Pope: God will judge us according to our works
Pope Benedict XVI prayed for the victims of Friday’s mass murder of school children in Newtown, Connecticut on Sunday. Speaking in English to pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square to pray the Angelus with him on this third Sunday in Advent, the Holy Father renewed expressions (first offered on Friday in a Message of condolence to the Diocese of Bridgeport, of which Newtown is part) of his profound grief over the incident, as well as his promises of prayers for the victims and spiritual closeness to their families. The Pope went on to call all the faithful everywhere to renew their prayer and action in favour of the cause of peace.
Below is a translation of the Holy Father’s Angelus reflections:
Dear brothers and sisters!The Gospel of this Sunday of Advent presents again the figure of John the Baptist, and portrays him as he speaks to the people that went by him in the Jordan River to be baptized. For John, cutting words, urges everyone to prepare for the coming of the Messiah, some ask him: "What shall we do?" (Lk 3,10.12.14). These dialogues are very interesting and have proven to be very timely.
The first answer is given to the crowd in general. The Baptist says: "He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none, and whoever has food must do likewise" (v. 11). Here we can see a criterion of justice, enlivened by charity. Justice calls to overcome the imbalance between those who have and those who lack the necessary superfluous; charity urges us to be attentive to each other and to meet his needs, instead of finding excuses to defend their interests. Justice and charity are not opposed, but both are necessary and complement each other. "Love will always be necessary, even in the most just society," because "there will always be situations of material need where help is indispensable in the form of concrete love of neighbor" (Encyclical Deus Caritas Est, 28).
And then we see the second answer, which is directed to some "tax" that is, tax collectors on behalf of the Romans. For that tax collectors were despised, and also because it often took advantage of their position to steal. To them the Baptist says to change jobs, but not to require anything more than what has been set (see verse. 13). The prophet, in God's name, do not ask gestures exceptional, but above all the honest fulfillment of duty. The first step to eternal life is always keeping the commandments, in this case the seventh: "Thou shalt not steal" (cf. Ex 20:15).
The third answer about the soldiers, another category with a certain power, and therefore tempted to abuse it. Soldiers John says: "Do not oppress and extort anything be content with your wages" (v. 14). Again, the conversion starts honesty and respect for others, an indication that applies to everyone, especially for those with more responsibility.
Considering these dialogues as a whole, hits the big concreteness of the words of John: since God will judge us according to our works, it is there, in behavior, which must be proven to follow his will. And for this the signs of the Baptist are always up to date in our complex world, things would be much better if each observe these rules of conduct. Then pray the Lord, through the intercession of Mary Most Holy, to help us to prepare for Christmas bringing good fruits of conversion (cf. Lk 3:8).
Pope Benedict's English remarks: "I greet all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present at today’s Angelus. I was deeply saddened by Friday’s senseless violence in Newtown, Connecticut. I assure the families of the victims, especially those who lost a child, of my closeness in prayer. May the God of consolation touch their hearts and ease their pain. During this Advent Season, let us dedicate ourselves more fervently to prayer and to acts of peace. Upon those affected by this tragedy, and upon each of you, I invoke God’s abundant blessings!"
