Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Pavia (Agenzia Fides) - At 9am on Sunday 22 April the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI paid a visit to San Matteo Hospital in Pavia where he met the hospital directors, doctors, patients and some family members. To the patients who were from various parts of Italy the Pope expressed his closeness and concern: “the hospital is in a way a sacred place where we experience the fragility of human nature but also the enormous potential and resources of human intelligence and technology at the service of life - the Pope said in his address -. I sincerely hope that the necessary scientific and technological progress may be always accompanied by the awareness of promoting besides the wellbeing of the patient also those fundamental values such as respect and defence of life in every stage, on which depends an authentic human quality of the life of a community.”
Recalling Jesus' great concern for the suffering the Pontiff affirmed “the Church, following the example of her Lord, manifests a special love for those who suffer and never ceases to offer the sick the necessary assistance, aware that she is called to manifest Christ's own love and concern for them and for those who care for them”. Suffering “is accepted with love and illuminated by the faith, become a precious occasion which unites in a mysterious manner with Christ the Redeemer the Man of sorrows, who on the Cross took upon himself the pain and death of man”. Lastly Pope Benedict XVI encouraged the patients with these words: “offer the Lord the discomfort and suffering you have to face and in His plan you will be a means of purification and redemption for the whole world”.
The Pope left the Hospital and went to the Orti dell’Almo Collegio Borromeo to preside an outdoor Concelebration of Mass with the Bishops of Lombardy, the priests of Pavia diocese and many Augustinian Fathers. In his homily the Pope referred to Peter's witness before the Sanhedrin to the Risen Christ. “The two words ‘conversion’ and ‘forgiveness of sins, correspond to two of Christ's titles ‘head’ and ‘saviour’, are the key-words of Peter's catechesis- the Holy Father explained -, words which at this moment wish to reach our hearts too. The path we must take, the path indicated by Jesus fare, is called ‘conversion’.” The Pontiff continued “in every life conversion has its own form”, nevertheless in the history of Christianity “the Lord has sent us examples of conversion, and by looking at them we find guidance”. Among these one of the greatest converts in the history of the Church is Saint Aurelius Augustine, who “belongs in a special way” to the town of Pavia, and especially from here he “speaks to all of us ”.
The Pope went on to describe the three main steps of St Augustine's conversion. “The first fundamental conversion was his inward journey to Christianity, towards the "yes" of the faith of Baptism”. Augustine lived like other young men of his times and yet he was tormented by the question of truth, he sought the truth. “Everything which did not bear the name of Christ, was not enough - the Pope explained -. "He had always believed - at times somewhat vaguely, at others more decidedly - that God exists and that He looks after us. But truly knowing God and really becoming familiar with Jesus Christ, to reach the point of saying 'yes' to Him with all the consequences it brings: this was the great interior struggle of the years of his youth. He tells us that through Platonic philosophy he learned and recognised that "in the beginning there was the Word" - the Logos, creative reason. But philosophy indicated no way to reach it; this Logos remained distant and intangible. Only in the faith of the Church he found the second essential truth: the Word was made flesh. And thus he touched the Word, we touch the Word. To the humility of the incarnation of God must correspond the humility of our faith”.
The second conversion was in Africa, where Augustine returned after his baptism and founded a small monastery where he intended to live his life conversing with God, in reflection and contemplation. In 391 AD, while taking part in the Sunday liturgy in the cathedral of Hippo he was recognised and led before the Bishop to be consecrated a priest at the service of that city. “The great dream of a contemplative life had vanished - the Pope said - and the life of Augustine was radically changed. Now he was to live with Christ for all. He would have to translate his knowledge and sublime thoughts into the thoughts and language of the simple people of his town … This was the second conversion that this man, struggling and suffering, had to continually achieve: again and again be there for all; again and again, with Christ, offer his life, to enable others to find Him, the true Life.”
The third decisive lap on Augustine's path of conversion came after a period of serious study of the Sacred Scriptures, in the first cycle of homilies on the Sermon on the Mount. “In these homilies one can still hear all the enthusiasm of the faith just discovered and lived: the firm conviction that the baptised Christian, living completely according to the message of Christ, can be, ‘perfect’. About twenty years later Augustine wrote a book entitled The Retractions, in which he undertakes a critical survey of his writings, making corrections where, in the meantime, he had learned something new”. Augustine wrote that the words of the Sermon on the Mount are totally realised only in Jesus Christ. Instead the whole Church must pray every day: “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us”. “Augustine had reached another grade of humility … the humility of recognising that he and the whole of the pilgrim Church needed continually the loving mercy of a God who forgives; and we - he added - become like Christ, the Perfect One, in the greatest possible measure when we become like Him people of mercy. Let us thank God for the great light which radiates from the wisdom and humility of Saint Augustine and pray that the Lord may grant each of us day after day the necessary conversion and so lead us to the true life.”
At the end of the Eucharistic Concelebration, introducing the midday Marian prayer of the Regina Caeli, Pope Benedict XVI made a special mention of those who prepared the liturgy, the elderly and the sick, the communities of enclosed religious, the guests at the home Torre del Gallo, who “sent me a lovely letter ”. The Pope said he hoped the young people present “would be ever more aware of the joy which comes from following Jesus and becoming his friend”, this same joy led the Pope to write his recent book “Jesus of Nazareth”, which he ideally consigned to the young people “may it accompany the journey of faith of the young generations”. The Pope concluded entrusting the diocese of Pavia to the Blessed Virgin Mary: “May she obtain for all peace and comfort ”. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 23/4/2007 - righe 79, parole 1.174)
