Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – On Saturday, November 22, the Holy Father Benedict XVI received a large representation from the Archdiocese of Amalfi-Cava de' Tirreni, who had come to Rome on a pilgrimage with the relics of their Patron, Saint Andrew, conserved from the 4th century in the crypt of their Cathedral, in honor of the VIII Centennial anniversary of the transfer of his relics from Constantinople to Amalfi. In honor of the upcoming feast of St. Andrew, on November 30, the Archdiocese will conclude this jubilee year with a Mass celebrated in the Cathedral of Amalfi, by Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone.
“Observing the example and calling upon the intercession of Saint Andrew, you have sought to give fresh impulse to your apostolic and missionary vocation, opening your hearts to the hopes for peace among people, and intensifying your prayers for the unity of all Christians,” the Pope said in addressing the pilgrims. “Vocation, mission and ecumenism are, then, the three keywords that have guided you through this spiritual and pastoral enterprise, that today receives the Pope's encouragement that it may continue with generosity and enthusiasm. May Saint Andrew, the first of the Apostles to be called by Jesus on the shores of the Jordan River (cf Jn 1:35-40), help you to increasingly rediscover the importance and urgency of bearing witness to the Gospel in every part of society. May your entire diocesan community, in imitation of the Church in its origins, grow in the faith and communicate Christian hope to all people.”
Recalling the Solemnity of Christ the King, which was to be celebrated the following day, the Pope highlighted the fact that the Liturgy of the Word on the feast offers the contemplation of Christ as “The Good Shepherd, ready to care for the dispersed sheep, to gather them and lead them to pastures and make them rest in a sure place...The Word of God will also remind us that the face of Christ, universal King, is that of a judge, because God is at one and the same time the good and merciful Shepherd and the righteous Judge. The criterion with which judgement is applied is of great importance. This criterion is love, real charity towards others, especially the 'little ones', people in greater need: the hungry, the thirsty, the foreigner, the naked, the sick, the imprisoned. The King solemnly declares to all that what they have done, or not done towards those they met on their path, they have done or not done it to Him. Thus, Christ identifies Himself with the 'smallest of His brothers and sisters', and the final judgement will be a settling of accounts of what happened in earthly life.”
At the close of his address, the Pope mentioned that God, “is not concerned with historical kingship, He wishes to reign in people's hearts and from there over the world. He is the King of the entire universe, yet the crucial point, the area in which His reign is at risk, is in our own hearts because there God encounters our freedom. We, and we alone, can hinder him from reigning over us, and thus we can become an obstacle to His kingship over the world, over families, over society and over history. We, men and women, have the capability of choosing with whom we wish to side: whether it is with Christ and with His angels, or with the devil and his angels, as the Gospel says. It is up to us to decide to practice justice or iniquity, to embrace love and forgiveness or revenge and a mortal hate. On this rests our personal salvation, as well as the salvation of the world.” (SL) (Agenzia Fides 24/11/2008)
