Pope Benedict XVI on "For Many"

One of the hotly debated changes in the new English translation of the Roman Missal is the change of “for all” (Latin, pro omnibus) into “for many” (Latin, pro multis) in the last supper narrative as found in the Eucharistic Prayers of the Mass.

The present prayer reads: Take this, all of you, and drink from it: this is cup of my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant. It will be shed for you and for all, so that sins may be forgiven. Do this is memory of me.

While the new prayer reads: Take this, all of you, and drink from it, for this is the chalice of my blood, the blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me.

Although this change does not affect the response of the congregation, yet it touches on the meaning and significance of the self-giving love of Jesus on the cross, of which the Eucharist is a memorial. Didn’t Jesus die ‘for all’? Isn’t the Lord’s offer of salvation ‘for all’? Why replace it with ‘for many’?

Pope Benedict XVI wrote a letter to the German Bishops’ Conference dated April 14, 2012. In the letter the Pope expounds on the Church’s preference to use the literal translation “for many” rather than the interpretation “for all.” At the same time, affirming the value of “for all” in the complete understanding of “for many.” This write up is a humble attempt to present the highlights of this enlightening work of the Pope (for the full text of the letter see the archive).

The Pope starts by unequivocally asserting the fundamental faith of the Church that truly Jesus died for all; that his offer of salvation is for all. This is attested by numerous passages from the sacred scriptures. Allow me to cite a couple: first, from the letter of St. Paul to the Romans 8:32. It says, “He who did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, how will he not also give us everything else along with him?” God the Father has handed over the Son for us all. Second, also from St. Paul in his second letter to the Corinthians 5:15, it says, “He indeed died for all, so that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” Jesus Christ indeed died for all of us. His offer of reconciliation and forgiveness is truly universal. Then, we may ask, why replace “for all” with “for many”?

When one goes to the original Latin text of the Last Supper narrative, one sees that the original text uses pro multis which in English is translated as “for many” and not pro omnibus which in English is rendered as “for all.” It is presupposed that the Latin text pro multis is a faithful translation of the original language of the New Testament which is Greek. The use of pro multis in the Last Supper narrative is found both in the gospels of Mark (14:24) and Matthew (26:28). This is not found in gospel of Luke, since Luke uses pro vobis, i.e. “for you.” While in the gospel of John, the story of the washing of the feet takes the place of a last supper narrative. Thus, in Mark and Matthew, Jesus described his self-giving love as expressed in the last supper, as “for many.” Why?

The Pope explains that Jesus during the Last Supper was aligning himself to the great prophet Isaiah. Jesus knew the Law and the Prophets. Several times in the gospel, Jesus commented on them. He even corrected interpretations about them in light of the coming of the Messiah. And so, in the last supper, in anticipation of the great sacrifice of the cross, Jesus was connecting himself to the prophesy of Isaiah, particularly the prophesy on the suffering servant of the Lord.

In Isaiah 53:11-12 we read: Because of his affliction he shall see the light in fullness of days; Through his suffering, my servant shall justify many, and their guilt he shall bear. Therefore I will give him his portion among the great, and he shall divide the spoils with the mighty, Because he surrendered himself to death and was counted among the wicked; And he shall take away the sins of many, and win pardon for their offenses.

Without even going deeply into these words of Isaiah, one can easily relate this description to Jesus: through his suffering, my servant shall justify many, and their guilt he shall bear… he surrendered himself to death and was counted among the wicked… he shall take away the sins of many, and win pardon for their offenses.

In the Last Supper, Jesus was being faithful to the words of Isaiah. Thus, proclaiming that he is the fulfillment of the words of Isaiah; that indeed, he is the suffering servant of the Lord.

By using “for many,” Jesus respects the words of Isaiah. In the same way, by using “for many,” the Church is being faithful to the words of Jesus. The Pope calls this “double faithfulness.” By using “for many” the Church does not want to break this reverent chain of fidelity. Here is the heart of the Church’s insistence in using “for many.”

