Pope's homily at Mass in Arezzo
Pope
Benedict XVI celebrated Mass in the town of Arezzo in central Italy, in
"Il Prato"park beside the cathedral church of the diocese of
Arezzo-Cortona-Sansepolcro. In his homily, the Holy Father recalled the
great contributions of the Church in the area, saying, "Over the
centuries, the Church in Arezzo has been enriched and animated by many
expressions of the Christian faith, the highest among them being the
Saints." Below, please find the full text of the Holy Father's homily.
Dear brothers and sisters,
It
is a great joy for me to be able to break with you the bread of the
Word of God and the Eucharist. I greet you all and I thank you for your
kind welcome. I greet your Pastor, Archbishop Riccardo Fontana, whom I
thank for his words of welcome, the Bishops, Priests, men and women
religious, representatives of Church Associations and Ecclesial
Movements. I greet the Mayor, Giuseppe Fanfani and thank him for his
welcome, the Prime Minister Senator Mario Monti, and the other civil and
military authorities present. My special thanks go to those who have
generously contributed to this my Pastoral Visit.
An ancient
Church welcomes me today, a Church that is expert in relationships and
praiseworthy for its commitment over the centuries to building the city
of Man in the image of the City of God. Here in Tuscany, the community
of Arezzo has often distinguished itself in the course of history for
its sense of freedom and its ability to dialogue with different social
groups. This is my first visit to you and my wish is that your City may
always allow this precious heritage to bear fruit.
Over the
centuries, the Church in Arezzo has been enriched and animated by many
expressions of the Christian faith, the highest among them being the
Saints. I think, in particular, of St Donato, your Patron, whose life’s
witness which fascinated Medieval Christians, is still appropriate
today. He was an intrepid evangelizer, urging all to free themselves
from pagan customs and to rediscover in the Word of God the strength to
affirm the dignity of every person and the true meaning of freedom.
Through his preaching, he brought people, whose Bishop he was, to unity
with prayer and the Eucharist. The chalice that was broken and restored
by St Donato, and which is referred to by St Gregory the Great, is the
symbol of the peacemaking action of the Church in society, for the
common good. Another of your witnesses is St Peter Damian and, with him,
the great Camaldolese tradition which has been offering its spiritual
riches to this diocesan Church and to the universal Church for a
thousand years.
Blessed Pope Gregory X is entombed in your
cathedral, almost as a sign of the continuity of the service of the
Church of Christ to the world, in different times and cultures.
Sustained by the light that came from the burgeoning Orders of mendicant
friars, including theologians and Saints, like St Thomas Aquinas and St
Bonaventure of Bagnoregio, he confronted the great problems of his
time: the reform of the Church, the healing of the schism with the
Eastern Christian Church, which he tried to do by calling the Council of
Lyon; attention to the Holy Land; peace and relations among peoples –
he was the first person in the West to exchange ambassadors with Kublai
Khan in China.
Dear Friends, the first Reading presented us with
an important moment which manifests the universality of Christ and the
Church’s message: St Peter, in the house of Cornelius, baptized the
first pagans. In the Old Testament, God didn’t want the blessing of the
Jewish people to remain exclusive, but to extend it to all nations. When
he called Abraham, he said: “All the tribes of the earth shall bless
themselves by you”. Thus Peter, inspired from above, understood that
“God does not have favourites, but anybody of any nationality who fears
God and does what is right, is acceptable to him”. Peter’s gesture
becomes a symbol of the Church’s openness to all humanity. Following the
great tradition of your Church and your Community, be authentic
witnesses of God’s love for all!
But how can we, in our weakness,
be witnesses to this love? In the second Reading, St John told us
clearly that being freed of our sins and their consequences is not our
initiative but God’s. We did not love him, he loved us and took our sins
upon himself and washed them with the blood of Christ. God loved us
first and wants us to enter his communion of love, to collaborate in his
work of redemption.
The Lord’s invitation rang out in the
Gospel: “I commissioned you to go out and to bear fruit, fruit that will
last”. He was speaking specifically to the Apostles, but in the broader
sense, it regards all Jesus’ disciples. The whole Church is sent out
into the world to preach the Gospel and salvation. But it is always
God’s initiative; he calls us to different ministries, so that each one
plays his proper role for the common good. He calls us to the
ministerial priesthood, to consecrated life, to married life, to working
in the world: all are asked to respond generously to the Lord,
sustained by his Word which comforts us: “You did not choose me, no, I
chose you”.
Dear Friends. I know about your Church’s commitment
to promoting Christian life. Be ferment in society, be present as
Christians, be active and coherent. With its centuries-old history, the
City of Arezzo summarizes significant expressions of culture and values.
Among the treasures of your tradition, you are proud of your Christian
identity, visible in many signs and rooted in devotions like the one to
Our Lady of Comfort. This land was the birthplace of great Renaissance
personalities, from Petrarch to Vasari, and played an active role in
affirming that concept of man which left its mark on the history of
Europe, drawing strength from Christian values. In recent times too, the
ideal heritage of your city has been expressed by some of its most
illustrious children through their university research and other
institutions where they have elaborated the concept of civitas, defining
it in terms of the Christian ideal among people of our time. Within the
context of the Church in Italy, committed to the theme of education, we
must ask – especially in this Region where the Renaissance was born –
what vision of man are we proposing to the new generations. The Word of
God we have heard is a powerful invitation to live God’s love towards
all, and, among its distinctive values, the culture of this land
includes solidarity, attention to the weak, respect for the dignity of
all. Your capacity to welcome those who have come here recently in
search of freedom and work, is well known.
Showing solidarity with the poor, means recognizing the plan of God the Creator, who made us all one family. Of
course, this area has also been severely struck by the economic crisis.
The complexity of the problems makes it difficult to find quick and
effective solutions to come out of the present situation which affects
the weakest elements especially and greatly worries young people. Since
the remotest times, attention to others has moved the Church to show
concrete signs of solidarity with those in need, sharing resources,
promoting simpler lifestyles, going against an ephemeral culture which
has disappointed many and determined a profound spiritual crisis. May
this Diocesan Church, enriched by the shining witness of St Francis of
Assisi, continue to be caring and attentive towards those in need, and
may it teach how to go beyond purely materialistic ideologies that often
mark our age and end up clouding our sense of solidarity and charity.
Witnessing
to the love of God by caring for the weakest is tied to the defence of
human life, from its beginning to its natural end. In your Region,
ensuring everyone dignity, health and fundamental rights, is justly
considered an indispensable good. The defence of the family, through
laws that are just and protect the weakest elements, is always an
important point that keeps the fabric of society strong and offers hope
for the future. Just as in the Middle Ages, the statutes of your city
became instruments that ensured inalienable rights to many, may they
continue that task today, promoting a City with an ever more human face.
The Church offers her contribution to this task so that the love of God
may always be accompanied love for one’s neighbour.
Dear
brothers and sisters, Continue serving God and man according to the
teaching of Jesus, the shining example of your saints and the tradition
of your people. May the maternal protection of Our Lady of Comfort, whom
you love and venerate, accompany and sustain you in this task. Amen.
