VATICAN - Benedict XVI in Angola (14) - Mass with the Bishops of IMBISA: “the Church, in Angola and throughout Africa, is meant to be a sign before the world of that unity to which the whole human family is called, through faith in Christ the Redeemer.”

Luanda (Agenzia Fides) – In Cimangola Square, in Luanda, on Sunday March 22, at 10am, the Holy Father Benedict XVI presided the Eucharistic Celebration of the Fourth Sunday of Lent, concelevrated by the Bishops of IMBISA (Interregional Meeting of Bishops of Southern Africa), with a crowd of hundreds of thousands of faithful, and at the end, led the praying of the Angelus. “Today it is my particular joy, as the Successor of the Apostle Peter, to celebrate this Mass with you, my brothers and sisters in Christ from throughout Angola, São Tomé and Príncipe, and so many other countries,” the Holy Father said at the beginning of his homily.
Reflecting on the readings of the day, the Pope highlighted the particular resonance of the invitation from the first reading, made to the Chosen People while they were in Exile, to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Lord’s Temple, with the description of the destruction and ruin caused by war, that “echoes the personal experience of so many people in this country amid the terrible ravages of the civil war.” “This experience is all too familiar to Africa as a whole: the destructive power of civil strife, the descent into a maelstrom of hatred and revenge, the squandering of the efforts of generations of good people...The call to return and rebuild God’s Temple has a particular meaning for each of us.”
Benedict XVI then recalled that Angola, on that day, was celebrating a day of prayer and sacrifice for national reconciliation and said: “The Gospel teaches us that reconciliation, true reconciliation, can only be the fruit of conversion, a change of heart, a new way of thinking. It teaches us that only the power of God’s love can change our hearts and make us triumph over the power of sin and division...It is to preach this message of forgiveness, hope and new life in Christ that I have come to Africa...I ask you today, in union with all our brothers and sisters throughout Africa, to pray for this intention: that every Christian on this great continent will experience the healing touch of God’s merciful love, and that the Church in Africa will become 'for all, through the witness borne by its sons and daughters, a place of true reconciliation.'”
The Pope then mentioned the message that he has wanted to bring to Africa: “You have received power from the Holy Spirit to be the builders of a better tomorrow for your beloved country. In Baptism you were given the Spirit in order to be heralds of God’s Kingdom of truth and life, of holiness and grace, of justice, love and peace. On the day of your Baptism you received the light of Christ. Be faithful to that gift...Be grateful for those who brought it, the generations of missionaries who contributed – and continue to contribute – so much to this country’s human and spiritual development. Be grateful for the witness of so many Christian parents, teachers, catechists, priests and religious, who made personal sacrifices in order to pass this precious treasure down to you! And take up the challenge which this great legacy sets before you. Realize that the Church, in Angola and throughout Africa, is meant to be a sign before the world of that unity to which the whole human family is called, through faith in Christ the Redeemer.”
Then, citing the teaching of the Gospel on the light brought by Christ, the Pope mentioned that “tragically, the clouds of evil have also overshadowed Africa, including this beloved nation of Angola,” especially the affliction of war, tribalism, ethnic rivalries, greed, and the spirit of selfishness that inevitably leads to hedonism, “the escape into false utopias through drug use, sexual irresponsibility, the weakening of the marriage bond and the break-up of families, and the pressure to destroy innocent human life through abortion.” In spite of all this, the Word of God is always “a word of unbounded hope...God does not give up on us! He continues to lift our eyes to a future of hope, and he promises us the strength to accomplish it...God created us to live in the light, and to be light for the world around us!”
The Holy Father then explained how “the work of rebuilding is painfully slow and arduous. Living by the truth takes time, effort and perseverance,” but it “has to begin in our own hearts, in the small daily sacrifices required if we are to be faithful to God’s law, in the little acts by which we demonstrate that we love our neighbours, all our neighbours, regardless of race, ethnicity or language, and by our readiness to work with them to build together on foundations that will endure.” In light of this, he exhorted those present to “let your parishes become communities where the light of God’s truth and the power of Christ’s reconciling love are not only celebrated, but proclaimed in concrete works of charity.”
Benedict XVI especially thought of the youth of Angola and all of Africa: “Dear young friends: you are the hope of your country’s future, the promise of a better tomorrow! Begin today to grow in your friendship with Jesus, who is 'the way, and the truth and the life': a friendship nurtured and deepened by humble and persevering prayer...The Church needs your witness! Do not be afraid to respond generously to God’s call, whether it be to serve him as a priest or a religious, as a Christian parent, or in the many forms of service to others which the Church sets before you.”
At the close of his homily, the Pope made an appeal to all the People of God in Angola and in all of southern Africa, to arise and “look to the future with hope, trust in God’s promises, and live in his truth. In this way, you will build something destined to endure, and leave to future generations a lasting inheritance of reconciliation, justice and peace.”
Before reciting the Angelus, at the close of the Mass, the Pope invited the men and women throughout the world to fix their gaze on this Continent, “so filled with hope, yet so thirsty for justice, for peace, for a sound and integral development that can ensure a future of progress and peace for its people.” He then asked everyone to pray for the preparation for the coming Second Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops, with the hope that all the Catholics on this Continent may become more “fully a leaven of evangelical hope for all people of good will who love Africa,” and lastly, he invoked the intercession of the Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace, that she may “continue to guide Angola’s people in the task of national reconciliation following the devastating and inhuman experience of the civil war. May her prayers obtain for all Angolans the grace of authentic forgiveness, respect for others, and cooperation which alone can carry forward the immense work of rebuilding...Here in Southern Africa, let us ask our Lady in a particular way to intercede for peace, the conversion of hearts, and an end to the conflict in the neighboring Great Lakes region.” (SL) (Agenzia Fides 23/3/2009)