A Christian is a person of hope, who knows
and witnesses that Jesus lives, that he is among us, that he prays to the
Father for each of us and that he will come again. This is how Pope Francis
summed up the relationship between every Christian and the Risen Jesus, during
Mass at Santa Marta on Friday morning, 22 April. From
the liturgy of the day, the Pontiff brought out three fundamental words for
Christian life: message, intercession and hope. First
of all, the message. In the day’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles
(13:26-33), the message is essentially “the Apostles’ testimony to the
resurrection of Jesus”. Thus Paul affirms in the synagogue: “when they had
fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and
laid him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead; and for many days he
appeared to those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now
his witnesses to the people”. Indeed, the Pontiff summarized, “the message is:
Jesus died and rose for us, for our salvation. Jesus lives!”. This is what the
first disciples conveyed “to the Jews and the pagans of their time”, and they
“also bore witness with their lives, with their blood”. When
John and Peter were forbidden to proclaim Jesus’ name or speak of his
resurrection, the Pope continued, “they said, with all their courage and in
total simplicity: ‘we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard’”.
Indeed, “we Christians, through faith, have within us the Holy Spirit, who lets
us see and hear the truth about Jesus, who died for our sins and is risen”.
This, therefore, “is the message of Christian life: Christ lives! Christ is
risen! Christ is among us in the community, he accompanies us on the path”.
Despite the effort we sometimes make to understand, “one of the dimensions of
Christian life” is precisely this: the message. We clearly understand from the
passage of Scripture wherein John
affirmed: “That which we have seen with our eyes, which we have heard, which we
have touched with our hands…”, as if to say: “the Risen Christ is a reality
and I bear witness to this”. The
second key word proposed by the Pontiff is “intercession”, this time inspired
by the Gospel of John (14:1-6). During the Last Supper on Holy Thursday, in
fact, the Apostles were despondent, and Jesus said: “Let not your hearts be
troubled; believe. In my Father’s house are many rooms. I will go and prepare a
place for you”. Francis paused to reflect on this passage and asked: “What does
this mean? How does Jesus prepare a place?”. The response: “With his prayer for
each of us: Jesus prays for us and this is the intercession”. It is important
to know that “Jesus works at this moment with his prayer for us”. The Pope
explained: just as before the Passion, Jesus said: “Peter I have prayed for
you”, likewise, “now Jesus is the intercessor between us and the Father”. At
this point, though, we must ask ourselves: “How does Jesus pray?”. Francis
offered a “personal” response, an answer all his own, and “not a dogma of the
Church”, he specified. “I believe that Jesus shows his wounds to the Father,
because the wounds went with him after the resurrection. He shows the wounds to
the Father and names each of us”. According to the Pontiff, we can imagine
Jesus’ prayer in this way. A Christian is enlivened by this awareness: “at this
moment Jesus intercedes for us”. Last,
the third dimension: that of hope. Again this word was sparked by the Gospel of
the day. Jesus says: “I will go and prepare a place for you”. He then adds:
“when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to
myself, that where I am you may be also”. This is a Christian’s hope. Jesus
tells us: “I will come!”. The Pope then explained: “Christians are women and men
of hope” precisely because “they hope for the Lord to come again”. In this
regard, the Pontiff added, it is beautiful to notice “how the Bible begins and
ends”. At the beginning it reads: “In the beginning”, in other words, “when
things began”. And Revelation ends “with the prayer: ‘Come, Lord Jesus’”.
Indeed, all the Church “awaits the coming of Jesus: Jesus will come again”.
This, the Pontiff said, “is Christian hope”. Thus,
the Pope concluded, summarizing his meditation, we can ask ourselves: “How is the
message in my life? How is my relationship with Jesus who intercedes for me?
How is my hope? Do I truly believe that the Lord is risen? Do I believe that he
prays to the Father for me?”. Moreover, “Do I truly believe that the Lord will
come again?”. In other words: “Do I believe in the message? Do I believe in the
intercession? Am I a man or woman of hope?”….
(Vatican Radio) The Holy See’s Permanent Observer to the United Nations in New York, Archbishop Bernardito Auza, on Thursday “firmly” rejected the use of illegal drugs and the legalization of the use of narcotics.
The Vatican diplomat, quoting Pope Francis, said “a reduction in the spread and influence of drug addiction will not be achieved by a liberalization of drug use… [and] attempts, however limited, to legalize so-called recreational drugs are not only highly questionable from a legislative standpoint but they fail to produce the desired effect.”
Archbishop Auza was addressing a UN General Assembly Special Session on the World Drug Problem.
“The negative effect of illicit drug use on the family extends to the community, and leads ultimately to the destabilization of civil society,” he said.
“People suffering from drug abuse require all the support we can give them, including comprehensive health and social services that are accessible, effective and affordable,” continued Archbishop Auza.
