VATICAN - Pope Benedict XVI in the United States of America - “The proclamation of life, life in abundance, must be the heart of the new evangelization.”

New York (Agenzia Fides) - “The proclamation of life, life in abundance, must be the heart of the new evangelization. For true life - our salvation - can only be found in the reconciliation, freedom and love which are God’s gracious gift. This is the message of hope we are called to proclaim and embody in a world where self-centeredness, greed, violence, and cynicism so often seem to choke the fragile growth of grace in people’s hearts.” These were the words of the Holy Father Benedict XVI in his homily during the Votive Mass for the Universal Church, celebrated in Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in New York, Saturday, April 19.
Inspired by the Cathedral’s architecture, the Pope offered some reflections on the particular vocations within the unity of the Mystical Body. “The first has to do with the stained glass windows, which flood the interior with mystic light. From the outside, those windows are dark, heavy, even dreary. But once one enters the church, they suddenly come alive; reflecting the light passing through them, they reveal all their splendor. Many writers - here in America we can think of Nathaniel Hawthorne - have used the image of stained glass to illustrate the mystery of the Church herself. It is only from the inside, from the experience of faith and ecclesial life, that we see the Church as she truly is: flooded with grace, resplendent in beauty, adorned by the manifold gifts of the Spirit. It follows that we, who live the life of grace within the Church’s communion, are called to draw all people into this mystery of light.” The world tends to look at the Church like those stained glass windows, “from the outside,” even for those who are inside, “the light of faith can be dimmed by routine, and the splendor of the Church obscured by the sins and weaknesses of her members,” the Holy Father said, encouraging all not to give way “to frustration, disappointment and even pessimism about the future,” as the Word of God “reminds us that, in faith, we see the heavens opened, and the grace of the Holy Spirit lighting up the Church and bringing sure hope to our world.” Recalling Pentecost, he exhorted the faithful to have an “ever deeper faith in God’s infinite power to transform every human situation, to create life from death, and to light up even the darkest night.”
Benedict XVI continued reflecting on the Cathedral’s architecture that, “like all Gothic cathedrals, it is a highly complex structure, whose exact and harmonious proportions symbolize the unity of God’s creation,” and proposing a second reflection on the need “to see all things with the eyes of faith, and thus to grasp them in their truest perspective, in the unity of God’s eternal plan.” This requires constant conversion, and a commitment to acquiring “a fresh, spiritual way of thinking.” It also calls for the cultivation of those virtues which enable each of us to grow in holiness and to bear spiritual fruit within our particular state of life. One of the great disappointments which followed the Second Vatican Council, was the experience of division between different groups, different generations, different members of the same religious family. This situation can only be overcome, “if we turn our gaze together to Christ! In the light of faith, we will then discover the wisdom and strength needed to open ourselves to points of view which may not necessarily conform to our own ideas or assumptions... In this way, we will move together towards that true spiritual renewal desired by the Council, a renewal which can only strengthen the Church in that holiness and unity indispensable for the effective proclamation of the Gospel in today’s world.”
The Pope then spoke of the sexual abuse cases, with these words, “Here I simply wish to assure you, dear priests and religious, of my spiritual closeness as you strive to respond with Christian hope to the continuing challenges that this situation presents. I join you in praying that this will be a time of purification for each and every particular Church and religious community, and a time for healing. And I also encourage you to cooperate with your Bishops who continue to work effectively to resolve this issue.”
The final observation made by the Pontiff reflected on the unity of the Gothic cathedral that, is “born of the dynamic tension of diverse forces which impel the architecture upward, pointing it to heaven. Here too, we can see a symbol of the Church’s unity, which is the unity... of a living body composed of many different members, each with its own role and purpose... the very variety and richness of the graces bestowed by the Spirit invite us constantly to discern how these gifts are to be rightly ordered in the service of the Church’s mission.” The Pope continued: “If we are to be true forces of unity, let us be the first to seek inner reconciliation through penance. Let us forgive the wrongs we have suffered and put aside all anger and contention. Let us be the first to demonstrate the humility and purity of heart which are required to approach the splendor of God’s truth.”
Benedict XVI then invited all present to become, “the first friend of the poor, the homeless, the stranger, the sick and all who suffer,” to act “as beacons of hope, casting the light of Christ upon the world, and encouraging young people to discover the beauty of a life given completely to the Lord and his Church.” Addressing the many seminarians and young religious present, the Pope said: “All of you have a special place in my heart. Never forget that you are called to carry on, with all the enthusiasm and joy that the Spirit has given you, a work that others have begun, a legacy that one day you too will have to pass on to a new generation.” Finally, he concluded his homily asking those present that as they left the church, they would go forth “as heralds of hope in the midst of this city, and all those places where God’s grace has placed us. In this way, the Church in America will know a new springtime in the Spirit, and point the way to that other, greater city, the new Jerusalem, whose light is the Lamb.”
At the close of the Mass, the Holy Father spoke spontaneously, thanking everyone for their love for the Church and for Our Lord, especially for their love for “the poor Successor of Saint Peter,” and said, “And so I too, with all my spiritual poverty, can be for this time, in virtue of the Lord’s grace, the Successor of Peter. It is also your prayers and your love which give me the certainty that the Lord will help me in this my ministry.” (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 21/4/2008; righe 81, parole 1137)