Pope Francis: “The light of Jesus doesn’t put on a show”

The following comes from the Vatican Insider:

Light is the main symbol of Christianity. It characterises and adequately captures the essence of Christianity. The light of the world on the other hand is an “artificial” light. This was the focus of Pope Francis’ second mass in St. Martha’s House since the end of the brief summer break.

“You can know everything; you can have knowledge of all things and this light on things. But the light of Jesus is something else. It is not a light of ignorance, no! It’s a light of wisdom and sagacity, but it is something other than the light of the world. The light that the world offers us is an artificial light, strong, perhaps – but that of Jesus is stronger, eh! - strong like a firework, like a flash of photography. Instead, the light of Jesus is a mild light, it is a quiet light, it is a light of peace, it’s like the light on Christmas night: without pretence,” Francis said in his homily, published on the Vatican Radio website.

Sometimes we inevitably find ourselves blinded by the wrong kind of light, the kind that brings one into the limelight or the light of personal success that fulfils one’s own interests. We often give more importance to appearing rather than being. But this glimmer of light could be the devil in disguise, “an angel of light” who “likes to imitate Jesus and do good, he speaks to us quietly, as he spoke to Jesus after the fast in the desert.” “The light of Jesus, he continued, “doesn’t put on a show. It’s a light that comes into the heart … It’s a light that speaks to the heart, and also a light that offers you the Cross. If we, in our inner light are meek, if we hear the voice of Jesus in the heart and look on the Cross without fear: that is the light of Jesus.”

This is not the first time Pope Francis invites faithful to come out of the spotlight (of their own vocations), that pretentious light that makes humans slaves of their own image. “But if a light comes that “makes you arrogant,” a light that “brings you to look on others from on high” to despise others, “that leads you to pride” – that is not the light of Jesus: it’s the light of the devil, disguised as Jesus, as an angel of light,” the Pope said. “Wherever Jesus is, there is always humility, meekness, love, and the Cross.” But, he added, sometimes “we find a Jesus that is not humble, that is not meek, that is without love, and without the Cross.” So we must follow the true Jesus “without fear,” following His light because the light of Jesus “is beautiful and does so much good,” Francis added.

Speaking about the devil’s disguises and his deceptive ways, Francis said: “Jesus doesn’t need an army to cast out the demons, He has no need of pride, no need of force, of arrogance. ‘What is there about His word? For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.’ This is a humble word, meek, with so much love; it is a word that accompanies us in the moments of the Cross. Let us ask the Lord to give us today the grace of His Light, and to teach us to distinguish when the light is from Him, and when it is an artificial light, made by the enemy to deceive us.”

WYD Denver 1993: Launching pad for the new evangelization

The following comes from Chris Stefanick:

It’s been 20 years since World Youth Day 1993. It’s no accident that Blessed John Paul II chose Denver for the event. Archbishop Charles Chaput remembers being on the committee that made recommendations to the Holy See about which city should host the event.

“The vote in that group of bishops went to Minneapolis/St.Paul because of the large number of Catholics there, because they were experienced at having major events,” he said. “Nonetheless, the Holy Father chose Denver.”

I think that’s because World Youth Day was never just about the attendees, but about the world he intended to unleash them on. Like Jesus, who loved preaching with the sea as his backdrop—an image of eternity that, unlike the sky, is accessible to man—John Paul II loved to pick key locations that would help him convey his message. He often made reference to the symbolic meaning of where he was while preaching. And multiple times during his presentations at World Youth day ‘93, the Holy Father referenced “the modern metropolis.”

Denver is a thoroughly New World city—not just historically but spiritually. As strong as the Church is in Denver, by no means is it a Catholic city. Catholics only represent 16.4 percent of the population. Nor is Colorado known as a pro-life state. It was the first U.S. state to legalize abortion. Nor was it a “safe” city at the time. World Youth Day coincided with a terrifying wave of gang violence in the city that took the lives of innocent bystanders. The “culture of death” John Paul II described was alive and well in Denver.

Think of the audacity of the Holy Father, to bring a Catholic event for youth here—in the hope of drawing hundreds of thousands of attendees! What he saw in Denver that few others saw, was the perfect launching pad for the “new evangelization,” which he constantly spoke of—that is, a renewed proclamation of the Gospel to a world that’s already heard of it (as opposed to non-Christian cultures), using all the energy, creativity and means of modern communication at our disposal.

The late Bishop Roger Kaffer, who was an auxiliary bishop in Joliet, Ill., privately relayed a conversation to me that he’d had with John Paul II about the connection of World Youth Day and the new evangelization.

