"you are buried with Christ in baptism you were also raised with him" (cf. Col 2, 12)
Dear Brothers and Sisters
Lent, which leads to the celebration of Easter, the Church is a liturgical season very valuable and important, in view of which I am pleased to specific words that we live with due commitment. The ecclesial community, assiduous in prayer and charity operates, while looking toward the ultimate encounter with his wife in the eternal Easter, intensifies its way to purify the spirit, to get more abundance of the mystery of redemption new life in Christ the Lord (cf. Preface of Lent).
1. This life and we passed the day of baptism, when "to participate in the death and resurrection of Christ" came to us "a joyful and exciting adventure of the disciple" (Homily on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, January 10 2010). St. Paul in his letters, he insists repeatedly on the unique communion with the Son of God made in this laver. The fact that in most cases Baptism is received in childhood shows that it is a gift of God, no one deserves eternal life with his forces. The mercy of God, erases sin and allowed to live in their own existence 'the same mind of Christ Jesus "(Phil 2, 5) is communicated to the man free.
The Apostle of the Gentiles in the Letter to the Philippians, expresses the sense of transformation that takes place by participating in the death and resurrection of Christ, stating its purpose: that I may "know him, the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, trying to get to the resurrection from the dead "(Phil 3: 10-11). Baptism, therefore, is not a rite of the past, but the encounter with Christ that makes up the entire existence of baptized God gives life and calls him a sincere conversion, initiated and sustained by grace, to take you to reach the adult height of Christ.
a particular link with links to Baptism Lent as a favorable time to experience the grace that saves. The Fathers of Vatican II urged all pastors of the Church to use "more abundantly own baptismal elements of the Lenten liturgy" (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 109). Indeed, since always, the Church associated the Easter Vigil at the celebration of Baptism: in this sacrament is performed by the great mystery why the man dies to sin, part of a new life in the Risen Christ and receives the same Spirit of God who raised Jesus from the dead (cf. Rom 8, 11). This free gift should be revived in every one of us, Lent offers us a journey similar to the catechumenate, which for Christians of the early Church and to the catechumens of today, is an irreplaceable school of faith and Christian life: Baptism actually live as a decisive step for its entire existence.
2. To take seriously the way to prepare to celebrate Easter and the Resurrection of the Lord, the most joyous and solemn celebration of the entire liturgical year, "what could be more appropriate to be guided by the Word of God? And so the Church, in the Gospel texts of the Sundays of Lent, leading us to a particularly intense encounter with the Lord, making us go step of the way of Christian initiation for the catechumens, the prospect of receiving the sacrament of rebirth, and who is baptized in order to further decisive steps in following Christ and fuller delivery to him.
the first Sunday of the Lenten journey underlines our status as a man on this earth. The victorious battle against temptations that begins the mission of Jesus is an invitation to become aware of the fragility to receive the grace that frees us from sin and infuse new strength in Christ, way, truth and life (cf. Ordo Initiationis Adultorum Christianae, n. 25). A call is determined to remember that Christian faith implies, following the example of Jesus, in union with him, a struggle "against the rulers of this dark world" (Eph 6, 12), in which the devil acts and not tired, not today, to tempt the man who wants to get closer to the Lord, Christ is victorious, to also open our hearts to hope and lead us to overcome the temptations of evil.
The Gospel of the Transfiguration of the Lord puts before our eyes the glory of Christ, the resurrection and anticipates announcing the deification man. The Christian community is aware that it is carried, like the Apostles Peter, James and John "them up a high mountain" (Mt 17, 1), to host again in Christ, as sons in the Son, the gift of grace God: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased hear him" (v. 5). Is the invitation to avoid the bustle of everyday life to dive into God's presence: he wants to convey to us, every day, a word that penetrates the depths of our spirit, where discerning good and evil (cf. Heb 4 12) and strengthens the will to follow the Lord.
the request of Jesus to the Samaritan woman: "Give me a drink" (Jn 4, 7), which reads in the liturgy of the third Sunday, expresses the passion of God for every man and wants to inspire in our hearts the desire of the gift of "water welling up to eternal life" (v. 14): is the gift of the Holy Spirit makes Christians "true worshipers" able to pray to the Father "in spirit and truth" (v. 23). Only this water can quench our thirst for goodness, truth and beauty! Only this water, which gives us the Son, irrigates the deserts of the soul restless and dissatisfied, "until they rest in God, in the celebrated words of St. Augustine.
On Sunday the blind man represents Christ light of the world. The Gospel challenges us to each of us: "Do you believe in the Son of man?". "I believe, Lord" (Jn 9, 35.38), says with joy the blind from birth, giving voice to every believer. The miracle of healing is the sign of Christ, along with vision, want to open our inner eye, that our faith is deepening and we recognize him as our only Saviour. He illuminates all darkness in life and leads man to live as a "child of light."
