Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - "Your mission in the Church and the world always be 'in Christ' alone, responding to his logic and not that of the world, and may be illumined by faith and animated by charity which comes to us from glorious Cross of the Lord": is the exhortation that the Holy Father Benedict XVI addressed to the 22 newly created Cardinals during the Consistory in the Vatican Basilica on February 18.
"In the announcement of Christ the Church is linked to Peter and Peter is placed in the Church as a rock; but he who builds the Church is Christ himself" the Pope said. "For the new cardinals are entrusted with the service of love: love for God, love for his Church, an absolute and unconditional love for his brothers and sisters, even unto shedding their blood, if necessary ... They also are asked to serve the Church with love and vigor, with the transparency and wisdom of teachers, with the energy and strength of shepherds, with the fidelity and courage of the martyrs".
Sunday, February 19, the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter the Apostle, the Holy Father Benedict XVI presided in St. Peter's Basilica the concelebrated eucharist with the 22 new Cardinals.
After commenting on the biblical readings proclaimed, the Pope drew the attention to the monumental altar of the Chair of St. Peter's Basilica topped by an oval window in which the glory of the Holy Spirit shines. "The window of the apse opens the Church toward the outside, towards the whole of creation - explained the pope - and the image of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove shows God as the source of light. But there is also another aspect to point out: the Church herself is in fact like a window, the place where God draws near to us, where he comes towards world. The Church does not exist for her own sake, she is not the point of arrival, but she has to point upwards, beyond herself, to the realms above. The Church is truly herself to the extent that allows the Other – with a capital 'A' - from whom she comes and to whom she leads".
Speaking of the Chair of Peter, Benedict XVI evoked the words of St. Ignatius of Antioch, who in his letter to the Romans says of the Church of Rome "that she presides in charity", and stressed that "presiding in faith is inseparably linked to presiding in love. Faith without love is no longer an authentic Christian faith". Moreover, the word "charity" was used by the early Church to indicate the Eucharist, "therefore, 'to preside in charity' means to draw men and women into a eucharistic embrace - the embrace of Christ –which surpasses every barrier and every division, creating communion from all manner of differences". The fact that the great Chair is supported by the Fathers of the Church "tells us that love is based on faith. It collapses if man no longer trusts in God and disobeys Him. Everything in the Church rests upon faith: the sacraments, the liturgy, evangelization, charity. The law, the the Church’s authority rest upon faith". But "faith is oriented to love ... True faith is illuminated by love and leads towards love, leads on high. God is notisolation, but glorious and joyful love, spreading outwards ana radiant with light". The Pope concluded his homily with these words: "Dear brothers and sisters, the gift of this love is entrusted to us, to every Christian: it is a gift to be passes on to others, through the witness of our lives. This is your task in particular, dear brpther Cardinals: to bear witness to the joy of Christ's love".
At the beginning of the Mass, Cardinal Fernando Filoni, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, the first among the new Cardinals, addressed the pope greetings and gratitude on behalf of all the Cardinals. Even today in the Church, due to the loyalty to the Lord, there is martyrdom, tribulations and persecutions among many of her members". (SL) (Agenzia Fides 20/2/2012)
