Tuesday, April 19, 2005
Ratinger's homily yesterday
Vatican, Apr. 18 (CWNews.com) - The papal conclave began today, with all 115 cardinal-electors concelebrating a Mass pro eligendo summo Pontifice in St. Peter's Basilica, and heard a homily in which Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (bio - news) warned against the influences of popular ideology.
Cardinal Ratzinger, as dean of the College of Cardinals, was the principal celebrant of the Mass, at which the cardinals asked for God to guide their choice of a new Roman Pontiff. The German cardinal-- who is the main focus of attention as the conclave begins-- concludes his homily with a prayer that God "after the great gift of John Paul II, again gives us a pastor after his own heart, a pastor to lead us to a better knowledge of Christ."
On Monday afternoon, the cardinals will enter the Sistine Chapel, in a formal procession beginning in the apostolic palace, to begin the voting process that will produce the 265th Pope.
The cardinals, who have moved into the St. Martha residence at the Vatican, where they will live during the conclave, begin to assemble at the basilica at 9 this morning. Some of the prelates stopped to greet journalists as they passed, but since they had agreed not to give interviews, confined themselves to a quick exchange of best wishes.
The Vatican basilica was soon filled, with priests, religious, and lay people from Rome joining the cardinals to pray for the Holy Spirit's guidance on the conclave. When the cardinal-electors entered-- in a formal process according to their seniority status-- the vast basilica was hushed. The solemn Mass was chanted in Latin.
Cardinal Ratzinger's homily was a lengthy one, touching on each of the Scripture readings for the Mass. Reflecting on the first reading, from the prophet Isaiah, he remarked that "the day of vengeance and the year of the Lord's favor come together in the Paschal mystery." Christians are called to live this mystery and to proclaim it, he said.
In a further meditation on the Letter to the Ephesians, the cardinal focused on St. Paul's remarks about those who are "tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine." That description, he said, captures the troubles of the current age. "The little ship bearing the thoughts of many Christians has often been shaken," he explained, mentioning the ideological forces "from Marxism to liberalism, even to libertarianism; from collectivism to radical individualism; from atheism to a vague mysticism; from agnosticism to syncretism." In our era, he said, "a dictatorship of relativism is being formed," which the faith must oppose.
Christians, Cardinal Ratzinger observed, cannot surrender to relativism, nor be governed by ideology, because "we have another measure: the Son of God." In the day's Gospel reading, he noted, Jesus calls his followers to "bear a fruit that abides." He called on the faithful, and particularly the cardinal-electors, to "pray to the Lord that he help us bear fruit that abides."
As the Mass ended, the cardinals left the basilica in procession, with the congregation breaking into applause as they passed. The electors will assemble again this afternoon for the procession into the Sistine Chapel.
Cardinal Ratzinger, as dean of the College of Cardinals, was the principal celebrant of the Mass, at which the cardinals asked for God to guide their choice of a new Roman Pontiff. The German cardinal-- who is the main focus of attention as the conclave begins-- concludes his homily with a prayer that God "after the great gift of John Paul II, again gives us a pastor after his own heart, a pastor to lead us to a better knowledge of Christ."
On Monday afternoon, the cardinals will enter the Sistine Chapel, in a formal procession beginning in the apostolic palace, to begin the voting process that will produce the 265th Pope.
The cardinals, who have moved into the St. Martha residence at the Vatican, where they will live during the conclave, begin to assemble at the basilica at 9 this morning. Some of the prelates stopped to greet journalists as they passed, but since they had agreed not to give interviews, confined themselves to a quick exchange of best wishes.
The Vatican basilica was soon filled, with priests, religious, and lay people from Rome joining the cardinals to pray for the Holy Spirit's guidance on the conclave. When the cardinal-electors entered-- in a formal process according to their seniority status-- the vast basilica was hushed. The solemn Mass was chanted in Latin.
Cardinal Ratzinger's homily was a lengthy one, touching on each of the Scripture readings for the Mass. Reflecting on the first reading, from the prophet Isaiah, he remarked that "the day of vengeance and the year of the Lord's favor come together in the Paschal mystery." Christians are called to live this mystery and to proclaim it, he said.
In a further meditation on the Letter to the Ephesians, the cardinal focused on St. Paul's remarks about those who are "tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine." That description, he said, captures the troubles of the current age. "The little ship bearing the thoughts of many Christians has often been shaken," he explained, mentioning the ideological forces "from Marxism to liberalism, even to libertarianism; from collectivism to radical individualism; from atheism to a vague mysticism; from agnosticism to syncretism." In our era, he said, "a dictatorship of relativism is being formed," which the faith must oppose.
Christians, Cardinal Ratzinger observed, cannot surrender to relativism, nor be governed by ideology, because "we have another measure: the Son of God." In the day's Gospel reading, he noted, Jesus calls his followers to "bear a fruit that abides." He called on the faithful, and particularly the cardinal-electors, to "pray to the Lord that he help us bear fruit that abides."
As the Mass ended, the cardinals left the basilica in procession, with the congregation breaking into applause as they passed. The electors will assemble again this afternoon for the procession into the Sistine Chapel.
