O God, who grant us by glorious healing remedies while still on earth to be partakers of the things of heaven, guide us, we pray, through this present life and bring us to that light in which you dwell. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
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A Mass of Thanksgiving to God for the Papal Ministry of Benedict XVI
Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica—Ottawa, Ontario
Wednesday in the 2nd Week of Lent—February 27, 2013
Messe d’action de grâce pour le ministère pétrinien du pape Benoît XVI
Cathédrale Notre-Dame d’Ottawa::Mercredi de la 2ième semaine du Carême, le 27 février 2013
“REVENONS À LA PRIÈRE’’/“LET US RETURN TO PRAYER”
[1 Peter 5.1–4; Psalm 23 (22); Matthew 20.17–28]
En partageant avec nous les souvenirs de son ordination et de sa première messe - messe qu’il a célébrée dans la petite ville catholique de la Bavière dans laquelle il a grandi – Joseph Ratzinger raconte, qu’à cette occasion, il répétait dans sa tête « Ce n’est pas moi qui suit l’auteur d’un tel mystère. »
Benoît XVI devait avoir des pensées un peu semblables en ce Mercredi des cendres alors qu’il célébrait sa dernière messe publique à titre de Pape et que les nombreux fidèles rassemblés dans la basilique Saint-Pierre l’ovationnaient chaleureusement.
Dans le livre intitulé L’Esprit de la liturgie qu’il a rédigé alors qu’il était cardinal, Joseph Ratzinger se prononça contre les applaudissements dans les célébrations liturgiques.
Voici ce qu’il en dit : «quand les applaudissements font irruption dans la liturgie, c'est un signe très sûr qu'on a perdu l'essence de la liturgie, et qu'on l'a substitué par une sorte de divertissement de type religieux".
Pour Joseph Ratzinger, la liturgie est œuvre de Dieu et non un produit quelconque des humains. Cette vision est au cœur de sa pensée et des nombreuses célébrations qu’il a présidé à titre de Pape.
L’extraordinaire recueillement qu’il manifestait alors qu’il célébrait la messe, ainsi que son grand attachement à pratiquer l’adoration eucharistique, étaient particulièrement palpables lors des veillées de prière tenues lors des Journées mondiales de la jeunesse de Sydney et de Madrid. À ces occasions, le Pape invita les jeunes, qui débordaient d’énergie, à garder le silence devant le Seigneur; ils répondirent à son appel en entrant en adoration.
Pope Benedict’s serene and prayerful celebration of Mass and love of Eucharistic adoration were palpable at World Youth Day vigils held during his pontificate. He invited the teeming young people to be silent before the Lord. They followed his call to quiet adoration.
Pope Benedict vitalized the assembly in Cologne when he shared his insight into the dynamic quality of the Eucharistic Lord.
He remarked, “The substantial conversion of bread and wine into [Christ’s] body and blood introduces within creation the principle of a radical change, a sort of “nuclear fission,” which penetrates to the heart of all being, a change meant to set off a process which transforms reality, a process leading ultimately to the transfiguration of the entire world, to the point where God will be all in all (cf. 1 Cor 15:28).
He holds a powerful vision of the attractive quality of a beautifully celebrated liturgy. This led him to permit any priest in the world to celebrate the traditional Latin Mass and to allow Anglicans to retain their rich liturgical traditions after reception into the Church under the terms of his decree (motu proprio), Anglicanorum coetibus. His response to the applause on Ash Wednesday was simply to say, “thank you.” He then added, “let us return to prayer.”
The effects of his resignation on the life and witness of the papacy in the Church and on the world remain hidden to us. Still, we can perhaps agree that his gesture in resigning this office “for the good of the Church” was an act of humility. We can be sure it is the fruit of discerning God’s will for him in prayer.
La perspicacité intellectuelle et scientifique de Joseph Ratzinger transparaît dans son enseignement et ses nombreux écrits. En effet, le pape Benoît XVI nous fit part de sa sagesse dans ses nombreuses homélies en (Allemagne, en France et au Royaume-Uni), dans ses audiences hebdomadaires, dans ses discours lors de visites pastorales dans de nombreux pays et, par-dessus tout, dans ses trois encycliques Deus caritas est, Spe salvi et Caritas in veritate....
Le Pape nous dit que Jésus est la seule véritable réponse aux promesses vides du sécularisme. Seul Jésus peut répondre aux besoins profonds de l’être humain. Nous voyons dans l’Évangile d’aujourd’hui que la recherche de pouvoir et de statut dans l’Église n’est pas quelque chose de nouveau. La mère des fils de Zébédée cherchait à obtenir des faveurs pour ses enfants, Jacques et Jean. Pourtant, la seule faveur véritable qu’il vaut la peine de chercher à obtenir c’est l’amitié de Jésus et l’attachement à son enseignement. Jésus nous appelle à le connaître dans la prière. Il a donné sa vie comme rançon pour libérer une multitude de gens.
Nous célébrons ce mystère dans l’Eucharistie. Jésus cherche à nous attirer à lui, à partager avec nous son cœur et son Esprit. Cela nous amène à vouloir à notre tour être baptisés de son baptême et à accepter de participer à sa souffrance rédemptrice, même si, en portant notre croix, cela nous amène à mourir un peu chaque jour. L’amour qui se donne aux autres conduit à la plénitude de la vie éternelle.
The Pope’s answer to the empty promises of the secularism that marks our modern world is Jesus. His answer to human ambition is Jesus. Today’s gospel tells us that grasping for position and status in the Church is nothing new. The mother of Zebedee’s sons sought favour for her beloved James and John. True favour is in humble friendship with Jesus Christ and in attachment to his teaching. Jesus calls us to know him in prayer. He gave his life as a ransom for many.
We celebrate this mystery in the Eucharist. He draws us profoundly into his mind, heart and soul. We become willing, in our turn, to be baptized with his baptism and to share his cup of suffering. We come to accept, through Our Lord’s gentle but powerful instruction, that bearing his cross in our lives will lead to small deaths each day. Sacrificial love ultimately brings us to the fullness of eternal life.
The first reading, specially chosen for today, details the testimony of the first pope, St. Peter. He challenged all who serve in the Church, particularly those of us who have been ordained, to give of ourselves generously. We are to serve, not for personal gain, but with gentleness and meekness. The measure of the ministry of Joseph Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI, is how closely these are the sentiments that reflect his whole priestly and episcopal ministry and—most certainly—his papacy.
And so we give thanks to God for the graces given Joseph Ratzinger. From the moment of his birth and his baptism mere hours later, he has been faithful to that new life in Christ bestowed on him on Holy Saturday in 1927. Joyfully then, we offer up prayers of petition that the Lord may continue to grant him blessings without number. May his remaining days, even in the solitude of the monastery where he will live, be a testimony to us all.
Thank you for this AND for your witness and Priestly sacrifice!
ReplyDeleteThank you, your Grace for these heart-warming words. I would just like to pick up from the comment in French and I translate: "Whenever applause breaks out in the liturgy because of some human achievement, it is a sure sign that the essence of liturgy has totally disappeared and been replaced by a kind of religious entertainment" (Spirit of the Liturgy, p. 198). I totally agree with this statement and all this clapping at the end of Mass seems to indicate a form of entertainment. However, as long as some choirs are placed in the front, even the sanctuary, people seem encouraged to clap. Perhaps a look at GIRM #312 would help to be more faithful to where choirs should be located.
ReplyDeleteAnother trend that seems to be developing at the Sign of Peace - People are now waving to each other even at a distance. I wonder what Pope Benedict would write about this?
Thank you your Grace for bringing this to our attention.