VATICAN - The Pope’s Angelus reflection: “The Man whom we have pierced with our sins never tires of pouring an inexhaustible torrent of merciful love on to the world. May humanity understand that only from this source can we draw the spiritual strength indispensable for building the peace and happiness so tirelessly sought by every human person”

Monday, 26 February 2007

Vatican City (Fides Service) - “Let us start the Lenten Season with our eyes fixed on the side of Jesus…in these days of Lent let our heart never stray from this mystery of profound humanity and lofty spirituality” said Pope Benedict XVI at the Angelus on Sunday 25 February, the first Sunday of Lent. Recalling his Message for Lent 2007, inspired by the Gospel verse - "They will look upon the man hey have pierced" (Jn 19,37) - the Pope reflected on the act of piercing the side of Christ with the lance and said: “That gesture made by an anonymous Roman soldier destined to be lost in oblivion, remained impressed in the eyes and on the heart of the Apostle who recorded it in his Gospel. Through the centuries how many conversions have come from that eloquent message of love received by those who look at the crucified Christ!”
“Contemplating the Crucified One with the eyes of faith - the Pontiff continued - we are keenly aware of the reality of sin, of its tragic gravity and at the same time, of the immeasurable forgiving power of the Lord’s loving mercy … Looking at Christ we feel at the same time that he is looking at us. The Man whom we pierced with our sins never tires of pouring the inexhaustible torrent of His merciful love on to the world. May humanity understand that only from this source can we draw the spiritual strength indispensable for building the peace and happiness so tirelessly sought by every human person.”
Pope Benedict XVI concluded by referring to Blessed Virgin Mary “whose soul was pierced as she stood at the foot of the Cross”. May she help believers be firm in the faith and “put aside anything that distracts from Christ and His word of salvation”. The Pope entrusted the Spiritual Exercises he was to start later in the day to the intercession of the Blessed Mother and he asked those present at the Angelus to pray for him and the Curia on Retreat this week assuring them that he too would pray for them. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 26/2/2007; righe 24, parole 348)


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