Yet, the Pope does not readily dimiss “for all” for in his mind “for all” is the correct interpretation of “for many.” Telling us as it were, that even though in the Holy Mass we hear the priest proclaims that Jesus offers his blood “for many,” in truth, he does so “for all.”

So, how should we understand “for many”? First, it is scriptural; “for many” is what we see in Isaiah, in the gospels of Mark and Matthew. Second, it is historical. When Jesus gathered his apostles in the Upper Room and offered to them bread and wine as memorial of his self-sacrifice, he used “for many.” Third, it is concrete; that in fact, in the last supper, not everybody was there, not all were there, Jesus was giving himself concretely “for many.” Lastly, it is missionary. Because the salvific love of Jesus is “for all” and Jesus was giving himself concretely at the last supper only “for many,” the “many” has received the mission to reach out and go forth so that the universality of Christ’s salvation may be fulfilled in “all.”

I admit that for the most part this “for many” in the Eucharistic Prayer of the Holy Mass can easily pass without anyone stopping and asking “why.” But for those who mind, for those who truly pray the Mass, for those who care for how the Church expresses the truth of her faith in the prayers of the liturgy, may these words of Pope Benedict XVI aid us in renewing our intimacy with the living God.

Cullion... Leprosy... Blessing...

I just came from Cullion Island in Palawan. In 1906 it was declared as a leper colony. All Filipinos diagnosed with leprosy was brought there. It was only in 2006 that it was declared officially by the World Health Organization that it was no more a leper colony. There is now a thriving municipality in Cullion. 

Our visit to Cullion was not really planned. We were set to visit the Calauit Game Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary but the weather did not permit us. We decided to see Cullion instead. It was a historical tour. We visited the museum that chronicled all the decades that it was a leper colony. We admired the dedication of all the volunteers, doctors, nurses, St. Paul sisters and Jesuit missionaries who served the leper colony. We visited the Catholic church built on the ruins of a 17th century fortress. Cullion was worth the long trip. 

 But what is so inspiring is when we met the first mayor of Cullion. He was a leper himself. Now cured, he was brought in Cullion when he was 8 years old. He talked about the pain, the isolation, the descrimination. But in the end he said leprosy was God's blessing to him. Our jaw dropped! How can leprosy be a blessing? He was an orphan. No mother to take care of him. No father to provide for him. Because of leprosy he found Cullion. The colony took care of him. The colony provided for him. He received education. He found a wife and became mayor of Cullion. 

Without leprosy, there would be no Cullion for him. Without Cullion, he would not be where he is today. God's way is truly mysterious!

Catechism on the new English Confiteor

The urge that no one can refuse.

When Jesus ascended into heaven it was not the first time Jesus left his disciples. The first time was at Calvary. When Jesus allowed himself to be taken by the leaders of the Jews, to be crucified and died on the cross, the disciples were left behind. They were so afraid that they runaway and scattered. They thought it was the end.

But the story of the Ascension is different. When Jesus was taken up to heaven and the disciples were left behind, the disciples begun preaching boldly about the Lord, about the forgiveness of sins, about mission, about salvation. It was only the beginning.

What happened in between? What made the difference?

Resurrection made the difference – the truth and the conviction that Jesus did not remain dead, did not remain in the tomb, that he rose again, appeared to them and promised to be always with them. That is enough to impel the disciples to remain in Jesus, to support each other, to “go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.”

It is not enough that every time we go to Mass we say we believe in Jesus Christ; we believe that he was crucified, died and was buried and on the third day rose again, and do nothing about it. Our faith in the Risen Christ should impel us to imitate him, to talk about him and to fight for him.

Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel; proclaim the good news that our God is a living God. He is alive. He is here. He is with us. We must be convinced of the presence of the living God to the point that we find in ourselves a compelling urge that we cannot refuse, to make him known wherever we are.

I am not familiar with the music of Lady Gaga, but we hear critics decrying her promotion of “godlessness,” that is, living a life without any belief in a supreme being and worse with disrespect towards the divine. If this is true, then Lady Gaga is only one of many in the secular world that promotes a kind of lifestyle that refuses any form of regard for a supreme being. In such a situation, we feel the urgency of letting the world know about the living God. We recognize the imperative of proclaiming our faith in Jesus the Christ.

