Pope Benedict - servant of the Truth and friend of Jesus

After serving evening Mass for the Vigil of the Solemnity of the Mother of God, then adoration with benediction afterwards - I have just heard the sad news that my beloved hero in the faith, Pope Benedict has passed away. 

No one has influenced me more than this gentle man of God, who one day I believe will not only be proclaimed a Saint but also a Doctor of the Church. He taught me that faith must able be from an encounter with the person of Jesus Christ, who is Love made flesh, but also Truth made flesh. Faith and reason, truth in love that gives life. This personal encounter is transformational and finds it’s apex in participation in the Liturgy of the Church, particularly in the Sacrifice of the Eucharist. The Eucharist is cosmic whilst also deeply personal, that needs to overflow into our everyday life through patience with others, helping people feel loved and wanted. This overflow of love always needs to begin from the confidence that God loves me, has willed me, has a purpose for me - but most importantly that God loves me, and calls me to share in the blessedness of the Holy Trinity through my union with Jesus Christ of Nazareth.  So all our activity and identity when based in Christ is not only Trinitarian and Liturgical - but also ecclesial. It fosters communion through the Church and in dialogue with others.  Through communion with others in the Church there is no longer room for ego or selfishness, but instead the service to truth needs to upbuild the Church which is the Kingdom of God here on earth. So any renewal in the Church or the world needs to come from within, from my own personal holiness and encounter with Christ who loves me and knows me as a brother and friend. This is what is means to be a saint. Someone who has embraced Christ so much that they can’t help but bring others to share in that same embrace, bringing Christ to all and bringing others to Christ. That is why united to Christ, I can pray to God as “Our Father” - because Jesus my Lord, friend and brother shares his intimacy with the Father now with me. Secure in this foundation, there’s no need for fear or worry, but trusting in the goodness of God and His love, then like Mary, the more I say “Yes” to God and live in that open attitude of receptivity, then I can learn to glorify Him and bring Him to others, sharing the gift of faith. 

Thankyou for your years of service to the Church as a Priest, Bishop, theologian and as Pope. Thankyou for your gentle manner of explaining the faith with childlike devotion and at the same time with intellectual vigour. Thankyou for your humility in trying to address structural issues in the Church, for providing the theological groundwork to recentre the Liturgy within the continuum of tradition. 

Finally, thankyou for purifying the Petrine Ministry to separate the person of the Pope from the Office of the Papacy, so that we can avoid any dangerous cult of personality and always remember that the Pope is the guardian of Tradition who has the mandate to “feed the sheep” (John 21:15-17) with the Word of God. 

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Saints of God, come to his aid!

Hasten to meet him, angels of the Lord!

R. Receive his soul and present him to God the Most High.

May Christ, who called you, take you to himself; may angels lead you to the bosom of Abraham.

R. Receive his soul and present him to God the Most High.

Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.

R. Receive his soul and present him to God the Most High.

 

May the Choirs of Angels Come to greet you.

May they lead you to paradise.

May our Lord enfold you, in his mercy, May he give you eternal life.

Well done good and faithful servant.. enter into the joy of the Lord (Matthew 25:23)