SUMMARY:
- CLOSURE
OF THE SUMMER SEMINAR OF THE RATZINGER SCHULEKREIS
- THE
POPE WARNS AGAINST THE DANGER OF FALSE RELIGIOSITY
-
AUDIENCES
______________________________________
CLOSURE
OF THE SUMMER SEMINAR OF THE RATZINGER SCHULEKREIS
Vatican
City, 3 September 2012 (VIS) - The traditional summer seminar of
former students of Benedict XVI (the "Ratzinger Schulekreis")
came to a close yesterday morning with a Mass celebrated by the Holy
Father at the Mariapoli Centre in Castelgandolfo. This year's seminar
has been examining the theme of: "Ecumenical outcomes and
questions in the dialogue with Lutheranism and Anglicanism".
The Pope
began his homily, Vatican Radio reports, with an analysis of a
passage from Deuteronomy, recalling how Israel received God's Law
which brings authentic wisdom. This is a gift, the Holy Father
explained, in which to take joy, it is not the result of some
individual genius. The Church, which he described as "a
universal Israel", must only take joy at the gift of Christ,
which is the essential nucleus of the Law, the Law made flesh, God's
Love for us. We have received the wisdom which is truth, we know how
to live and to die because Christ is life and truth. There is no room
for triumphalism of any kind, but only for joy and gratitude at the
gift we have received, a gift we did not create".
THE
POPE WARNS AGAINST THE DANGER OF FALSE RELIGIOSITY
Vatican
City, 3 September 2012 (VIS) - The Law of God, which finds complete
fulfilment in love, provided the theme for Benedict XVI's remarks
before praying the Angelus today with faithful gathered in the inner
courtyard of the Apostolic Palace at Castelgandolfo.
Commenting
on today's reading from the Gospel of St. Mark, in which the
Pharisees reproach Jesus' disciples for not following the norms of
Mosaic Law, the Pope explained that God's Law "is His Word,
which guides mankind along the path of life, freeing them from the
slavery of selfishness and introducing them into the 'land' of
authentic freedom and life. It is for this reason that, in the Bible,
the Law is not seen as a burden, ... but as the Lord's most precious
gift, ... (an expression of) His desire to remain alongside His
people, and to be their Ally".
Yet when
the people settle in the Promised Land and become the depositories of
the Law, they are tempted "to place their safety and their
happiness in something which is no longer the Word of the Lord: in
material goods and in power, other 'divinities' which are, in fact,
empty and futile idols. Of course, the Law of God remains, but it is
no longer so important, no longer the rule of life; rather it becomes
a facade, a covering, while life follows other paths, other rules,
often selfish individual and group interests. In this way religion
loses its authentic meaning ... and is reduced to a secondary habit
which satisfies the need human beings have to feel they have done
right before God".
"This
is a serious risk in every religion, one which Jesus encountered in
His own time, and unfortunately it can also arise in Christianity.
Thus Jesus' words in today's Gospel against the Scribes and Pharisees
must make us think. Jesus repeats the words of Isaiah: 'This people
honours me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain
do they worship me, teaching human precepts as doctrine'. ... In his
Letter, the Apostle James also warns against the danger of false
religiosity", the Holy Father concluded.
After
praying the Angelus, Benedict XVI greeted, among others, a group of
pilgrims from Lebanon, expressing his delight at the prospect of his
forthcoming visit to that country.
AUDIENCES
Vatican
City, 3 September 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in
audience:
-
Cardinal Carlo Caffarra, archbishop of Bologna, Italy.
- Eleven
prelates from the Episcopal Conference of Colombia on their "ad
limina" visit:
-
Archbishop Jairo Jaramillo Monsalve of Barranquilla, accompanied by
Auxiliary Bishop Victor Antonio Tamayo Betancourt.
- Bishop
Hector Ignacio Salah Zuleta of Riohacha.
- Bishop
Hugo Eugenio Puccini Banfi of Santa Marta.
- Bishop
Oscar Jose Velez Isaza C.M.F. of Valledupar.
-
Archbishop Dario de Jesus Monsalve Mejia of Cali, accompanied by
Auxiliary Bishop Jose Daniel Falla Robles.
- Bishop
Jose Roberto Ospina Leongomez of Buga.
- Bishop
Jose Alejandro Castano Arbelaez O.A.R. of Cartago.
- Bishop
Edgar de Jesus Garcia Gil of Palmira.
- Bishop
Hector Epalza Quintero P.S.S. of Buenaventura.
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