Bishop Kaffer: “I’m talking about your upcoming visit to Denver at every confirmation. Is there something I can tell the youth that ‘the pope told me to tell you’?”

JPII: “I wrote you a letter!” the pope shot back, referring to his 1985 Apostolic Letter to the Youth of the World.

Bishop Kaffer: “I know. I read it. But I want something live from you.”

JPII: “Yes. Last year (1992) I went to the Dominican Republic to inaugurate the 500th anniversary of the evangelization of the Americas. I consider my coming to Denver (for World Youth Day ’93) to be the close of that jubilee year and the beginning of the new evangelization of the Americas and of the world, and I’m counting on youth to help.”

And help they did!

I wonder how many reporters had to trash the stories they prepared for the event with headlines like “Catholicism proves its irrelevance with dismal turnout for World Youth Day in Denver.” Or perhaps, “Young people show up in droves to protest antiquated Church.” Or worse, “Young people caught in the crossfire of gang violence.” Instead, 750,000 teens showed up. I guess they hadn’t gotten the memo that Catholicism doesn’t speak to young people. As for Denver’s violence, all crime in the city came to a grinding halt during the event. It’s hard to count the number of people I’ve met whose lives were changed, who discovered a vocation, or birthed a new apostolic initiative because of that World Youth Day.

Anti-Catholic reporters were probably as dumbfounded as the devil was on the first Easter Sunday. Wherever they’re hosted, World Youth Days tend to be among the largest gatherings in a nation’s history, if not the largest. Denver was no exception. (I’ve often heard World Youth Day referred to as “the Catholic Woodstock.” For the record, World Youth day tends to outnumber Woodstock by anywhere from a half-million to 5 million young people. I think it’s more proper to call Woodstock “the secular World Youth Day!”)

I’ll never forget the pope’s words, standing in Cherry Creek State Park as a teenager, as he made it clear that World Youth Day, like all the graces God gives, wasn’t just about us. It was about God sending us to light up the world.

“Young pilgrims, Christ needs you to enlighten the world and to show it the ‘path to life.’”… At this stage of history, the liberating message of the Gospel of life has been put into your hands. And the mission of proclaiming it to the ends of the earth is now passing to your generation. … Do not be afraid to go out on the streets and into public places, like the first apostles who preached Christ and the good news of salvation in the squares of cities, towns and villages. This is no time to be ashamed of the Gospel (see Rom 1:16). … Do not be afraid to break out of comfortable and routine modes of living, in order to take up the challenge of making Christ known in the modern ‘metropolis.’ It is you who must ‘go out’ …”

In a world that tends to set the bar for young people so low, the confidence the Holy Father had in us to carry on the new evangelization was life-changing. It reminds me of the confidence our Lord placed in the apostles, putting the Church in their very “under-qualified” hands! God always sees more in us than we see in ourselves, doesn’t he?

Twenty years later, it’s time to give thanks for the grace of World Youth Day ‘93, and to re-commit to the great commission Blessed John Paul II handed on to our generation. When it comes to the new evangelization, nothing less than the future of civilization and the eternal destiny of countless lives hinges on our success.

Blessed John Paul II, pray for us.

Denver 1993: Launching pad for the new evangelization

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Pope Francis Appeals for Peace

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has called for a day of fasting and prayer for peace in Syria, in the entire Mideast region, and throughout the whole world to be held this coming Saturday, September 7th, 2013. The Pope made the announcement during the course of remarks ahead of the traditional Angelus prayer this Sunday. 

