..... I have called you friends" (Jn 15,15).
Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger - Homily at the Mass for the Election of the Roman Pontiff
http://www.catholic.org/featured/headline.php?ID=2062
4/19/2005 - 5:00 AM PST
©Catholic Online 2005
Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger
Mass in St. Peter's Basilica
April 18, 2005
“At this hour of great responsibility, we hear with special consideration what the Lord says to us in his own words. From the three readings I would like to examine just a few passages which concern us directly at this time."
"How many winds of doctrine we have known in recent decades, how many ideological currents, how many ways of thinking... The small boat of thought of many Christians has often been tossed about by these waves - thrown from one extreme to the other: from Marxism to liberalism, even to libertinism; from collectivism to radical individualism; from atheism to a vague religious mysticism; from agnosticism to syncretism, and so forth. Every day new sects are created and what Saint Paul says about human trickery comes true, with cunning which tries to draw those into error (cf Eph 4, 14). Having a clear faith, based on the Creed of the Church, is often labeled today as a fundamentalism. Whereas, relativism, which is letting oneself be tossed and "swept along by every wind of teaching," looks like the only attitude (acceptable) to today’s standards. We are moving towards a dictatorship of relativism which does not recognize anything as for certain and which has as its highest goal one’s own ego and one’s own desires.
However, we have a different goal: the Son of God, true man. He is the measure of true humanism. Being an "Adult" means having a faith which does not follow the waves of today’s fashions or the latest novelties. A faith which is deeply rooted in friendship with Christ is adult and mature. It is this friendship which opens us up to all that is good and gives us the knowledge to judge true from false, and deceit from truth. We must become mature in this adult faith; we must guide the flock of Christ to this faith. And it is this faith - only faith - which creates unity and takes form in love. On this theme, Saint Paul offers us some beautiful words - in contrast to the continual ups and downs of those were are like infants, tossed about by the waves: (he says) make truth in love, as the basic formula of Christian existence. In Christ, truth and love coincide. To the extent that we draw near to Christ, in our own life, truth and love merge. Love without truth would be blind; truth without love would be like "a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal" (1 Cor 13,1)."
If you want to read the whole homily please visit:
http://www.catholic.org/featured/headline.php?ID=2062
Originally posted by ivanhoewhat do you think of what he was impling?
..... I have called you friends" (Jn 15,15).
Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger - Homily at the Mass for the Election of the Roman Pontiff
http://www.catholic.org/featured/headline.php?ID=2062
4/19/2005 - 5:00 AM PST
©Catholic Online 2005
Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger
Mass in St. Peter's Basilica
April 18, 2005
“At this hour of great respons ...[text shortened]... to read the whole homily please visit:
http://www.catholic.org/featured/headline.php?ID=2062
Originally posted by KneverKnightOriginally posted by KneverKnight
My head exploded after the first sentence. Then I realized he was refering to the Bible. Long day, much tired.
[b]My head exploded after the first sentence.
I'm curious what will happen to you after you've read the whole homily .....
Originally posted by ivanhoe[/b]Sounds like he is attempting to circle the Christian wagons against the barbarian onslaught from the East.
Originally posted by KneverKnight
[b]My head exploded after the first sentence.
I'm curious what will happen to you after you've read the whole homily .....