Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Lorenzago di Cadore (Agenzia Fides) - “I thank the Lord for making it possible for me to spend once again this year a few days of rest in the mountains, and I am grateful for the welcomed given to me here in Lorenzago, in this inspiring panorama with the mountain peaks of Cadore in the background, and where my beloved Predecessor John Paul II came often.” With these words the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI addressed several hundred people gathered for the recitation of the Angelus prayer on Sunday 15 June at the Mirabello Castle in Lorenzago di Cadore, in the Dolomites of Belluno, not far from the mountain chalet where the Pope is staying until the end of July.
The Holy Father, before leading the recitation of the Marian prayer reflected on the beauty of creation and the pleasure of holidays: “Seeing this spectacle of fields, woods, views reaching to the sky, there rises spontaneously a desire to praise God for the wonders he has worked, and our admiration for the beauty of nature easily becomes prayer. Every good Christian knows - the Pope continued - that holidays are an opportunity to rest the body and nourish the spirit with more time for prayer and meditation in order to deepen our personal friendship with Christ and conform ourselves to his teachings ever more perfectly.”
Referring to the Sunday Gospel on the Good Samaritan (cfr Lk 10,25-37), the Pope the parable introduces the “heart of the Gospel's message: love for God and love of neighbour… To love, Jesus says, is to behave like the good Samaritan. We know well that the Good Shepherd par excellence is Jesus himself: although he was God he did not hesitate to lower himself, becoming man and giving his life for us. Love therefore is the ‘heart’ of the life of the Christian; in fact only love, poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, renders us witnesses of Christ”.
Pope Benedict XVI then announced the release on 20 July of his Message for the 23rd World Youth Day with the theme: "Your will receive the power of the spirit and you will be my witnesses"(Acts 1,8). The Pope encouraged young people to prepare well for the great Church event to be held in Sydney, Australia this time next year: “The Christian communities of that beloved nation are working hard to welcome you and I am very grateful for all they are doing. Let us entrust to Mary, whom tomorrow we will invoke as Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the preparation and celebration of World Youth Day, a meeting of young people from all over the world. I encourage as many as possible of you to take part.” (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 16/7/2007 - righe 31, parole 444)