As Christians we should ask ourselves: Do we talk about Jesus? His word? His commands? His life? May be not in front of a crowd, but to your children, to your grandchildren, to your spouse, to your friends. Do we talk about our faith? If not, then may be we are not convinced enough that He is truly alive! Because if we are convinced to the bone of the truth of the living God, then, like the disciples at the time of the Ascention, nothing can stop the urge to follow the Lord, to fight for him, and to talk about him. Amen.

Pope Benedict XVI on "pro multis"

Pope Benedict wrote a letter dated April 14, 2012 to the member of the German Bishops' Conference. In this letter he takes up the matter of the appropriate way to translation the words pronounced over the chalice in the Eucharistic Prayer of the Holy Mass. The Bishops' Permanent Council discussed this letter on April 23, 2012.

Your Excellency!

Venerable, dear Archbishop!

During your visit on 15 March 2012 you let me know that regarding the translation of the words “pro multis” in the canon of the Mass, there remains no consensus among the bishops of the German speaking regions. Apparently there is a danger that in the soon to be expected publication of the new edition of the “Gotteslob”, some parts of the German speaking regions want to maintain the translation “for all”, even though the German Bishops’ Conference had agreed to use “for many”, as was desired by the Holy See. I promised you to express myself in writing about this serious matter to head off such a division in the heart of our prayer. The letter which I hereby send through you to the members of the German Bishops’ Conference, I will also have sent to the other bishops of the German speaking regions.

Let me first speak briefly about the origin of the problem. In the 1960s, when the Roman Missal was to be translated into German under the responsibility of the bishops, there was an exegetical consensus that the words “the many” and “many” in Is. 53, 11 and following was a Hebrew expression signifying the totality, “all”. According to this view, the word “many” in the accounts of Matthew and Mark was a Semitism, and must be translated as “all”. This understanding was also applied to the actual Latin text that was to be translated, the “pro multis” of which refers back, by way of the Gospel accounts, to Is. 53, and therefore must by translated as “for all”. This exegetical consensus has since that time crumbled; it no longer exists. In the German translation of Sacred Scripture the account of the Last Supper says: “This is my Blood, the Blood of the Covenant,  which is shed for many” (Mark 14:24, cf. Matt. 26:28). This indicates something very important: The rendering of “pro multis” with “for all” was not merely a translation, but an interpretation, which certainly was and remains an interpretation with arguments in its favor, but which is an interpretation and not just a translation.

This mingling of translation and interpretation belongs in hindsight to the principles that immediately after the Council guided the translation of the liturgical books into the vernacular. One was conscious of how removed the Bible and the liturgical texts were from the language and thought of modern man, so that even when translated they would have to remain to a great extent incomprehensible to those taking part in the liturgy. In this new attempt the sacred texts would be opened up in translation to the participants of the liturgy and yet would remain very remote from their world, indeed, their remoteness would now be even more visible. Thus it seemed not only justified, but even obligatory to mingle interpretation with translation and so to shorten the way to the people whose hearts and minds were to be reached by these words.

To a certain degree the principle of translating original texts according to their meaning, not necessarily a word-for-word translation, remains justified. Since I frequently have to pray the liturgical prayers in various languages, I notice that one can often hardly find any common meaning between the various translations, and the common text that underlies them is often only distantly discernible. Into these translations have crept banalisations that are real losses. Thus over the years it has become ever clearly to me, also personally, that the principle of non-literal but structural equivalence as a translation guideline has its limits. Following such insights, the instruction on translation, Liturgiam authenticam, published by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on 28 March 2001, once more brought to the fore the principle of literal equivalence, though of course without dictating a one-sided verbalism. The important insight that lies at the root of this instruction consists in the above-mentioned distinction between translation and interpretation. This is necessary both in regard to the Word of Scripture and in regard to the liturgical texts. One the one hand, the sacred Word should, as far as possible, be presented as itself, including its foreignness and the questions it bears in it; on the other hand, the Church has been given the task of interpreting – within the limits of our own understanding – so that the message which the Lord has meant for us may come to us. The most sensitive translation cannot replace interpretation: it belongs to the structure of Revelation that the Word of God is read in the interpreting community of the Church, that faithfulness and making now present are united. The Word must be there as itself, in its own form, which may be strange to us; interpretation must be measured by its faithfulness to the Word itself, but at the same time must make that Word accessible to the modern hearer.

