Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Fides Service) - This morning, May 6th 2006, in St Peter’s Basilica Pope Benedict XVI presided a special concelebration of Mass to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the founding of the Pontifical Swiss Guard. In his homily the Pope said “on 22 January 500 years ago the first 150 Guards arrived in Rome called by Pope Julius II to enter his service in the Apostolic Service. That selected corps was soon called to prove its loyalty to the Pontiff: in 1527 Rome was attacked and looted and on 6 May, 147 Swiss Guards fell while defending Pope Clement VII, and the remaining 42 escorted him to safety in Castel Sant’Angelo”. To recall these events so distant in time, the Holy Father said, means first of all to “render honour the Corps of the Swiss Guard, reconfirmed in its mission again and again”, but it means above all to learn from these events in the light of the Word of God.
The Pope then reflected on the first Mass reading taken from the Book of Wisdom which he said “is a hymn of praise to divine Wisdom, presented as the most precious treasure man can to desire and discover, the greatest good from which all other goods depend ”… “For Wisdom it is worth renouncing everything. This theme of ‘leaving’ in order to ‘find’ is at the centre of the Gospel passage we just heard, taken from Chapter 19 of St Matthew . After the episode of the "rich young man" who lacked the courage to renounce his "riches" to follow Jesus, St Peter the Apostle asks the Lord what recompense will be given to the disciples who left all to be with Him. Christ’s reply reveals the immense generosity of his heart … the person who chooses Christ finds the greatest of treasures, the most precious of pearls which gives value to everything else because He is divine Wisdom incarnate who came into the world that humanity might have life and life in abundance”… “One of the most eloquent descriptions of the Kingdom of God we find in the second Reading, a text which is part of the exhortation in the Letter to the Romans. The apostle Paul, after urging Christians to be always guided by charity and not to be of scandal for those who are weak in the faith, recalls that the Kingdom of God "is justice, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Rom 14,17), and he adds: "One who serves Christ in these things is pleasing to God and esteemed by men. Let us then undertake works of peace and mutual edification". "Works of peace" are a synthetic and perfect expression of Biblical Wisdom in the light of the revelation of Christ and His mystery of salvation. A person who recognises Him as Wisdom incarnate and for Him leaves everything becomes a "peace-maker", both in the Christian community and in the world”.
Pope Benedict XVI then recalled that “the many expressions of the presence of the laity in the Catholic Church include the singular presence of the Papal Swiss Guards, young men motivated by love of Christ and the Church who put themselves at the service of the Successor of Peter… To be a Swiss Guard means to be loyal without reserve to Christ and the Church and ready to give one’s life for this. Effective service may terminate but at heart these men are Swiss Guards for ever”. The Pope then extended warm greetings to the Swiss Guards and Authorities who had come from Switzerland for the event, and other civil and military authorities, chaplains, and numerous family members and friends present at the Celebration. “Ideally on behalf of all the Pontiffs faithfully served by your Corps through the centuries - Pope Benedict concluded -, I express deserved and sincere gratitude and, looking to the future, I urge you to continue to do so acriter et fideliter, with coruage and loyalty. May the Blessed Virgin Mary and your patron saints Martin, Sebastian and Nicholas de Flüe help you to carry out your daily duties with generous dedication, always animated by a spirit of faith and love for the Church”. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 6/5/2006 - righe 47, parole 717)
