VISnews 12/7/2011

12.07.2011 – Twenty-First Year – Num. 215

 

SUMMARY:   - Divine Revelation Does Not Follow Earthly Logic - Pope in French on YouTube - Archbishop Mamberti Proposes World Day Against Persecution of Christians     ___________________________________________________________   DIVINE REVELATION DOES NOT FOLLOW EARTHLY LOGIC   VATICAN CITY, 7 DEC 2911 (VIS) - Benedict XVI dedicated the catechesis of today's Wednesday audience, celebrated in the Vatican's Paul VI Hall, to the Messianic Hymn of Jubilee, Jesus' prayer of praise recorded in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, which constitutes the "apex of a path of prayer in which Jesus' profound and intimate communion with the Father in the Holy Spirit and His divine filiation clearly emerges ".     Already at the opening of the hymn, the Pope observed, Jesus addresses God by calling him Father, a term that expresses "Jesus' awareness and certainty of being 'the Son' in close and constant communion with Him. This is the central point and the source of Jesus' every prayer. ... The name of 'Father' is followed by a second title: 'Lord of heaven and earth'", which "recalls the great biblical narration of the history of God's love for human beings that began with creation. Jesus ... is the pinnacle and the fullness of this history of love. ... Through the expression 'Lord of heaven and earth' we also recognize how, in Jesus, the one who reveals the Father, the possibility of access to God is opened to humanity".     But, to whom does the Son want to reveal the mysteries of God? "Divine revelation", the pontiff explained, "does not occur within earthly logic, according to which humans are the wise and powerful who posses important knowledge and transmit it to those who are more simple. ... God's style is another: His communication is addressed precisely to the 'childlike'. ... And what is this childlikeness that opens humans to a filial intimacy with God and to welcoming His will? ... It is the pureness of heart that allows us to recognize the face of God in Jesus Christ. It is keeping our hearts as simple as those of children, without the presumptions of those who are locked in themselves, thinking they have no need of anyone, not even God".     "In Matthew's Gospel, after the Hymn of Jubilee, we encounter one of Jesus' most moving pleas: 'Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.' Jesus asks that we go to Him, the true wisdom, to the one who is 'meek and humble of heart'; He proposes His 'yoke', the path of evangelical wisdom, which is neither a doctrine to learn nor an ethical proposal, but rather a Person to follow: He himself, the only-begotten Son, in perfect communion with the Father".     "We also can address God with the confidence of sons and daughters", Benedict XVI concluded, "calling Him Father when we pray. But we have to keep the heart of a child, the heart of those 'poor in spirit', in order to recognize that we are not self-sufficient ... that we need God, that we have to seek Him, listen to Him, speak to Him. Prayer opens us to receiving the gift of God, His wisdom who is Jesus himself, in order to accept the will of the Father in our lives and to find consolation in the weariness of our journey".     At the end of the audience, Benedict XVI greeted the pilgrims present in the hall in their various languages and noted that the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, which is celebrated tomorrow, "reminds us of Mary's singular acceptance of God's salvific plan. Preserved from any stain of sin in order to be the holy dwelling place of the Incarnate Word, she always trusted fully in the Lord". The Pope especially urged the youth to make the effort to imitate the Virgin "with pure and clean hearts, letting yourselves be shaped by God who, in you as well, desires to bring about 'great things'". AG/                                                                                                   VIS 20111207 (620)   POPE IN FRENCH ON YOUTUBE   VATICAN CITY, 7 DEC 2011 (VIS) - Beginning today it is possible to follow the Pope and the happenings of the Holy See through videos in French accessible at: www.youtube.co/vaticanfr.     Vatican Radio and Vatican Television are thus extending their offerings on YouTube, which previously were only available in Italian, English, Spanish, and German. Joining the Vatican radio and television centers is the French Catholic television channel KTO, which manages the French version of the short daily video reports of the main public acts of Pope Benedict XVI.     The communique made public today reads that, with this initiative, the Catholic Church "again shows its commitment to the use of new technologies that allow the faithful to draw ever nearer to the Pope's voice and teachings". RV:CTV/                                                                                          VIS 20111207 (120)   ARCHBISHOP MAMBERTI PROPOSES WORLD DAY AGAINST PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS   VATICAN CITY, 7 DEC 2011 (VIS) - Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, the Holy See's secretary for Relations with States, addressed the Eighteenth Ministerial Council of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) held this 6-7 December in Vilnius, Lithuania.     In his address, the archbishop discussed, among other themes, the topic of migration, which for the Holy See constitutes an argument of constant interest, above all in the actual circumstances of economic and financial crisis. Msgr. Mamberti noted that there is a growing consensus in the international community on the necessity of paying greater attention to migrants. In this context he emphasized that it is necessary to support migrants reunification with their families since "the family plays a fundamental role in the integration process, in giving stability to the presence of the immigrants in the new social environment ... Migrants, aware of their rights, can be more secure in offering their services and talents and the receiving community, well-informed and respectful of these rights, will feel freer in extending its solidarity in order to build together a common future".     The Secretary for Relations with States also addressed the Organization's commitments in defence of fundamental freedoms and human rights, one of which is the right to freedom of religion. "The right to religious freedom, despite being repeatedly proclaimed by the international community, as well as in the constitutions of most States, continues to be widely violated today". Pope Benedict XVI himself recalled, in his message from this year's World Day of Peace, that Christians "are the religious group which suffers most from persecution on account of its faith". According to Archbishop Mamberti, "there may be more than two hundred million Christians, of different confessions, who are in difficulty because of legal and cultural structures that lead to their discrimination". For this reason, he proposed the institution of an International Day against persecution and discrimination of Christians as "an important sign that governments are willing to deal with this serious issue".   Against Trafficking in Human Beings     The archbishop also addressed the problem of trafficking in human beings, especially of women and minors, for sexual exploitation as well as for labor exploitation and domestic servitude, which has become a "powerful global business involving many countries of origin, transit, and destination. To counteract the scourge of trafficking in human beings with greater determination and more concrete results, a convergence of efforts is necessary: a mentality that is centered on the unique dignity of every person, a sure punishment of traffickers, the fight against corruption, ... and the fairness of mass media in reporting the damages created by trafficking". DEL SS/                                                                                          VIS 20111207 (430)

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