LENT
“Jesus, at the sight of the crowds,
was moved with pity” (Matthew 9:36)
The above passage has been chosen by Pope
Benedict XVI to introduce his message for Lent 2006. For me and
for my fellow priests, these words are an important reminder
that we must not be ashamed or afraid of feeling compassion and
love at the sight of the crowds. Jesus was moved by this
feeling and He didn’t hide his preference for the lowly,
the sick, the abandoned and the lost.
For you these words work as a reminder as
well, for the crowds were close enough to Jesus to be seen and
to be taken as the most precious gift given by the Father to
the Son-- a gift to take care of and to build upon.
Following these inspirational words, the
Holy Father introduces Lent as an “interior
journey.” All of us are on a journey, all of us are
pilgrims and what seems to be a “terminal” is not
really such, but a gate towards a deeper understanding or
ourselves.
Our spirituality is not disconnected from
the world where we live and work. Pope Benedict XVI follows the
day to day events of our world carrying a light that shines for
all cultures and nationalities. Light must be brought to the
current state of development in our world. In the face of
certain developments that divides and separates, Pope Benedict
XVI teaches that true development shows respect for all human
beings, caring for their spiritual as well as their bodily
needs.
Fr. Julio Gonzalez, S.F.