The Holy Father yesterday gave the first of a series of Wednesday general audience addresses that will focus on the relationship between Christ and his Church. Zenit has the English translation here.
This Pope does not beat around the bush. After paying respect to his predecessor by delivering the addresses which John Paul II had already prepared, Benedict is now delving into one of the greatest mysteries of the faith.
In this first address of the cycle, Benedict refutes the notion that the Christian faith is a "just me 'n' Jesus" faith. "Although [Jesus'] preaching is always a call to personal conversion, in reality it continually tends to build the People of God which he came to gather together and save."
The address focuses on the Apostles, and is specifically a reflection on the calling of the Twelve in Mark, chapter 3. This calling, according to the Holy Father, is "an evident sign of the Nazarene's intention to gather together the community of the covenant in order to manifest in it the fulfillment of the promises made to the forefathers."
The symbolism of the Twelve Apostles is an important sign for the Jews as Benedict shows:
By choosing the Twelve, introducing them into a communion of life with him and making them sharers in the same mission of announcing the Kingdom with words and deeds (cf. Mark 6:7-13; Matthew 10:5-8; Luke 9:1-6; 6:13), Jesus wants to say that the definitive time has arrived; the time for rebuilding God's people, the people of the 12 tribes, which is now converted into a universal people, his Church.
Through the Sacraments, all Christians share in the universal unity symbolized by the Apostles:
Let's connect the dots. The Church is the community founded by the Lord by gathering the Twelve Apostles and numerous disciples. He was among them, teaching them and sanctifying them. Christ entrusted his ministry to the Apostles. They brought more and more sheep into the flock and brought Christ to them in the Sacraments. Today, our bishops who are themselves the successors of the Twelve continue to gather together the scattered and continue to bring Christ to the faithful in the Sacraments.
It's so simple, yet so profound. Most importantly, it works. The bishops and the priests who share in the bishops' ministry are Christ's guarantee of being among us. Christ is always present in the community of the Church. Our eternal Lord, whom Augustine refered to as a "beauty ever-ancient, ever-new," is always with us, renewing us and giving us the fullness of his life.
Benedict ends the address with a marvelous profession of confidence:
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Zenit has the official Vatican translation of the Holy Father's Address to Pontifical Academy of Life. The Academy's meeting topic was "The Human Embryo in the Preimplantation Phase."
Here is the Zenit translation of the Holy Father's address at the general audience on Ash Wednesday last week.
There was no audience this week as the pope is participating in the Curia's annual Lenten retreat.
