Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Naples (Agenzia Fides) - On Sunday 21 October the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, made a pastoral visit to Naples. On his arrival at the Stazione Marittima, at the Port of Naples the Pope was welcomed by Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, Archbishop of Naples, the auxiliary Bishops and civil and military authorities and then he went to Piazza del Plebiscito to preside a concelebration of the Eucharist. “With great joy I accepted the invitation to visit the Christian community in this historic city of Naples - the Pope said as he began his homily -. “First of all I greet your Archbishop Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, with a fraternal embrace and a special thanks for the words addressed to be on your behalf at the beginning of this solemn Eucharistic concelebration. I sent him to your community well aware of his apostolic zeal and I am happy to see that you appreciate him for his gifts of mind and heart… I greet the entire family of believers and all the citizens of Naples: I have come dear friends to share with you the Word and Bread of Life ”.
The Pope then recalled the theme of the Sunday readings - "to pray incessantly and untiringly" - underlining that “at first glance this message could appear not very pertinent and little incisive compared with a social reality with many problems” such as that of Naples, he continued: “But, on reflection, we realise that this Word contains a message, certainly counter current, destined nevertheless to illuminate in profundity the conscience of this Church of yours and this city of yours. I would summarise it like this: The power, which in silence and without clamour changes the world and transforms it into the Kingdom of God, is faith, and the expression of this faith is prayer … It is prayer which keeps the torch of faith burning … Today we wish to say once again together with humble courage: Lord, may your coming among us in this Sunday liturgy find us gathered with the lamp of faith burning. We believe and we trust in you! Increase our faith!”
Returning to the Sunday readings, Benedict XVI underlined that the “widow in the Gospel (cfr Lk 18,1-8) makes us think of the ‘least and little ones’, but also of many simple and upright persons who are overwhelmed, they feel helpless in the face of persistent social unrest and are tempted to lose courage. To these people Jesus says: look at this poor widow and how tenaciously she insists and in the end in listened to by the dishonest judge! How could you doubt that your good and faithful heavenly Father who desires only the good of His children, will not do justice when the time comes? Faith assures us that God listens to our prayer and answers at the opportune time, even thought our daily experience would appear to deny this certainty … God cannot change things without our conversion, and our real conversion begins with the ‘cry’ from the soul which implore forgiveness and salvation. Therefore Christian prayer is not an expression of fatalism and inertia, indeed it is quite the opposite of evasion from reality, consolatory intimism: it is the power of hope, maximum expression of faith in the power of God who is love and who never leaves us alone”. The First Reading tells of how battles between the Israelites and the Amalekites (cfr Es 17,8-13a) were settled by prayer: “while Joshua and his men faced the adversaries in the field, Moses was on the hill top with his hand raised in the position of a person in prayer. The raised hands of the great leader guaranteed victory for Israel. God was with his people, he wanted it to win , but he conditioned his intervention on the raised hands of Moses”. Addressing the Bishops and clergy of Naples the Pope urged them to persevere like Moses in prayer for the faithful entrusted to their pastoral care, “so that together your may face every day the good battle of the Gospel”.
Returning to the reality of Naples, Benedict XVI affirmed “not lacking are many healthy energies, good people, culturally prepared and with a keen sense of the family" however, “many too are the situations of poverty, lack of housing, unemployment, under employment, absence of future prospects” to which must be added the sad phenomenon of violence, which “is becoming a diffused mentality”. “How important it is then - the Holy Father said - to intensify efforts for a serious strategy of prevention, which focuses on the school, work and helping young people to make good use of their free time. What is needed is an intervention which involves everyone in the fight against all forms of violence, starting with the formation of consciences and transforming mentalities and attitudes and daily behaviour”.
Lastly Pope Benedict XVI recalled the two visits John Paul II made to Naples in 1979 and 1990, and how on that occasion he foster new hope. “The Church's mission is to nourish the faith and the hope of the Christian people - Pope Benedict XVI said . And this is what your Archbishop is doing with apostolic zeal and who recently addressed to you a Pastoral Letter with the title: ‘Blood and Hope. Yes, true hope is born only of the blood of Christ and from blood shed for Him. There is blood which is a sign of death; but there is blood which expresses love and life: the blood of Jesus and of the Martyrs, like that of your beloved Patron Saint Gennaro, is a source of new life”. Pope Benedict XVI concluded his homily urging those present to pray “that the Lord may help the Christian community grow in authentic faith and firm hope, to effectively counter discouragement and violence ”. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 22/10/2007; righe 63, parole 942)
