Here is the full English text of Pope Benedict
XVI’s address, at the Ordinary Public Consistory for the creation of new
cardinals, on the 18th of February 2012.
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
With these words the entrance hymn has led us
into the solemn and evocative ritual of the ordinary public Consistory for the
creation of new Cardinals, with the placing of the biretta, the handing over of
the ring and the assigning of a titular church. They are the efficacious words
with which Jesus constituted Peter as the solid foundation of the Church. On
such a foundation the faith represents the qualitative factor: Simon becomes
Peter – the Rock – in as much as he professed his faith in Jesus as Messiah and
Son of God. In the proclamation of Christ the Church is bound to Peter and
Peter is placed in the Church as a rock; although it is Christ himself who
builds up the Church, Peter must always be a constitutive element of that
upbuilding. He will always be such through faithfulness to his confession made
at Caesarea Philippi, in virtue of the affirmation, “You are the Christ, the
Son of the living God”.
The words Jesus addressed to Peter highlight
well the ecclesial character of today’s event. The new Cardinals, in receiving
the title of a church in this city or of a suburban Diocese, are fully inserted
in the Church of Rome led by the Successor of Peter, in order to cooperate
closely with him in governing the universal Church. These beloved Brothers, who
in a few minutes’ time will enter and become part of the College of Cardinals,
will be united with new and stronger bonds not only to the Roman Pontiff but
also to the entire community of the faithful spread throughout the world. In
carrying out their particular service in support of the Petrine ministry, the
new Cardinals will be called to consider and evaluate the events, the problems
and the pastoral criteria which concern the mission of the entire Church. In
this delicate task, the life and the death of the Prince of the Apostles, who
for love of Christ gave himself even unto the ultimate sacrifice, will be an
example and a helpful witness of faith for the new Cardinals.
It is with this meaning that the placing of the
red biretta is also to be understood. The new Cardinals are entrusted with the
service of love: love for God, love for his Church, an absolute and
unconditional love for his brothers and sisters, even unto shedding their
blood, if necessary, as expressed in the words of placing the biretta and as
indicated by the colour of their robes. Furthermore, they are asked to serve
the Church with love and vigour, with the transparency and wisdom of teachers,
with the energy and strength of shepherds, with the fidelity and courage of
martyrs. They are to be eminent servants of the Church that finds in Peter the
visible foundation of unity.
In the Gospel we have just heard proclaimed
there is offered a model to imitate and to follow. Against the background of
the third prediction of the Passion, death and resurrection of the Son of Man,
and in profound contrast to it, is placed the scene of the two sons of Zebedee,
James and John, who are still pursuing dreams of glory beside Jesus. They ask
him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your
glory” (Mk 10:37). The response of Jesus is striking, and he asks an unexpected
question: “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup
that I drink?” (Mk 10:38). The allusion is crystal clear: the chalice is that
of the Passion, which Jesus accepts as the will of God. Serving God and others,
self-giving: this is the logic which authentic faith imparts and develops in
our daily lives and which is not the type of power and glory which belongs to
this world.
By their request, James and John demonstrate
that they do not understand the logic of the life to which Jesus witnesses,
that logic which – according to the Master – must characterize the disciple in
his spirit and in his actions. The erroneous logic is not the sole preserve of
the two sons of Zebedee because, as the evangelist narrates, it also spreads to
“the other ten” apostles who “began to be indignant at James and John” (Mk
10:41). They were indignant, because it is not easy to enter into the logic of
the Gospel and to let go of power and glory. Saint John Chrysostom affirms that
all of the apostles were imperfect, whether it was the two who wished to lift
themselves above the other ten, or whether it was the ten who were jealous of
them (“Commentary on Matthew”, 65, 4: PG 58, 619-622). Commenting on the
parallel passages in the Gospel of Luke, Saint Cyril of Alexandria adds, “The
disciples had fallen into human weakness and were discussing among themselves
which one would be the leader and superior to the others… This happened and is
recounted for our advantage… What happened to the holy Apostles can be
understood by us as an incentive to humility” (“Commentary on Luke”, 12, 5, 24:
PG 72, 912). This episode gives Jesus a way to address each of the disciples
and “to call them to himself”, almost to pull them in, to form them into one
indivisible body with him, and to indicate which is the path to real glory,
that of God: “You know that those who are supposed to rule over the Gentiles
lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. But it
shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your
servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all” (Mk
10:42-44).
Dominion and service, egoism and altruism,
possession and gift, self-interest and gratuitousness: these profoundly
contrasting approaches confront each other in every age and place. There is no
doubt about the path chosen by Jesus: he does not merely indicate it with words
to the disciples of then and of today, but he lives it in his own flesh. He
explains, in fact, “For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve,
and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mk 10:45). These words shed light
upon today’s public Consistory with a particular intensity. They resound in the
depths of the soul and represent an invitation and a reminder, a commission and
an encouragement especially for you, dear and venerable Brothers who are about
to be enrolled in the College of Cardinals.
No comments:
Post a Comment