Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - Once again, given the large number of visitors for the General Audience on Wednesday 21 February, Ash Wednesday, Pope Benedict XVI gave his audience in two stages. First to St Peter’s Basilica where addressing several hundred Italian students he said “Today we begin the Season of Lent, a time of ‘special’ prayer, penance and effort to serve others, to live with our eyes fixed on Jesus as he approaches his death and resurrection. Dear young people, listen to this call as if Christ were addressing each of you personally and respond generously”.
In his catechesis to visitors from various parts of the world gathered in the Paul VI Audience Hall the Holy Father said “Ash Wednesday, which we celebrate today, is a special day for Christians, marked by a profound spirit devotion and reflection. We set out on our Lenten journey of prayer and penance and listening to the Word of God. During these forty days the Liturgy leads us to relive the stages of the mystery of redemption”. By means of Christ’s sacrifice, mankind has been ransomed from the power of evil and is generated to new life though Baptism. “This is why in the early Christian community Baptism was considered ‘the first resurrection - the Pope said - . from the beginning Lent has been lived as a time of immediate preparation for Baptism administered with solemnity during the Easter Vigil Mass. The whole of Lent was a journey towards this great encounter with Christ this, immersion in Christ and renewal of life… For us too Lent is another ‘catechumenate’ which leads us again to our own Baptism that we may rediscover it and relive with deeper awareness in order to become authentic Christians once again”.
The Holy Father underlined that “conversion is never over, it is a process, an interior journey which lasts a lifetime” … “Lent is the opportune spiritual season in which to train ourselves to seek God more tenaciously by opening our heart to Christ… Conversion means seeking God, walking with God, readily obeying the teaching of His Son, Jesus Christ; conversion is not about self-realisation, because human beings are not the architects of their destiny… Conversion consists in freely and lovingly accepting to depend on God for everything, our Creator, to depend on love. But rather than dependence, this is freedom. Conversion means not seeking our own personal success -something which passes - but rather, abandoning all human security, deciding with trust and humility to follow the Lord”.
Mentioning his own Message for Lent 2007, in which he speaks of “God’s immense love for us”, Pope Benedict XVI said “for us too, men and women of today too often distracted by passing earthly concerns, the Cross is the final revelation of God’s love and mercy. God is love and His love is the secret of our happiness”. The Pope concluded: “The Cross - the definitive revelation of God’s love and mercy - is the only way to enter this mystery of saving love. This Lent, by a more fervent participation in the Eucharist, may we learn to enter more deeply into the Paschal Mystery and to “re-give” Christ’s love to others, especially the suffering and those in need”. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 22/2/2007 - righe 41, parole 602)