In this context the Holy See has decided that in the new translation of the Missal the words “pro multis” must be translated as such and not immediately interpreted. The simple translation “for many” must replace the interpretative rendering “for all”. In this context I want to point out that in both Matthew and in Mark there is no article: not “for the many”, but “for many”. If this decision is, as I hope, quite understandable from the perspective of the fundamental relationship of translation and interpretation, I am still aware that it presents an enormous challenge for all who have the task of interpreting the Word of God in the Church. For regular patrons of the church this almost inevitably appears as a rupture at the heart of what is holy. They will ask: did Christ not die for all? Has the Church changed her teaching? Can and may she do so? Is this indicative of a reaction destructive to the heritage of the Council? We all know, through the experience of the last fifty years, how deeply the changes of liturgical forms and texts affects the souls of the people; how much must a change in the text on such a central point affect the people? Since this is so, when in view of the difference between translation and interpretation a decision was made for the translation “many”, at the same time it was decided that a thorough catechesis must precede the use of this translation in the individual language regions, a catechesis in which the bishops must make clear to their priests, and through them to their faithful, what the issue is really about. This preceding catechesis is the basic prerequisite before the new translation comes into force. As far as I know, such a catechesis has till now not been made in the German speaking region. The intention of my letter, dear brothers, is to ask you most urgently to develop such a catechesis, to discuss it with the priests, and at the same time make it available to the faithful.

In such a catechesis one must first very briefly explain why after the Council the word “many” was translated in the Missal by “all”: to unambiguously express the universality of the salvation that comes from Jesus, as he willed it. This leads of course immediately to the question: If Jesus died for all, why did he say “for many” at the Last Supper? And why do we stick to these institutional words of Jesus? To this we must add that Jesus, according to Matthew and Mark, said “for many”, but according to Luke and St. Paul he said “for you”. This apparently narrows the circle even more. But this is exactly the point from which we can arrive at the solution. The disciples know that the mission of Jesus extends beyond them and their circle, that he came to gather together the scattered children of God from all the world (cf. Joh. 11:52). This “for you” makes the mission of Jesus very concrete for those present. They are not some anonymous elements of a vast totality, but everyone knows that the Lord died precisely for me, for us. “For you” reaches into the past and into the future; I have been named very personally; we, who are here gathered, are known and loved as such by Jesus. In this way, “for you” is not a narrowing of the mission, but a way of making it concrete, that is valid for every community that celebrates the Eucharist, that unites itself concretely to the love of Jesus. the Roman Canon united the two Biblical readings in the words of consecration, saying accordingly: “for you and for many”. During the reform of the liturgy, this formulation was then adopted for all the Eucharistic prayers.

But now once again: Why “for many”? Did the Lord not die for all? That Jesus Christ, as the Son of God made man, is the man for all men, the new Adam, belongs to the fundamental certainties of our faith. I would like to call to mind just three passages in Scripture indicative of this: God delivered his Son “up for us all,” Paul writes in the Letter to the Romans (Rom. 8:32). “One man died for all,” he says in the Second Letter to the Corinthians about the death of Jesus (2 Cor. 5:14). Jesus has “offered himself as a ransom for all”, it is said in the First Letter to Timothy (1 Tim 2:6). But even more then must we ask again: If this is clearly so, why does the Eucharistic Prayer say “for many”? Well, the Church adopted this formulation from the institution narrative of the New Testament. She says it thus out of respect for the Word of Jesus, to remain faithful to him even in his very words. Respect for the Word of Jesus is the reason for the formulation of the Eucharistic Prayer. But then we ask: why did Jesus say it this way himself? The true reason for that is that Jesus, in this way, showed himself as the servant of God of Isaiah 53, identified Himself as the form that the word of the prophet was awaiting. Respect of the Church for Jesus’ Word, Jesus's fidelity to the word of the “Scripture”, this double faithfulness is the concrete basis for the formulation “for many”. We join in this chain of reverent fidelity by the literal translation of the words of Scripture.

