Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Fides Service) - The 11th general Assembly of the Synod of Bishops began with a prayer and a brief Scripture reading followed by an off the cuff meditation by Pope Benedict XVI in which the Holy Father underlined “five imperatives and a promise” presented in the reading by St Paul. Here are passages of the Pope’s meditation.
The first imperative is frequently found in the letters of St Paul: «gaudete». “Is it possible to command joy?... If the loved one, love, the greatest gift of my life is near me, if I can be certain that the One who loves me is near even in situations of tribulation, there is deep in my heart a joy stronger than any suffering… the apostle can say «gaudete» because the Lord is close to each one of us. And so this imperative is in actual fact a call to realise that the Lord is present and close to us”
The second imperative «perfecti estote» is a call to be what we are: images of God, beings created in relation to the Lord, a «mirror» reflecting the light of the Lord. “So in this imperative our soul is like an apostle’s net which at times does not function properly because it is lacerated by our own intentions; or like a musical instrument which unfortunately has some broken chords and so God’s music does not resound in the depth of our soul as well as it should. Repair this instrument, recognise the lacerations, destruction, negligence and try to render it perfect and complete so it may serve for what the Lord created it. So this imperative could be a call for regular examination of conscience … and a call to the Sacrament of Reconciliation…”
Then «exortamini invicem». “Fraternal correction is a work of mercy. No one can see himself properly, see his defects. And so this is an act of love, to complement one another, to help one another to correct ourselves. I think that one of the points of collegiality is that we should help one another, also in the sense of the former imperativ , to see the faults which we ourselves do not wish to see … to help one another to be open so we can see these things. Naturally this demanding work of mercy … calls for much humility and love… Not only correcting, but also consoling, sharing the suffering of the other person, helping in times of difficulty. This too I see as an important act of true collegial affection”.
«Idem sapite»: “Having the same taste for things, the same fundamental view of reality with all the differences which are not only legitimate but also necessary … How could we have in substance a common thought to guide us with the Holy Church unless we share the faith which is not invented by us, it is the faith of the Church, the common foundation which supports us and on which we toil?... We can share the faith of the Church because with this faith we enter the Lord’s own thoughts and sentiments. We think with Christ.”
“The last imperative «pacem habete et eireneuete», is almost a summary of the four previous ones, being in union with God who is our peace, with Christ who assured us: «pacem dabo vobis». We have inward peace because being in the thought of Christ unites our being...So inner peace is born and only if we live from a profound inner peace can we be men of peace in and for the world and for others”.
“The promise comes before the imperatives rendering them possible, and it comes therefore also before the realisation of these imperatives. That is, first and foremost, whatever we do, the God of love and peace is open to us, is with us... … In everything we do, as described in the five imperatives, we are cooperating, collaborating with the God of peace who is with us. But this is true, on the other hand, to the extent that we enter truly into this presence God has given us, this gift already present in our being. His presence, his being with us is something which grows naturally.” (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 4/10/2005, righe 48, parole 691)
