Benedict XVI: Gospel a guide against false religiosity

The danger of false religiosity and hypocrisy was a focus of Pope Benedict XVI’s reflection before the Angelus Sunday morning in the Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo. Recalling the words of Jesus against the scribes and Pharisees in this Sunday’s Gospel, “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me”, the Pope said that even today we are tempted to put our safety and our joy in something that is not the Word of God. The Law of God remains,” he said, though not as the rule of life. “It rather becomes a revetment, a cover, and life follows other, often selfish interests.” The Holy Father went on to say that religion lived thusly is reduced to “a practice of secondary customs …

Benedict XVI: From prayer, the strength to live in Christ

“Prayer is not a waste of time, it does not rob much space from our activities, not even apostolic activities, it does the exact opposite: only if we are able to have a life of faithful, constant, confident prayer will God Himself give us the strength and capacity to live in a happy and peaceful way, to overcome difficulties and to bear witness with courage.”

These were the words of Pope Benedict XVI during his general audience catechesis this morning, which was held in Castel Gandolfo, in Piazza della Libertà, which sits at the entrance of the Apostolic Palace in which the Pope has been resident since July. Speaking about the liturgical memorial of the martyrdom of St. John the Baptist, the Pop …

Benedict XVI: Falsity is the mark of the devil

“Always be sincere with Jesus and all.” Do not follow the example of Judas, whose greatest fault was falsehood, which is “which is the mark of the devil.” Following the roadmap in today’s Gospel, Benedict XVI commented on the reaction of the disciples to Jesus’ discourse in the synagogue in Capernaum. To the faithful gathered in the courtyard of Castel Gandolfo to pray the Angelus, the Pope pointed out that many preferred to leave the Master, finding his words incomprehensible: “I am the living bread which came down from heaven, He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood will live forever.” There was, therefore, an act of trust and surrender to the Son of God, who shortly thereafter would give “Himself …

Benedict XVI: Mary expresses her regality through humility

Mary “is a Queen in service to God and humanity; she is Queen of love, who lives the gift of self to God in order to enter into the plan of salvation for mankind.” These were the words of Pope Benedict XVI, in his general audience catechesis. Reflecting on the Feast of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin, the Pope reminded the faithful gathered in the courtyard of the summer residence of Castel Gandolfo that “Mary is Queen because she is uniquely associated with her Son, both during his earthly journey, and in the glory of Heaven “. “Jesus is a king who serves his servants” and in the same way the Mother of the Lord intertwines her own Queenship with humility, service and love. “Whether we are content …

Pope: Let us be amazed by the words of Christ

Christ, “The grain of wheat thrown in the furrows of history, is the first fruit of the new humanity, freed from the corruption of sin and death.” With these words, Pope Benedict XVI greeted the faithful gathered in the courtyard of the summer residence of Castel Gandolfo to pray the Angelus. Referring to today’s Gospel, the Pope invited everyone to rediscover “the beauty of the Sacrament of the Eucharist, which expresses all the humility and holiness of God”.

In the speech made by Jesus in Capernaum, said the Pope, the Son of God became man not to aspire to an earthly throne, or to conquer Jerusalem, but to atone for the life of the world. “So Jesus — Pope Benedict concluded – made that speech to …

Benedict XVI: Mary, dawn and splendour of the Church

Pope Benedict celebrated the Mass of the Assumption at Castel Gandolfo’s parish church of St. Thomas of Villanova. “Let us,” the Holy Father prayed in his homily, “entrust ourselves to her maternal intercession, that she might ask the Lord to strengthen our belief in eternal life, help us to live well and with hope the time that God gives to us – a Christian hope,” he said, “which is not just nostalgia for Heaven, but living and active desire for God here in the world, a desire that makes us indefatigable pilgrims, feeding in us the courage and strength of faith, a fortitude that is at once the power of love.