As we have seen, that the “for you” in the Lucan-Pauline tradition does not narrow, but rather makes concrete, so we can now recognize that the dialectic of “many” – “all” has its own significance. “All” moves on the ontological level – the being and action of Jesus includes all of mankind, past, present and future. But in fact, historically in the concrete community of those who celebrate the Eucharist, he comes only to “many”. In this way we can see an threefold significance in the relationship of “many” and “all”. Firstly, it should mean for us, who are allowed to sit at his table, surprise, joy and gratitude, that he has called me, that I may be with Him and may know Him. “Thanks be to the Lord, who has called me out of mercy into His Church…” [From a hymn of the “Gotteslob”] Then, secondly, this is also a responsibility. How the Lord reaches the others – “all” – in his own way remains ultimately a mystery. But without a doubt it is a responsibility to be called by him directly to his table, so that I may hear: for you, for me has he suffered. The many bear responsibility for all. The community of the many must be the light on the candlestick, the city on the mountain, leaven for all. This is a calling that concerns everyone personally. The many, who we are, must be conscious of their mission to be responsible for the whole. Finally, a third aspect may be added. In modern society we have the feeling that we are not at all “many”, but very few – a small swarm that is becoming ever smaller. But no – we are “many”: “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no man could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and tongues,” the Revelation of John says (Rev. 7:9). We are many and we stand for all. In this way both words, “many” and “all”, belong together and stand in relationship to each other in responsibility and promise.

Your Excellency, beloved brother bishops! With all this I wanted to indicate the basic content of the catechesis, with which priests and laity should be prepared as soon as possible for the new translation. I hope that all this can serve a more profound celebration together of the Eucharist and thus enter into the great task that lies before us in the “Year of Faith”. I hope that the catechesis will soon be presented and thus become part of the liturgical renewal for which the Council worked from its very first session.

With an Easter blessing, I remain in the Lord,

Yours

Benedictus PP XVI.

No stuff is boring for those who truly love.

From the animated movie, UP, a kid named Russel was talking about his absentee father. He remembered how they would go for an ice cream, sit on a corner and count cars. The father counted red ones. Russel counted the blue ones. Russel observed, "It may sound boring, but the boring stuff are the stuff I remember the most."

This is the mystery of a parent's love. Because of love the boring stuff becomes memorable. The boring stuff like, preparing a meal, doing the laundry, bringing to school, eating together, watching TV together, taking a walk together, a kiss, an embrace, a pat on the shoulder - when done out of love, get infused with meaning, purpose, connection and affection. Because they are acts of love, they become memorable how ever boring or ordinary they may be.

Minsan, pagkatapos ng isang mahabang araw umakyat ako ng kumbento na pagod na pagod. Pagtingin ko sa mesa, wow adobo, chicken pork adobo! Sa unang subo, sabi ko sa sarili ko, “Ang sarap parang adobo ng nanay ko.” Pagkatapos kumain naghanap ako ng panghimagas. Nakita ko sa mesa may yema. Kumain ako. Sabi ko sa sarili ko, “Ang sarap parang yema ng nanay ko.”  Nung nakakarami na ako, naisip ko, hindi kaya nandito ang nanay ko. Pumasok agad ako sa kuwarto ko. Pagbukas ng pinto, andun nga ang nanay ko! Sabi nya sa akin, "O anak, andyan ka na pala. Kanina pa kita hinihintay. Me dala akong adobo at yema, kain na tayo!"

