MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESSBENEDICT XVIFOR LENT 2007“They shall look on Himwhom they have pierced” (Jn 19:37)
Dear Brothers and Sisters!“They shall look on Him whom they have pierced” (Jn 19:37). This is the biblical theme that this year guides our Lenten reflection. Lent is a favourable time to learn to stay with Mary and John, the beloved disciple, close to Him who on the Cross, consummated for all mankind the sacrifice of His life (cf. Jn 19:25). With a more fervent participation let us direct our gaze, therefore, in this time of penance and prayer, at Christ[…]
Dear children,
Jesus is born
(...)
Christmas is the feast day of a Child, of a Newborn Baby. So it is your feast day too! (...)
I can almost see you: you are setting up the Crib at home, in the parish, in every corner of the world, recreating the surroundings and the atmosphere in which the Saviour was
born. Yes, it is true! At Christmastime, the stable and the manger take centre place in the Church. And everyone hurries to go there, to make a spiritual pilgrimage, like the shepherds on the
night of Jesus' birth.[…]
For several Sundays (except Transfiguration, next Sunday) we leave aside the gospel of Mark. The liturgy drops us suddenly in the gospel of John.
But in last Sunday's homily I gave you a hint, saying that John gives us the contents of the teaching of which Mark only says it was "long".
At the spot where the liturgy drops us in the gospel of S. John (the beginning of chapter 6), there is a sudden change also, since the whole of chapter 5 takes place in
Jerusalem, whereas at the beginning of chapter 6 we are, without any transition,[…]
Faithful to our " fresh pineapple " principle, let us remember that we are in the " section of the breads ". It will not escape to us either that between last Sundays Gospel and todays, a passage has been skipped.  
Between the two, S. Marc reports the death of John the Baptist during a dinner, organized with great pageantry by Herod who " liked listening to him " but who "when he heard him... became very disturbed " (Mc 6 : 20). This is the typical example of a " bad meal ". The food of this feast is the maggoty fruit of he who wants to eat[…]
We enter a new section of the gospel of Marc. Of this new section the liturgy will make us hear several passages (but not all !) between the 15th
and the 24th Sunday of Ordinary Time. Too often we are satisfied to read the Gospel by small pieces. The Sunday liturgy itself cuts out in pieces a coherent text, giving rise to serious
misunderstandings if we are satisfied to be only "Sunday Christians". The Word of the gospel is much more than a succession of anecdotic accounts. It is really worth while to quietly read through
Mc 6 : 6 – 8 : 30. You will be[…]
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