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The Holy Father made a visit to the Upper Room, where the Last Supper
took place, and prayed the Regina Coeli with the Ordinaries of the Holy
Land (12 May 2009).
Dear Brother Bishops,
Dear Father Custos,
It is with great joy that I greet you, the Ordinaries of the Holy
Land, in this Upper Room where according to tradition the Lord opened
his heart to his chosen disciples and celebrated the Paschal Mystery,
and where the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost inspired the early
disciples to go forth and preach the good news. I thank Father
Pizzaballa for the warm words of welcome which he has expressed to me on
your behalf. You represent the Catholic communities of the Holy Land
who, in their faith and devotion, are like lighted candles illuminating
the holy places that were graced by the presence of Jesus our living
Lord. This unique privilege gives you and your people a special place of
affection in my heart as the Successor of Peter.
"When Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world to
the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to
the end" (Jn 13:1). The Upper Room recalls the last supper of our Lord
with Peter and the other apostles and invites the Church to prayerful
contemplation. In this vein we gather together, the Successor of Peter
with successors of the apostles, in this same place where Jesus revealed
in the offering of his own body and blood, the new depths of the
covenant of love established between God and his people. In the Upper
Room the mystery of grace and salvation, of which we are recipients and
also heralds and ministers, can be expressed only in terms of love.
Because he has loved us first and continues to do so, we can respond
with love (cf. Deus Caritas Est, 2). Our life as Christians is not
simply a human effort to live the demands of the Gospel imposed upon us
as duties. In the Eucharist we are drawn into the mystery of divine
love. Our lives become a grateful, docile and active acceptance of the
power of a love which is given to us. This transforming love, which is
grace and truth (cf. Jn 1:17), prompts us, as individuals and
communities, to overcome the temptation to turn in upon ourselves in
selfishness or indolence, isolation, prejudice or fear, and to give
ourselves generously to the Lord and to others. It moves us as Christian
communities to be faithful to our mission with frankness and courage
(cf. Acts 4:13). In the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for his
flock, in the Teacher who washes the feet of his disciples, you find, my
dear brothers, the model of your own ministry in the service of our God
who promotes love and communion.
The call to communion of mind and heart, so closely related to the
commandment of love and to the central unifying role of the Eucharist in
our lives, is of special relevance in the Holy Land. The different
Christian Churches found here represent a rich and varied spiritual
patrimony and are a sign of the multiple forms of interaction between
the Gospel and different cultures. They also remind us that the mission
of the Church is to preach the universal love of God and to gather, from
far and near, all who are called by him, in such a way that, with their
traditions and their talents, they form the one family of God. A new
spiritual impulse towards communion in diversity within the Catholic
Church and a new ecumenical awareness have marked our times, especially
since the Second Vatican Council. The Spirit moves our hearts gently
towards humility and peace, towards mutual acceptance, comprehension and
cooperation. This inner disposition to unity under the prompting of the
Holy Spirit is decisive if Christians are to fulfill their mission in
the world (cf. Jn:17:21).
In the measure in which the gift of love is accepted and grows in the
Church, the Christian presence in the Holy Land and in the neighboring
regions will be vibrant. This presence is of vital importance for the
good of society as a whole. The clear words of Jesus on the intimate
bond between love of God and love of neighbor, on mercy and compassion,
on meekness, peace and forgiveness, are a leaven capable of transforming
hearts and shaping actions. Christians in the Middle East, together with
other people of good will, are contributing, as loyal and responsible
citizens, in spite of difficulties and restrictions, to the promotion
and consolidation of a climate of peace in diversity. I wish to repeat
to them what I stated in my 2006 Christmas message to Catholics in the
Middle East: "I express with affection my personal closeness in this
situation of human insecurity, daily suffering, fear and hope which you
are living. I repeat to your communities the words of the Redeemer:
‘Fear not little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give
you the Kingdom’ (Lk 12:32)" (Christmas Message to Catholics living in
the Middle East Region, 21 December 2006).
Dear Brother Bishops, count on my support and encouragement as you do
all that is in your power to assist our Christian brothers and sisters
to remain and prosper here in the land of their ancestors and to be
messengers and promoters of peace. I appreciate your efforts to offer
them, as mature and responsible citizens, spiritual sustenance, values
and principles that assist them in playing their role in society.
Through education, professional preparation and other social and
economic initiatives their condition will be sustained and improved. For
my part, I renew my appeal to our brothers and sisters worldwide to
support and to remember in their prayers the Christian communities of
the Holy Land and the Middle East. In this context I wish to express my
appreciation for the service offered to the many pilgrims and visitors
who come to the Holy Land seeking inspiration and renewal in the
footsteps of Jesus. The Gospel story, contemplated in its historical and
geographical setting, becomes vivid and colorful, and a clearer grasp of
the significance of the Lord’s words and deeds is obtained. Many
memorable experiences of pilgrims to the Holy Land have been possible
thanks also to the hospitality and fraternal guidance offered by you,
especially by the Franciscan Friars of the Custody. For this service, I
wish to assure you of the appreciation and gratitude of the Universal
Church and I express the wish that many more pilgrims will visit in the
future
Dear brothers, as we address together our joyful prayer to Mary,
Queen of Heaven, let us place confidently in her hands the well-being
and spiritual renewal of all Christians in the Holy Land, so that, under
the guidance of their Pastors, they may grow in faith, hope and love,
and persevere in their mission as promoters of communion and peace.
[Original text: English] |