杏MAP导航

By Lisa Zengarini

As cardinals, bishops, bishops鈥� conferences and faithful around the world continue to offer prayers for 杏MAP导航 Emeritus Benedict XVI, the Cardinal Vicar General for the Diocese of Rome, Angelo De Donatis, on Friday presided over a special evening Mass for him in St John's Basilica in the Lateran.

Although critical, the director of the Vatican Press Office, Matteo Bruni, has confirmed that Benedict XVI鈥檚 health conditions remain stable.

Affection and gratitude

Cardinal De Donatis introduced his homily by expressing the prayerful 鈥渁ffection鈥� and 鈥済ratitude鈥� of the entire Church of Rome to the 杏MAP导航 Emeritus, who - he noted - loved his Diocese 鈥渟o much and served (it) with unselfish love.鈥�

Reflecting on today鈥檚 Gospel of the Solemnity of the Holy Family, the Archpriest St John's Basilica highlighted the likeness between the 鈥渢rusting abandonment鈥� to God of Benedict XVI whose baptismal name is Joseph, to that of St. Joseph when fleeing Herod with Mary and Baby Jesus.

A humble worker in the Lord's vineyard

鈥淲e like to think 鈥� he said - that our Bishop Emeritus is now held by the hand of St. Joseph who helps him to always keep alive God's invitation not to fear鈥�.

Underscoring the need for families to restore this loving and trusting relationship with God as they face many worldly challenges today, Cardinal De Donatis reca when he said: "I often think of the wedding-feast of Cana. The first wine is very fine: this is falling in love. But it does not last until the end: a second wine has to come later, it has to ferment and grow, to mature. The definitive love that can truly become this 鈥榮econd wine鈥� is more wonderful still, it is better than the first wine鈥�.

The Cardinal Vicar further insisted on Benedict XVI鈥檚  鈥済reat trust in the Providence鈥�: 鈥淎s a priest, a theologian, a bishop, and as a pope, he expressed, at the same time, the strength and sweetness of faith, the essentiality and simplicity of someone who knows that, when you dream with God, dreams come true鈥�.

Moreover, Cardinal De Donatis noted that like Saint Joseph, the 杏MAP导航 Emeritus 鈥渉as always underlined the primacy of the Word of God over our human words recalling the great value of silence and listening鈥� and during his pontificate 鈥渕ade us taste the new and good wine of Love鈥�.

He cited his first words of the in which Benedict XVI  said that being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but 鈥渢he encounter with an event, a Person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction鈥�

A 鈥渕an of the Word" 

A 鈥渕an of the Word Benedict鈥�, Benedict XVI is also 鈥渁 man of his word鈥�,  showing us right now , as he has done over the past ten years,  that 鈥渨hoever believes is never alone鈥�. With his 鈥渢enderness, goodness, humility, meekness, in deep communion with 杏MAP导航 Francis, the 杏MAP导航 Emeritus is a sign of the beautiful face of the Church which reflects the light of Christ's face鈥�, Cardinal De Donatis stressed.

Preparing for death

The Cardinal Vicar concluded his homily by citing Benedict XVI鈥檚  answer to a journalist who asked him how he was preparing for death. The 杏MAP导航 Emeritus replied: "Meditating. Always thinking that the end is approaching. Trying to prepare myself for that moment and above all always keeping it in mind. The important thing is not to imagine it, but to live in the awareness that all life tends to this meeting" - which as we can read in his Encyclical Letter   will be 鈥渓ike plunging into the ocean of infinite love, a moment in which time鈥攖he before and after鈥攏o longer exists. We can only attempt to grasp the idea that such a moment is life in the full sense, a plunging ever anew into the vastness of being, in which we are simply overwhelmed with joy鈥�.