PAUL HARING | CNS
A balloon with an image of a dove
floats as Pope Benedict XVI waves after leading the Angelus from the
window of his apartment overlooking St. Peter’s Square on the feast of Mary,
Mother of God, and the observance of World Peace Day at the Vatican Jan. 1.
VATICAN CITY (VIS) — In his homily during Mass in the Vatican Basilica for the Solemnity of Mary Mother of God on Jan. 1 — which also marked the 45th World Day of Peace — Pope Benedict XVI addressed the theme of this year’s World Day of Peace, “Educating Young People in Justice and Peace.” Following are excerpts:
“On the first day of the year, the liturgy resounds in the Church throughout the world with the ancient priestly blessing that we heard during today’s first reading: ‘The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace’. ... In order to be blessed, we have to stand in God’s presence, take His Name upon us and remain ... in a space lit up by His gaze, diffusing grace and peace.”
“Mary is the mother and model of the Church. ... The Church also participates in the mystery of divine motherhood, through preaching, which sows the seed of the Gospel throughout the world, and through the sacraments, which communicate grace and divine life to men. ... Like Mary, the Church is the mediator of God’s blessing for the world: she receives it in receiving Jesus and she transmits it in bearing Jesus. He is the mercy and the peace that the world, of itself, cannot give, and which it needs always, at least as much as bread.”
“The Church too, on the first day of the year, invokes this supreme good in a special way; she does so, like the Virgin Mary, by revealing Jesus to all, for as St. Paul says, ‘He is our peace,’ and at the same time the ‘way’ by which individuals and peoples can reach this goal to which we all aspire.”
Educating for peace
“‘Educating Young People in Justice and Peace’ is a task for every generation, and thanks be to God, after the tragedies of the two great world wars, the human family has shown increasing awareness of it, as we can witness, on the one hand, from international statements and initiatives, and on the other, from the emergence among young people themselves, in recent decades, of many different forms of social commitment in this field. For the ecclesial community, educating men and women in peace is part of the mission received from Christ. It is an integral part of evangelization, because the Gospel of Christ is also the Gospel of justice and peace.”
“In the face of the shadows that obscure the horizon of today’s world, to assume responsibility for educating young people in knowledge of the truth, in fundamental values and virtues, is to look to the future with hope. And in this commitment to a holistic education, formation in justice and peace has a place. Boys and girls today are growing up in a world that has, so to speak, become smaller, where contacts between different cultures and traditions, even if not always direct, are constant. For them, now more than ever, it is indispensable to learn the importance and the art of peaceful coexistence, mutual respect, dialogue and understanding. Young people by their nature are open to these attitudes, but the social reality in which they grow up can lead them to think and act in the opposite way, even to be intolerant and violent. Only a solid education of their consciences can protect them from these risks and make them capable of carrying on the fight, depending always and solely on the power of truth and good. This education begins in the family and is developed at school and in other formative experiences. It is essentially about helping infants, children and adolescents to develop a personality that combines a profound sense of justice with respect for their neighbor, with a capacity to address conflicts without arrogance, with the inner strength to bear witness to good, even when it involves sacrifice, with forgiveness and reconciliation. Thus they will be able to become people of peace and builders of peace.”
“In this task of educating young generations, a particular responsibility lies with religious communities. Every pathway of authentic religious formation guides the person, from the most tender age, to know God, to love Him and to do His will. God is love, He is just and peaceable, and anyone wishing to honor Him must first of all act like a child following his father’s example. ... In God, justice and mercy come together perfectly, as Jesus showed us through the testimony of His life. ... Jesus is a way that can be travelled, open to everyone. He is the path of peace. Today the Virgin Mary points Him out to us, she shows us the Way: let us walk in it!”
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