VATICAN - Benedict XVI in the Mass for deceased Cardinals and Bishops: “In the face of death all reasons for human pride fall away, and what is really worthwhile emerges. Everything passes; all of us in this world are passing through. God alone has life in Himself; He is the Life.”

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - “The day after the Liturgical Commemoration of all souls, we have come together today, in accord with a beautiful tradition, to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for our brother Cardinals and Bishops who have left this world during the past year.” With these words, the Holy Father Benedict XVI began his homily during the Mass held at the Vatican, for deceased Cardinals and Bishops. The Pope named the 10 Cardinals who had passed away (Stephen Fumio Hamao, Alfons Maria Stickler S.D.B., Aloísio Lorscheider O.F.M., Peter Porekuu Dery, Adolfo Antonio Suarez Rivera, Ernesto Corripio Ahumada, Alfonso Lopez Trujillo, Bernardin Gantin, Antonio Innocenti and Antonio Jose Gonzalez Zumarraga) and also remembered the Archbishops and Bishops who had passed from this world to go on to the Father's House, inviting all present to pray for their souls.
Commenting the Word of God that had been proclaimed, the Pope highlighted that “if the Lord calls a just man before his time, it is because He has a plan of predilection for him that is unknown to us.” In the Gospel, there is a contrast “between what is perceived by the superficial gaze of men versus what is seen by the eyes of God. The world considers a person with long life to be blessed, but God looks more at the uprightness of heart than the age. The world gives credit to the 'wise' and 'learned,' but God prefers the 'little ones.' The general lesson to be learned here is that there are two dimensions of reality: one is deeper, truer, and eternal while the other is marked by its finiteness, temporary nature, and appearance.” However, these two dimensions are not in a simple temporal order, as eternal life begins already in this world, amidst the historical events, in as much as “eternal life begins in the measure in which we open ourselves to the mystery of God and welcome it amongst us.”
“God is the true wisdom that never grows old,” the Holy Father continued. “He is the authentic wealth that does not decay, He is the joy to which the depth of each human heart aspires. This truth, which runs through the Books of Wisdom and re-emerges in the New Testament, reaches fulfilment in the life and teaching of Jesus. From the perspective of evangelical wisdom, death itself brings beneficial guidance because it forces us to look reality in the face, it compels us to recognise the transience of what appears so great and strong to the eyes of the world. In the face of death all reasons for human pride fall away, and what is really worthwhile emerges. Everything passes; all of us in this world are passing through. God alone has life in Himself; He is the Life. Our life is by participation, “ab alio,” and for this reason a man can reach eternal life only through a particular relationship that the Creator has established with him. But God, seeing how man distances himself from Him, has established a new relationship between us and Him, which we read of in the Second Reading in today's liturgy. Christ 'gave His life for us.' If God loved us freely, we too can (and therefore must) allow ourselves to be involved in this oblatory movement, and make of ourselves a free gift for others. In this way we know God as we are known by Him; we live in Him just as He has desired to live in us, and we pass from death to life like Jesus Christ.”
Through his Word, the Lord assures us that the deceased Cardinals and Bishops “have passed from death to life because they chose Christ, taking up his easy yoke and consecrating themselves to the service of others.” Lastly, the Pope encouraged all to lift up their hearts in prayer “to the Father of all goodness and mercy, that through the intercession of Mary Most Holy, the fire of His love may soon purify our beloved dead of all their imperfections and transform them for the eternal praise of His glory. Let us pray that we, pilgrims upon the earth, always keep our hearts and eyes turned towards the final goal to which we all aspire, the House of the Father, Heaven." (SL) (Agenzia Fides 4/11/2008)