Today is mother's day. What can we learn from a mother's love? That nothing is boring for one who truly loves. That no stuff is ordinary when done out of love. Everything can be an act of love. From the most amateur greeting card to the most expensive gift... From the lowly household chores to a grand act of sacrifice... Everything can be an act of love.

Genuine love has the power to connect us to the divine. For, as the second reading today proclaims, God is love. Love has the power to infuse meaning and depth to the most ordinary stuff, to the boring stuff (even to adobo and yema) because every act of genuine love comes from God, for God is love.

Happy mother's day to everyone!

Parish Announcement regarding the Gradual Implementation of the New English Missal

English

A new English Mass will be implemented come December 2, 2012. To facilitate the transition, the Diocese of Cubao will have a gradual implementation of the Mass changes in English. In June, the response “And also with you” will be replaced with “And with your spirit.” In July, the new “I confess” will be used. For the complete schedule of the implementation and for other questions please see the bulletin boards and the available leaflets, or visit the parish office.

Seminars and workshops will be held for a deeper understanding of these changes in the English Mass. Please wait for further announcements.

Pilipino

Mayroon pong bagong pagdiriwang ng Misa sa wikang English na ipatutupad sa darating na Disyembre, 2012. Upang maging mas madali ang gawaing ito, ang Diyosesis ng Cubao ay magsasagawa ng utay-utay na pagpapatupad ng mga pagbabago. Sa buwan ng Hunyo ang sagot na “And also with you” ay magiging “And with your Spirit.” Sa buwan naman ng Hulyo ay gagamitin ang bagong “I confess.” Para sa mas kumpletong schedule ng utay-utay na pagpapatupad at sa iba pang mga katanungan tingnan lamang po ang mga bulletin boards at ang mga ipinamimigay na babasahin, o makipag-ugnayan sa opisina ng parokya.

Mayroon pong mga workshop at seminar na gagawin para sa mas malalim na pangunawa tungkol sa mga pagbabagong ito sa pagdiriwang ng Misa sa English. Maghintay lang po sa mga susunod na patalastas.

Vocations, the Gift of the Love of God

MESSAGE OF THE HOLY FATHER
FOR THE 49th WORLD DAY
OF PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS 

29 April 2012 FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

Theme: “Vocations, the Gift of the Love of God”

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The 49^th World Day of Prayer for Vocations, which will be celebrated on 29 April 2012, the Fourth Sunday of Easter, prompts us to meditate on the theme: Vocations, the Gift of the Love of God.

The source of every perfect gift is God who is Love – Deus caritas est: “Whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him” (1 Jn 4:16). Sacred Scripture tells the story of this original bond between God and man, which precedes creation itself. Writing to the Christians of the city of Ephesus, Saint Paul raises a hymn of gratitude and praise to the Father who, with infinite benevolence, in the course of the centuries accomplishes his universal plan of salvation, which is a plan of love. In his Son Jesus – Paul states – “he chose us, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him in love” (Eph 1:4). We are loved by God even “before” we come into existence! Moved solely by his unconditional love, he created us “not … out of existing things” (cf. 2 Macc 7:28), to bring us into full communion with Him.In great wonderment before the work of God’s providence, the Psalmist exclaims: “When I see the heavens, the work of your hands, the moon and the stars which you arranged, what is man that you should keep him in mind, mortal man that you care for him?” (Ps 8:3-4). The profound truth of our existence is thus contained in this surprising mystery: every creature, and in particular every human person, is the fruit of God’s thought and an act of his love, a love that is boundless, faithful and everlasting (cf. Jer 31:3). The discovery of this reality is what truly and profoundly changes our lives. In a famous page of the Confessions, Saint Augustine expresses with great force his discovery of God, supreme beauty and supreme love, a God who was always close to him, and to whom he at last opened his mind and heart to be transformed: “Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you. Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you they would have not been at all. You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness. You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for you. I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for your peace.” (X, 27.38). With these images, the Saint of Hippo seeks to describe the ineffable mystery of his encounter with God, with God’s love that transforms all of life.

