Popery:Let's play Christmas catch-up first, since the holidays slowed the translation process. First, the homilies from three big feasts:
Mary, Mother of God/ New Year's
We also heard this in the short Gospel passage that the Liturgy presents to us today. "Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart" (Lk 2: 19).Angelus message the same day refers to his message for the day of peace and the connection between peace and understanding ourselves as part of the human family. And here's an Audience on the same theme.
The Greek verb used, sumbállousa, literally means "piecing together" and makes us think of a great mystery to be discovered little by little.
[snip]
it is only by pondering in the heart, in other words, by piecing together and finding unity in all we experience, that, following Mary, we can penetrate the mystery of a God who was made man out of love and who calls us to follow him on the path of love; a love to be expressed daily by generous service to the brethren.
[snip]
We may be certain of it: if we never tire of seeking his Face, if we never give in to the temptation of discouragement and doubt, if also among the many difficulties we encounter we always remain anchored to him, we will experience the power of his love and his mercy.
Epiphany
A fascinating connection between Abraham and the Magi, defying sound-bite summary.
The arrival in Bethlehem of the Magi from the East to adore the newborn Messiah is a sign of the manifestation of the universal King to the peoples and to all who seek the truth. It is the beginning of a movement opposed to that of Babel: from confusion to comprehension, from dispersion to reconciliation.Angelus message the same day asks:
what star can we therefore follow? After coming to rest "over the place where the child was" (Mt 2: 9), the purpose of the star that guided the Magi ended, but its spiritual light is always present in the Word of the Gospel, which is still able today to guide every person to Jesus.Baptism of the Lord
The purpose of Christ's existence was precisely to give humanity God's life and his Spirit of love so that every person might be able to draw from this inexhaustible source of salvation. This is why St Paul wrote to the Romans that we were baptized into the death of Christ in order to have his same life as the Risen One (cf. Rom 6: 3-4). For this reason Christian parents, such as you today, bring their children to the baptismal font as soon as possible, knowing that life which they have communicated calls for a fullness, a salvation that God alone can give. And parents thus become collaborators of God, transmitting to their children not only physical but also spiritual life.The Pope baptized a bunch o'babies during this Mass, which took place in the Sistine Chapel: also celebrated ad orientem, which made waves in some circles. Mostly the Pope just celebrated in the manner required by the altar there.
Angelus message:
Christ's entire mission is summed up in this: to baptize us in the Holy Spirit, to free us from the slavery of death and "to open heaven to us", that is, access to the true and full life that will be "a plunging ever anew into the vastness of being, in which we are simply overwhelmed with joy" (Spe Salvi, n. 12).Audiences
Continuing his catechesis on the the Fathers of the Church, the Pope finally got to his mentor, St. Augustine. (Yay! Wouldn't you love to take a class on Augustine from his chief disciple?) Here are those teachings: part 1 (largely biography) part 2, which is magnificent, but I'll cite a personal remark at the close:
When I read St. Augustine's works, I don't have the impression that he died more or less 1,600 years ago, I feel he is a modern man: a friend, a contemporary who speaks to me, he speaks to us with his fresh and modern faith.
Additional items:
- address at the Gift of Mary house, a shelter run by the Missionaries of Charity in Rome, right near St. Peter's.
- His annual address to diplomats accredited to the Holy See. He tells us how he sees the world by geographical breakdown, and urges everyone to work together to prevent terrorists from getting nuclear weapons.
- The address the Pope would have given tomorrow at Sapienza U. (first part; more to come).
- Great Britain: profile of Fr. Seed, convert-maker (Blair, etc.). Interesting side-line on disgruntled Anglican women-priests who convert to Catholicism.
- Italy: Card. Newman's beatification "imminent?" (Therese of Lisieux's parents, too!) The Black Pope resigned; a new one will be elected Saturday. Also, the Pope postponed a visit to Sapienza University under protest; counter-protest at today's audience; see the Pope's text above.
- Philippines: priest gunned down while resisting a kidnapping.
- Sri Lanka: Catholics spearheading an anti-abortion campaign. It amuses me that the reasons given for the high abortion rate are the same given for the high birth rate here: poverty, lack of education.
- Vietnam: bishop says Catholic laity especially necessary in Communist country. Also, what's thought to be the first anti-government protest since Communist takeover in 1975: Catholics demand return of 15 Churches.
