VATICAN - The Pope’s Angelus reflection : “The Eucharist is a mystery of death and glory, like the Cross which was not accidentali but rather the passage for Christ to enter his glory and reconcile all humanity”. Special mention of victims of terrorism everywhere in the world.

Castel Gandolfo (Fides Service) - “Next Wednesday 14 September, we celebrate the feast of the Exhaltation of the Cross. In this Year dedicated to the Eucharist this recurrence acquires special significance and invites us to meditate on the profound and indissoluble bond between the celebration of the Eucharist and the mystery of the Cross. Each Mass in fact makes present Christ’s redeeming sacrifice.” Pope Benedict XVI said this on Sunday 11 September before leading the recitation of the midday Angelus prayer with visitors gathered in the courtyard of his Summer residence in Castel Gandolfo.
Recalling John Paul II’s encyclical “Ecclesia de Eucaristia” the Holy Father said “the Eucharist is the memorial of the whole paschal mystery: passion, death, descent into hell, resurrection and ascension into heaven, and the Cross is the touching revelation of that act of total love with which the Son of God saved mankind and the world from sin and death. This is why the sign of the Cross is a fundamental part of Christian prayer … the Eucharist is a mystery of death and glory, like the Cross which was not accidentali but rather the passage for Christ to enter his glory and reconcile all humanity, defeating all enmity.”
Mary, present on Calvary at the foot of the Cross, is also present, “with the Church as as Mother of the Church in every one of our Eucharistic celebrations. Therefore no one better than Mary can teach us to understand and live the Holy Mass with faith and love uniting ourselves with the redeeming sacrifice of Christ.”
After the Angelus prayer the Pope mentioned the meeting at the United Nations headquarters in New York of heads of state and government on certain fundamentally important matters starting 14 September at which the Holy See will be represented by Vatican secretary of state Cardinal Angelo Sodano. “I sincerely hope - the Pope said - the world leaders taking part will find suitable solutions to reach the goals set in a spirit of harmony and generous solidarity. I hope they will succeed in putting into practice concrete measures to solve the urgent problems posed by the extreme poverty, disease and hunger afflicting so many people.” Greeting those present in different languages the Pope said in English: “Today, 11 September, we remember the victims of terrorist violence throughout the world. May God inspire men and women of goodwill everywhere to renounce hatred and to build a world of justice, solidarity and peace.”. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 12/9/2005; righe 29, parole 417)