It is a love that is limitless and that precedes us, sustains us and calls us along the path of life, a love rooted in an absolutely free gift of God. Speaking particularly of the ministerial priesthood, my predecessor, Blessed John Paul II, stated that “every ministerial action - while it leads to loving and serving the Church - provides an incentive to grow in ever greater love and service of Jesus Christ the head, shepherd and spouse of the Church, a love which is always a response to the free and unsolicited love of God in Christ” (Pastores Dabo Vobis, 25). Every specific vocation is in fact born of the initiative of God; it is a gift of the Love of God! He is the One who takes the “first step”, and not because he has found something good in us, but because of the presence of his own love “poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit” (Rom 5:5).In every age, the source of the divine call is to be found in the initiative of the infinite love of God, who reveals himself fully in Jesus Christ. As I wrote in my first Encyclical, Deus Caritas Est, “God is indeed visible in a number of ways. In the love-story recounted by the Bible, he comes towards us, he seeks to win our hearts, all the way to the Last Supper, to the piercing of his heart on the Cross, to his appearances after the Resurrection and to the great deeds by which, through the activity of the Apostles, he guided the nascent Church along its path. Nor has the Lord been absent from subsequent Church history: he encounters us ever anew, in the men and women who reflect his presence, in his word, in the sacraments, and especially in the Eucharist” (No. 17).

The love of God is everlasting; he is faithful to himself, to the “word that he commanded for a thousand generations” (Ps 105:8). Yet the appealing beauty of this divine love, which precedes and accompanies us, needs to be proclaimed ever anew, especially to younger generations. This divine love is the hidden impulse, the motivation which never fails, even in the most difficult circumstances. Dear brothers and sisters, we need to open our lives to this love. It is to the perfection of the Father’s love (cf. Mt 5:48) that Jesus Christ calls us every day! The high standard of the Christian life consists in loving “as” God loves; with a love that is shown in the total, faithful and fruitful gift of self. Saint John of the Cross, writing to the Prioress of the Monastery of Segovia who was pained by the terrible circumstances surrounding his suspension, responded by urging her to act as God does: “Think nothing else but that God ordains all, and where there is no love, put love, and there you will draw out love” (Letters, 26).

It is in this soil of self-offering and openness to the love of God, and as the fruit of that love, that all vocations are born and grow. By drawing from this wellspring through prayer, constant recourse to God’s word and to the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, it becomes possible to live a life of love for our neighbours, in whom we come to perceive the face of Christ the Lord (cf. Mt 25:31-46). To express the inseparable bond that links these “two loves” – love of God and love of neighbour – both of which flow from the same divine source and return to it, Pope Saint Gregory the Great uses the metaphor of the seedling: “In the soil of our heart God first planted the root of love for him; from this, like the leaf, sprouts love for one another.” (Moralium Libri, sive expositio in Librum B. Job, Lib. VII, Ch. 24, 28; PL 75, 780D). These two expressions of the one divine love must be lived with a particular intensity and purity of heart by those who have decided to set out on the path of vocation discernment towards the ministerial priesthood and the consecrated life; they are its distinguishing mark. Love of God, which priests and consecrated persons are called to mirror, however imperfectly, is the motivation for answering the Lord’s call to special consecration through priestly ordination or the profession of the evangelical counsels. Saint Peter’s vehement reply to the Divine Master: “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you” (Jn 21:15) contains the secret of a life fully given and lived out, and thus one which is deeply joyful.

The other practical expression of love, that towards our neighbour, and especially those who suffer and are in greatest need, is the decisive impulse that leads the priest and the consecrated person to be a builder of communion between people and a sower of hope. The relationship of consecrated persons, and especially of the priest, to the Christian community is vital and becomes a fundamental dimension of their affectivity. The Curé of Ars was fond of saying: “Priests are not priests for themselves, but for you” (Le cure d’Ars. Sa pensée – Son cœur, Foi Vivante, 1966, p. 100).Dear brother bishops, dear priests, deacons, consecrated men and women, catechists, pastoral workers and all of you who are engaged in the field of educating young people: I fervently exhort you to pay close attention to those members of parish communities, associations and ecclesial movements who sense a call to the priesthood or to a special consecration. It is important for the Church to create the conditions that will permit many young people to say “yes” in generous response to God’s loving call.