“Not all crimes related to illicit drugs are of equal gravity. International drug traffickers, local pushers and drug users have to be treated differently according to the principle of proportionality,” – the Vatican diplomat added – “Disproportionate responses would be against the spirit of justice, and would not help in the rehabilitation of those who have become addicted to illicit drugs.”
The full text of Archbishop Auza’s speech is below
H. E. Archbishop Bernardito Auza
Apostolic Nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations
United Nations Special Session of the General Assembly on the
World Drug Problem
New York, 21 April 2016
Mr. President,
My delegation welcomes the convening of this United Nations Special Session of the General Assembly on the World Drug Problem and wishes to thank all those who participated in the preparatory process leading to this Special Session.
The Holy See firmly rejects the use of illegal drugs and the legalization of the use of narcotics. In his Address to the Thirty-first Edition of the International Drug Enforcement Conference,1 Pope Francis affirmed that “a reduction in the spread and influence of drug addiction will not be achieved by a liberalization of drug use; rather, it is necessary to confront the problems underlying the use of these drugs, by promoting greater justice, educating young people in the values that build up life in society, accompanying those in difficulty and giving them hope for the future.” For the Holy See “attempts, however limited, to legalize so-called recreational drugs are not only highly questionable from a legislative standpoint but they fail to produce the desired effect.”
In addition, His Holiness insisted that “the fight against drugs cannot be won with drugs. Drugs are an evil, and with evil there can be neither surrender nor compromise.” In saying “no to every type of drug use,” we must at the same time “say ‘yes’ to life, ‘yes’ to love, ‘yes’ to others, ‘yes’ to education, ‘yes’ to greater job opportunities. If we say ‘yes’ to all these things, there will be no room for illicit drugs, for alcohol abuse, for other forms of addiction.”
The Holy See cannot emphasize enough the importance of the family as the cornerstone of prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, reintegration and health strategies. The family forms the very basis of society. When a member is addicted, the whole family suffers. The grave consequences of substance abusing members lead in so many cases to imbalance in household relationships and places severe strain on family life. The negative effect of illicit drug use on the family extends to the community, and leads ultimately to the destabilization of civil society.
Research continually reinforces the key role that the family plays in the fight against drug abuse, as it confirms that the core principles of social interaction are learned in the home. Thus, children who have nurturing family environments generally receive the education necessary to help them say “no” to illicit drugs. The scourges associated with the production and trafficking of illicit drugs exist because of the demand of addicted individuals. Thus, educating our children and young people on the harm of drug abuse is one important element in the fight against drug use on the demand side.
Even within families with strong ties and in communities living harmoniously and peacefully, some individuals sadly do fall into drug abuse. They, too, need the support and care of their family and community. People suffering from drug abuse require all the support we can give them, including comprehensive health and social services that are accessible, effective and affordable.
Not all crimes related to illicit drugs are of equal gravity. International drug traffickers, local pushers and drug users have to be treated differently according to the principle of proportionality. Disproportionate responses would be against the spirit of justice, and would not help in the rehabilitation of those who have become addicted to illicit drugs.
The drug problem and its related evils transcend borders and affect citizens worldwide. Hence international cooperation towards an integrated and balanced strategy is required in order to counter them. The most basic understanding of human dignity compels the international community,
particularly through the norms and mechanisms of international law, to do all that it can to protect all citizens of the world from the scourge of illicit drugs.
Thank you, Mr. President.
(from Vatican Radio)…
Click to download Bulletin for 5/1/2016
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis told members of Italy’s Diocesan Caritas chapters their mission is to express “concrete love for every human person, with a preferential option for the poor.”
The Caritas network of Italy is holding its national convention in Rome. The local chapters are part of the international Caritas family, which helps the poor, vulnerable, and excluded across the world.
“Given the challenges and contradictions of our time, Caritas has the difficult – but fundamental – task of making sure charitable service become everyone’s task; that is, the whole Christian community becomes the subject of charity,” said Pope Francis.
“This is the main object of your existence and your actions: to be a stimulus and a soul so that the whole community grows in charity, and knows how to discover new ways to be close to the poorest, to be able to read and confront the situations that oppress millions of our brothers and sisters – in Italy, in Europe, and in the world,” continued the Holy Father.
Pope Francis then noted the importance of properly recruiting and training Caritas volunteers for their various roles, and acknowledged the “time, resources, and abilities” each volunteer invests.
“Faced with the global challenges that sow fear, guilt, financial speculation – even on food, environmental degradation, and war,” – the Holy Father said – “it is necessary, along with the daily work on the ground, to continue efforts to educate on the respectful and fraternal encounter between cultures and civilizations; and the care of creation, for an ‘integral ecology’.”
The Pope said this includes advocating to civil institutions and promoting “appropriate legislation” in favor of the common good.
