdom of God," which will be fulfilled at the end
of time but is already present in history. Where the poor are
consoled and admitted to the banquet of life, there God's justice is
manifested. This is the task that the Lord's disciples are called to
undertake even now in the present society. I think of the hostel of
"Caritas" of Rome at the Termini Station that I visited this
morning: From my heart I encourage those who work in such worthy
institutions and those, in every part of the world, who freely
engage in similar works of justice and love.
Justice is the theme that I have chosen for this year's Message for
Lent, which will begin on Wednesday -- the day that we call Ash
Wednesday. Today I would like to offer it to everyone, inviting all
to read it and meditate on it. The Gospel of Christ responds
positively to the thirst for justice in man, but in an unexpected
and surprising way. Jesus does not propose a revolution of a social
or political type, but one of love, which he has already realized
with his cross and his resurrection. On these are founded the
beatitudes, which propose a new horizon of justice, initiated by
Easter, by which we can become just and build a better world.
Dear friends, let us turn to the Virgin Mary. All generations
proclaim her "blessed," because she believed in the good news that
the Lord announced (cf. Luke 1:45, 48). Let us allow ourselves to be
led by her through the journey of Lent, to be liberated from the
illusion of self-sufficiency, recognize that we need God, his mercy,
and in this way enter into his Kingdom of justice, of love and of
peace.
[After the Angelus the Pope greeted the pilgrims in various
languages. In Italian he said:]
Today in various countries in Asia -- I think of China and Vietnam,
for example -- and in many communities scattered throughout the
world, the Lunar New Year is celebrated. These are festive days that
these people celebrate as privileged occasions to re-solidify family
and generational bonds. I hope that all will maintain and foster
growth of the rich heredity of the spiritual and moral values that
are solidly rooted in the culture of these peoples.
[Translation by Joseph G. Trabbic]
[In English, the Pontiff said:]
I offer a warm welcome to the English-speaking visitors gathered for
this Angelus prayer. In today's Gospel Jesus heals the sick,
proclaims the Beatitudes and invites us to open our hearts to God's
Kingdom. May you and your families be truly "blessed" with the
spiritual freedom and peace which the Lord promises to all who
imitate his poverty and trust in his promises!
© Copyright 2010 -- Libreria Editrice Vaticana
Look
at the One they Pierced!
This page is the work of the Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and
Mary