The task of fostering vocations will be to provide helpful guidance and direction along the way. Central to this should be love of God’s word nourished by a growing familiarity with sacred Scripture, and attentive and unceasing prayer, both personal and in community; this will make it possible to hear God’s call amid all the voices of daily life. But above all, the Eucharist should be the heart of every vocational journey: it is here that the love of God touches us in Christ’s sacrifice, the perfect expression of love, and it is here that we learn ever anew how to live according to the “high standard” of God’s love. Scripture, prayer and the Eucharist are the precious treasure enabling us to grasp the beauty of a life spent fully in service of the Kingdom.It is my hope that the local Churches and all the various groups within them, will become places where vocations are carefully discerned and their authenticity tested, places where young men and women are offered wise and strong spiritual direction. In this way, the Christian community itself becomes a manifestation of the Love of God in which every calling is contained. As a response to the demands of the new commandment of Jesus, this can find eloquent and particular realization in Christian families, whose love is an expression of the love of Christ who gave himself for his Church (cf. Eph 5:32). Within the family, “a community of life and love” (Gaudium et Spes, 48), young people can have a wonderful experience of this self-giving love. Indeed, families are not only the privileged place for human and Christian formation; they can also be “the primary and most excellent seed-bed of vocations to a life of consecration to the Kingdom of God” (Familiaris Consortio, 53), by helping their members to see, precisely within the family, the beauty and the importance of the priesthood and the consecrated life. May pastors and all the lay faithful always cooperate so that in the Church these “homes and schools of communion” may multiply, modelled on the Holy Family of Nazareth, the harmonious reflection on earth of the life of the Most Holy Trinity.

With this prayerful hope, I cordially impart my Apostolic Blessing to all of you: my brother bishops, priests, deacons, religious men and women and all lay faithful, and especially those young men and women who strive to listen with a docile heart to God’s voice and are ready to respond generously and faithfully.

From the Vatican, 18 October 2011
BENEDICTUS PP. XVI

OLPP Vocabulary Level Up

1. repast

2. tabernacle (pronunciation)

3. coiffure

4. ambrosial

5. spot-on

6. achuchuchu

Resurrection is for real.

The risen Christ appeared to his disciples many times.

Jesus wanted to assure his disciples that resurrection is for real. More than words, Jesus showed them his wounded hands, his wounded feet. Jesus showed them his pierced side. Jesus ate with them. Jesus wanted them to touch him, to touch his body scarred by the crucifixion. The risen Lord is the crucified Lord. Resurrection is more than news. It is not rumor. Resurrection is  for real.  Our God is a living God.

And so we ask ourselves:

How real is resurrection for us today? How do we see resurrection? Are we able to touch resurrection?

I know of a parish volunteer who lost both of her parents in a span of two years. While mourning for the loss of her parents, she was diagnosed with cancer. She had to undergo chemotherapy. And as if this is not enough, while undergoing chemo, their house got burned. What a tragedy? I could have understood her if she began to question God, to question her faith. I could have understood her if she asked for a leave in her parish work. Mag-lay low muna. Hindi muna magserve. Maglaan muna ng panahon para sa sarili.

But, no, I never heard her complain. I never heard her question God. She never stopped serving the parish, spending time in prayer and offering her time to help the needy. Every time I asked her how is everything she would always say: May awa ang Diyos, Father.

Resurrection is our refusal to give in to despair and hopelessness even when we are faced with burdens that seem too heavy to carry. Resurrection is our rejection of cynicism, negativity and bitterness even when illness, loss and separation beset us. Resurrection is our continued trust in goodness and grace even when things happen not according to our plans and expectations. Resurrection is our persistence to remain warm, kind and hospitable even when we have a just cause for hatred.

The living God is for real. Resurrection is for real. Look at your heart. Look at your life. Do you see resurrection?