“I encourage you not to tire of promoting, with tenacity and patient perseverance, communities who possess a passion for dialogue, to experience conflicts in an evangelical way, without denying them but making them opportunities for growth and reconciliation,” Pope Francis said.
“May you always speak proudly of your desire to go to the causes of poverty, and try to remove them; of your efforts to prevent exclusion; to affect the mechanisms that generate injustice; to work against any structure of sin,” he said. “This begins in the parishes: It is the precious work and capillaries of the parochial Caritas chapters, which must continually spread and multiply through the territory.”
Pope Francis also encouraged the local Caritas chapters to continue to help immigrants, both with solidarity and to help them integrate into the community.
(from Vatican Radio)…
Along the path of life we never walk alone,
and in order to remember that God is beside us, he helps us understand that
salvation is not a momentary event but a history that unfolds day by day, amid
successes and failures, until the final encounter. The parallel between the
history of the people of Israel and that of the individual Christian guided
Pope Francis’ meditation during Mass at Santa Marta on Thursday morning, 21
April.
We
should appreciate this history, because “remembering brings us closer to God”,
the Pontiff said. Thus, he recalled, the day’s reading from The Acts of the
Apostles (13:13-25) regarding the first preaching by Jesus’ Apostles “was
historic”. In preaching the Gospel, “they arrived at Jesus, but by retelling
the whole history of the People of Israel”, starting with “father Abraham”,
moving on through “Moses, the deliverance from Egypt, the Promised Land”,
until, regarding King David, they concluded: “From this man’s descendants God,
according to his promise, has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus”. In this way
they gave an historical account of the journey that God “had made with his
people”.
All
this, Francis said, “makes us think that Christ’s message, Christ’s salvation,
this gift that God has given us, is not a momentary event and nothing more: it
is a journey!”. It is the journey “that God wanted to make with his people” and
which must not be forgotten. This is why remembrance is repeatedly advised
throughout Scripture. For example, in the Book of Deuteronomy, which is
actually “the book of the memory of Israel”, we read: “Remember, remember!
Remember this!”. Therefore, it is important, the Pontiff explained, “to turn
back to see how God saved us, by following
— with the heart and mind — the path with these memories and in this way
to arrive at Jesus”.
Jesus
himself had emphasized remembrance and “in the greatest moment of his life”, he
gave us his body and blood “and said: ‘Do this in memory of me’”. Hence, we
must “remember how God saved us”.
This
is an invitation that the Church accepts each day in the Liturgy of the
Eucharist. In this regard the Pope pointed out that in the prayer at the
beginning of the day’s Mass there was an invocation to “God who had redeemed
man and lifted him beyond the ancient splendour”. The Pope then added: “the
people must remember” that God did all of this “on the journey” with his
people.
In
every Eucharist we celebrate “the memory of this salvation; the memorial of
Jesus who is present on the altar to give his life to us”. But, Francis added,
“we too, in our own personal life, must do the same: remember our journey”,
because “each of us has made our way, accompanied by God”, close to God, close
to the Lord”, at times even “distancing ourselves from the Lord”. In any case,
the Pontiff advised, “it does the heart good” for every Christian to remember
“his own path” and understand how God “led him or her here”, how God led us by
the hand.
In retracing the journey made, we should
also be cognizant of the times we have said to the Lord: “No! Move away! I don’t want…!” — and “the
Lord”, the Pope emphasized, “is respectful” even of this — but it is important
to remember “our own life and our own journey”.
It is helpful to repeat this practice often
and to remember: “At that moment God gave me this grace and I responded in this
way…”, to tell ourselves: “I did this, this, and that”, and to realize that
God has always accompanied us. In this way, the Pope said, “we arrive at a new
encounter”, one which could be called the “encounter of gratitude”, in which we
could pray in this way: “Thank you Lord for the company you have given me, for
this journey you have made with me!”. We could also ask forgiveness for the
sins and mistakes that we may be aware of, knowing that God “walks with us and
is not afraid of our malevolence”; he is “always there!”.
In
this regard, the Pontiff added: “How often have we closed the door in his face;
how often have we pretended not to see him, not to believe the he was there
with us; how often have we denied his salvation…. But he was there!”. It is
important “to remember all of this”, as it is to remember “our good deeds”. How
often, for example, “have we helped others, cared for a sick person”.
The
Pope then advised that we “remember the whole journey” because “remembering
brings us closer to God”. It is, Francis explained, a sort of “re-creation”, of
“regeneration, which leads us beyond the ancient splendour that Adam had in the
first creation”. To end his homily the Pope repeated several times this simple
advice: “Remember!”. Whether remembering the entire course of one’s life,
remembering the course of today’s events or those of the past year, it always
good to ask: “How has my relationship with the Lord been?”, and to remember,
the Pontiff concluded, “the great and beautiful things the Lord has done in
each of our lives”.
…