|
Pope Benedict XVI- Angelus |
Angelus Message
On Bartimaeus' Encounter With Christ: "Faith
is a Path of Illumination"
H.H. Benedict XVI
October 29, 2006
www.zenit.org
Dear Brothers and Sisters:
We read in this Sunday's Gospel (Mark 10:46-52) that, while the Lord
passes through the streets of Jericho, a blind man named Bartimaeus
addresses him, crying out loudly: "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy
on me!" This entreaty moves Christ's heart, who pauses, has him
called and cures him.
The decisive moment was the personal, direct encounter between the
Lord and that man who was suffering. They are before one another:
God with his will to cure and the man with his desire to be cured.
Two liberties, two converging wills: "What do you want me to do for
you?" the Lord asks him. "Let me receive my sight," replies the
blind man. "Go your way; you faith has made you well."
With these words, the miracle is realized. God's joy, man's joy. And
Bartimaeus, who had recovered his sight -- recounts the Gospel --
"followed him on the way": That is, he becomes his disciple and goes
up with the Master to Jerusalem to take part with him in the great
mystery of salvation. In the essential of its passages, this account
evokes the itinerary of the catechumen toward the sacrament of
baptism, which in the early Church was also called "lllumination."
Faith is a path of illumination; it starts from the humility of
acknowledging one's need of salvation and arrives at the personal
encounter with Christ, who calls [one] to follow him on the way of
love. On this model the itineraries of Christian initiation have
been established in the Church, which prepare for the sacraments of
baptism, confirmation and the Eucharist.
In places of past evangelization -- where the baptism of children is
widespread -- catechetical and spiritual experiences are proposed to
young people and adults which enable them to undertake a path of
rediscovery of the faith in a mature and conscious way, in order to
assume later a coherent commitment to witness. How important is the
work that pastors and catechists carry out in this field!
The rediscovery of the value of one's baptism is the basis of the
missionary commitment of every Christian, because we see in the
Gospel that he who lets himself be fascinated by Christ cannot do
without witnessing the joy of following in his footsteps. In this
month of October, especially dedicated to the mission, we understand
even more that, in virtue of baptism, we have an inherent missionary
vocation.
We invoke the intercession of the Virgin Mary so that missionaries
of the Gospel will multiply. Intimately united to the Lord, may
every baptized person hear that he is called to proclaim the love of
God to all, with the testimony of his own life.
[Translation by ZENIT]
[At the end of the Angelus the Pope greeted pilgrims in several
languages. In English, he said:]
I am happy to greet all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors
present for this Sunday "Angelus." In today's Gospel Jesus gives
sight to Bartimaeus, the blind beggar, whose eyes opened and whose
heart was filled with joy, after he asked our Lord for assistance.
As we strive to follow closely the teachings of Jesus, may our faith
guide our steps and give joy to our hearts! I wish you all a
pleasant stay in Rome, and a blessed Sunday!
Look at the One they
Pierced!
This page is the work of the Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and
Mary