Below, please find the full text of the Holy Father's Angelus appeal.
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Hello!
Today, dear brothers and sisters, I wish to make add my voice to the cry which rises up with increasing anguish from every part of the world, from every people, from the heart of each person, from the one great family which is humanity: it is the cry for peace! It is a cry which declares with force: we want a peaceful world, we want to be men and women of peace, and we want in our society, torn apart by divisions and conflict, that peace break out! War never again! Never again war! Peace is a precious gift, which must be promoted and protected.
There are so many conflicts in this world which cause me great suffering and worry, but in these days my heart is deeply wounded in particular by what is happening in Syria and anguished by the dramatic developments which are looming.
I appeal strongly for peace, an appeal which arises from the deep within me. How much suffering, how much devastation, how much pain has the use of arms carried in its wake in that martyred country, especially among civilians and the unarmed! I think of many children will not see the light of the future! With utmost firmness I condemn the use of chemical weapons: I tell you that those terrible images from recent days are burned into my mind and heart. There is a judgment of God and of history upon our actions which are inescapable! Never has the use of violence brought peace in its wake. War begets war, violence begets violence.
With all my strength, I ask each party in this conflict to listen to the voice of their own conscience, not to close themselves in solely on their own interests, but rather to look at each other as brothers and decisively and courageously to follow the path of encounter and negotiation, and so overcome blind conflict. With similar vigour I exhort the international community to make every effort to promote clear proposals for peace in that country without further delay, a peace based on dialogue and negotiation, for the good of the entire Syrian people.
May no effort be spared in guaranteeing humanitarian assistance to those wounded by this terrible conflict, in particular those forced to flee and the many refugees in nearby countries. May humanitarian workers, charged with the task of alleviating the sufferings of these people, be granted access so as to provide the necessary aid.
What can we do to make peace in the world? As Pope John said, it pertains to each individual to establish new relationships in human society under the mastery and guidance of justice and love (cf. John XXIII, Pacem in Terris, [11 April 1963]: AAS 55, [1963], 301-302).
All men and women of good will are bound by the task of pursuing peace. I make a forceful and urgent call to the entire Catholic Church, and also to every Christian of other confessions, as well as to followers of every religion and to those brothers and sisters who do not believe: peace is a good which overcomes every barrier, because it belongs all of humanity!
I repeat forcefully: it is neither a culture of confrontation nor a culture of conflict which builds harmony within and between peoples, but rather a culture of encounter and a culture of dialogue; this is the only way to peace.May the plea for peace rise up and touch the heart of everyone so that they may lay down their weapons and be let themselves be led by the desire for peace.
To this end, brothers and sisters, I have decided to proclaim for the whole Church on 7 September next, the vigil of the birth of Mary, Queen of Peace, a day of fasting and prayer for peace in Syria, the Middle East, and throughout the world, and I also invite each person, including our fellow Christians, followers of other religions and all men of good will, to participate, in whatever way they can, in this initiative.
On 7 September, in Saint Peter’s Square, here, from 19:00 until 24:00, we will gather in prayer and in a spirit of penance, invoking God’s great gift of peace upon the beloved nation of Syria and upon each situation of conflict and violence around the world. Humanity needs to see these gestures of peace and to hear words of hope and peace! I ask all the local churches, in addition to fasting, that they gather to pray for this intention.
Let us ask Mary to help us to respond to violence, to conflict and to war, with the power of dialogue, reconciliation and love. She is our mother: may she help us to find peace; all of us are her children! Help us, Mary, to overcome this most difficult moment and to dedicate ourselves each day to building in every situation an authentic culture of encounter and peace. Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us!

The Sea Within

The Sea Within: Trailer from Blackfriar Films on Vimeo.

Pope Benedict XVI saved boy from cancer

The following comes from KSDK News:

The world viewed Pope Benedict XVI as the leader of more than a billion Catholics world-wide. He was regularly seen speaking to thousands in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican.

But Peter Srsich saw a different side of the pope.

When Peter was just 17-years-old he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer.

"He had a chest x-ray and it revealed a softball sized tumorin his chest," Laura Srsich, Peter's mother, said. "It was determined that it was stage four non-Hodgkin's lymphoma."

While doctors at Children's Hospital Colorado worked to save Peter's life, the Make-a-Wish Foundation granted him his wish.

"First thing Peter said, 'I'd love to go meet the Pope in Rome,'" Laura said.

On a sunny day in May Peter got his chance to meet Pope Benedict XVI in St. Peter's Square.

"When I got up to actually talk to him I was struck by how human he was," Peter said. "It was a humbling experience for me to see how humble he was."

Pope Benedict XVI listened as Peter told him about his journey with cancer. Peter presented the pope with a lime green wristband that had printed on it, "Praying for Peter." In return the pope offered a blessing for Peter.

"Then he blessed me. He put his hand right on my chest where the tumor had been. He didn't know where the tumor was, but he put his hand right there," Peter said.

Nearly a year later, Peter is now cancer free and a sophomore at Regis University. He is hoping one day to become an ordained priest.

Pope Benedict XVI surprised many when he announced his resignation, the first pope to do so since Pope Gregory XII in 1415.

Peter believes in doing so Pope Benedict XVI is humbly putting the Catholic Church ahead of his own needs. Something that Peter says is in character with the man he met.

"I'm going to remember him as one of the most humble people in the world, especially by this last act he is doing," Peter said.