When, on the fifth Sunday, proclaiming the resurrection of Lazarus, we face the ultimate mystery of our existence: "I am the resurrection and the life ... Do you believe this? "(Jn 11, 25-26). For the Christian community is the time to sincerely put back together with Martha, all the hope in Jesus of Nazareth: "Yes, Lord, I believe you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world "(v. 27). Communion with Christ in this life prepares us to cross the frontier of death, to live without end in him. Faith in the resurrection of the dead and the hope of eternal life open our eyes to the ultimate meaning of our existence: God has created man for the resurrection and life, and this really gives the true dimension and definitive history men, to their personal and social life, culture, politics, economics. From the light of faith throughout the universe has just locked inside a tomb with no future, no hope.
The Lenten journey is fulfilled in the Paschal Triduum, especially in the Great Vigil of the Holy Night: the renewal of baptismal promises, we affirm that Christ is Lord of our life, the life that God told us when reborn "of water and the Holy Spirit, and confirm once again our firm commitment to match the action of grace to be his disciples.
3. Our dive into the death and resurrection of Christ through the sacrament of Baptism, drives us every day to free our heart the weight of material things, a link selfish with the "earth", which impoverishes us and prevents us from being available and open to God and neighbor. In Christ, God has revealed himself as Love (cf. 1 Jn 4, 7-10). The Cross of Christ, the "word of the Cross expresses the saving power of God (cf. 1 Cor 1, 18), which is given to man up and bring salvation: love in its most radical (cf. Enc . Deus Caritas Est, 12). By traditional practices of fasting, almsgiving and prayer, expressions of commitment to conversion, educates Lent live ever more radical the love of Christ. Fasting, which may have different motivations for the Christian becomes a deeply religious meaning: becoming poorer our table we learn to overcome selfishness to live in the logic of giving and love, enduring the deprivation of something-and not just superfluous-learn to look away from our self, to discover anyone on our side and acknowledge God in the faces of many of our brothers. For the Christian fasting is nothing intimate, but mostly open to God and the needs of men, and makes love to God is also love of neighbor (cf. Mk 12, 31).
well on our way we are faced with the temptation of having, of greed for money, which snare the primacy of God in our lives. The possessiveness causes violence, transgression and death is why the Church, especially in the Lenten season, recalls the practice of almsgiving, that is, the ability to share. The idolatry of the goods, however, not only away from the other, but deprives man, what makes you unhappy, is cheating, what disappoints without realizing what it promises, because it puts material things in the place of God, the only source of life. How to understand the paternal goodness of God if the heart is full of oneself and one's own projects, with which we have no illusions that we ensure the future? The temptation is to think like the rich of the parable: "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years ... But God said, "You fool! This very night your soul "(Lk 12, 19-20). The practice of almsgiving, reminds us of the primacy of God and care for others, to rediscover our good Father and receive his mercy.
Throughout the period of Lent, the Church offers us with a particular abundance of God's Word. Meditating and internalising to live every day, learn a precious and irreplaceable form of prayer, for the attentive ear of God who still speaks to our hearts, feeds the journey of faith that began on the day of Baptism. Prayer enables us to also acquire a new conception of time: indeed, without the prospect of eternity and transcendence, just check our steps toward a horizon that has no future. In prayer we find, however, time to God, to know that "his words shall not pass" (cf. Mt 13, 31), to enter into intimate communion with him that "no one can take away" (cf. Jn 16 22) and that opens us to the hope that never fails to eternal life.
In summary, during Lent, which invites us to contemplate the mystery of the cross is "me conformable unto his death "(Phil 3, 10), to carry out a profound conversion of our lives: let us be transformed by the action of the Holy Spirit, as St. Paul on the road to Damascus to guide our life according to the decision God, deliver us from our selfishness, overcoming the instinct to dominate others and looking forward to the charity of Christ. The Lenten season is the favorable moment to recognize our weaknesses, accept, with a sincere examination of life, renewing grace of the Sacrament of Penance and walk resolutely towards Christ.
Dear brothers and sisters, through the personal encounter our Redeemer and by fasting, almsgiving and prayer, of conversion to Easter brings us to rediscover our baptism. Renewing this Lent the reception of the grace that God gave us at that time, to enlighten and guide all our actions. What the Sacramento signifies and we are called to live each day as we follow Christ in an ever more generous and genuine. We instruct our journey to the Virgin Mary, who created the Word of God in faith and in the flesh, to dive and her death and resurrection of His Son Jesus and have eternal life.
Benedict XVI
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