Pope Benedict XVI- Angelus |
Angelus Message
On the Divine Call
"Encounter With God Brings Man to Recognize His Own Poverty"
H.H. Benedict XVI
February 7, 2010
www.zenit.org
Dear brothers and sisters,
The liturgy of this Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time presents us with
the theme of the divine call. In a majestic vision, Isaiah finds
himself in the presence of the Thrice-Holy Lord and is seized by a
great fear and by the profound feeling of his own unworthiness. But
a seraph purifies his lips with a hot coal and takes away his sin,
and he, making himself ready to answer the call, exclaims: "Here I
am, Lord, send me!" (cf. Isaiah 6:1-2, 3-8).
The same succession of sentiments is present in the episode of the
miraculous catch of fish, about which today's Gospel passage speaks.
Invited by Jesus to lower their nets, despite a night of fruitless
effort, Simon Peter and the other disciples, trusting in his word,
make a huge catch. Faced with such a prodigy, Simon Peter does not
throw his arms around Jesus to express his joy over the unexpected
catch but, as the Evangelist St. Luke recounts, falls to his knees,
saying: "Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man." Jesus then
answers him: "Do not be afraid; from now on I will make you a fisher
of men" (cf. Luke 5:10); and Peter, leaving everything, follows him.
Paul too, noting that he was a persecutor of the Church, confesses
that he is unworthy of being called an apostle, but he recognizes
that the grace of God has accomplished marvels in him and, despite
his own limitations, has entrusted to him the task and the honor of
preaching the Gospel (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:8-10). In these three
experiences we see how the authentic encounter with God brings man
to recognize his own poverty and inadequacy, his limitations and his
sin. But this fragility notwithstanding, the Lord, rich in mercy and
forgiveness, transforms man's life and calls man to follow him.
The humility that Isaiah, Peter and Paul bear witness to, invites
those who have received the gift of a divine calling not to focus on
their own limits, but to keep their gaze fixed on the Lord and on
his surprising mercy, to convert the heart and continue, with joy,
to "leave everything" for him. He, in fact does not look at what man
considers important: "Man sees the appearance but the Lord sees the
heart" (1 Samuel 16:7), and renders men who are poor and weak, but
who have faith in him, intrepid apostles and proclaimers of
salvation.
In this Year for Priests, let us pray that the Lord of the harvest
send workers into fields. Let's pray that those who hear the Lord's
invitation to follow him, after the necessary discernment, know how
to respond to him with generosity, not trusting in their own power,
but opening themselves to the action of his grace. In particular, I
invite all priests to revive their generous availability to respond
to the Lord's call every day with the same humility and faith that
Isaiah, Peter and Paul had.
We entrust to the Holy Virgin all vocations, especially those to the
religious and priestly life. May Mary awaken in everyone the desire
to say his own "yes" to the Lord with joy and total dedication.
[After the Angelus the Pope greeted the pilgrims in various
languages. In Italian he said:]
We celebrate the Day for Life in Italy today. I gladly join with the
Italian bishops and in their message on the theme: "The Power of
Life: A Challenge in Poverty." In the current economic difficulty,
those mechanisms become more harmful that, causing poverty and
creating major social inequality, wound and offend life, striking
above all the weakest and most defenseless.
Such a situation consequently calls for the promotion of an integral
human development to overcome poverty and need, and above all
reminds us that man's destiny is not well-being but God himself, and
that human existence must be defended and favored in all of its
stages. No one, in fact, is the owner of his life, but we are all
called to care for it and respect it, from the moment of conception
until natural death.
As we express appreciation for those who more directly work in the
service of children, the sick and the elderly, I affectionately
greet the many faithful of Rome who are present here led by the
Cardinal Vicar and some of the auxiliary bishops.
The Diocese of Rome gives special attention to the Day for Life and
extends it into the Week of Life and the Family. I wish the success
of this initiative and encourage the activity of the consultors, the
associations and movements, as well as that of university
professors, engaged in supporting life and the family.
In this context I would like to note that Feb. 11, the memorial of
Our Lady of Lourdes and the World Day of the Sick, I will celebrate
Holy Mass with the sick in St. Peter's Basilica.
[Translation by Joseph G. Trabbic]
[In English he said:]
I greet all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present for
this Angelus. In the liturgy of today, the Gospel invites us, like
the Apostles, to "put out into the deep", that is, to be brave and
zealous in our following Jesus by being obedient to his will. Like
Saint Peter on the Lake of Gennesaret, we will discover that
fidelity to the Lord leads to a deeper relationship with God and
opens us to his gifts. Let us overcome all fears and hesitation that
we may rediscover how much God longs to bless us! Upon each of you
and your loved ones at home, I invoke God's abundant blessings.
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