(12 May 09 - RV) Dear Brother Bishops, Dear Father Custos,
It is with great
joy that I greet you, the Ordinaries of the Holy Land, in this Upper Room where according
to tradition the Lord opened his heart to his chosen disciples and celebrated the
Paschal Mystery, and where the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost inspired the early
disciples to go forth and preach the good news. I thank Father Pizzaballa for the
warm words of welcome which he has expressed to me on your behalf. You represent
the Catholic communities of the Holy Land who, in their faith and devotion, are like
lighted candles illuminating the holy places that were graced by the presence of Jesus
our living Lord. This unique privilege gives you and your people a special place
of affection in my heart as the Successor of Peter. “When Jesus knew that his
hour had come to depart from this world to the Father, having loved his own who were
in the world, he loved them to the end” (Jn 13:1). The Upper Room recalls
the last supper of our Lord with Peter and the other apostles and invites the Church
to prayerful contemplation. In this vein we gather together, the Successor of Peter
with successors of the apostles, in this same place where Jesus revealed in the offering
of his own body and blood, the new depths of the covenant of love established between
God and his people. In the Upper Room the mystery of grace and salvation, of which
we are recipients and also heralds and ministers, can be expressed only in terms of
love. Because he has loved us first and continues to do so, we can respond with love
(cf. Deus Caritas Est, 2). Our life as Christians is not simply a human effort
to live the demands of the Gospel imposed upon us as duties. In the Eucharist we
are drawn into the mystery of divine love. Our lives become a grateful, docile and
active acceptance of the power of a love which is given to us. This transforming
love, which is grace and truth (cf. Jn 1:17), prompts us, as individuals and
communities, to overcome the temptation to turn in upon ourselves in selfishness or
indolence, isolation, prejudice or fear, and to give ourselves generously to the Lord
and to others. It moves us as Christian communities to be faithful to our mission
with frankness and courage (cf. Acts 4:13). In the Good Shepherd who lays
down his life for his flock, in the Teacher who washes the feet of his disciples,
you find, my dear brothers, the model of your own ministry in the service of our God
who promotes love and communion. The call to communion of mind and heart, so
closely related to the commandment of love and to the central unifying role of the
Eucharist in our lives, is of special relevance in the Holy Land. The different Christian
Churches found here represent a rich and varied spiritual patrimony and are a sign
of the multiple forms of interaction between the Gospel and different cultures. They
also remind us that the mission of the Church is to preach the universal love of God
and to gather, from far and near, all who are called by him, in such a way that, with
their traditions and their talents, they form the one family of God. A new spiritual
impulse towards communion in diversity within the Catholic Church and a new ecumenical
awareness have marked our times, especially since the Second Vatican Council. The
Spirit moves our hearts gently towards humility and peace, towards mutual acceptance,
comprehension and cooperation. This inner disposition to unity under the prompting
of the Holy Spirit is decisive if Christians are to fulfill their mission in the world
(cf. Jn:17:21). In the measure in which the gift of love is accepted and
grows in the Church, the Christian presence in the Holy Land and in the neighboring
regions will be vibrant. This presence is of vital importance for the good of society
as a whole. The clear words of Jesus on the intimate bond between love of God and
love of neighbor, on mercy and compassion, on meekness, peace and forgiveness, are
a leaven capable of transforming hearts and shaping actions. Christians in the Middle
East, together with other people of good will, are contributing, as loyal and responsible
citizens, in spite of difficulties and restrictions, to the promotion and consolidation
of a climate of peace in diversity. I wish to repeat to them what I stated in my
2006 Christmas message to Catholics in the Middle East: “I express with affection
my personal closeness in this situation of human insecurity, daily suffering, fear
and hope which you are living. I repeat to your communities the words of the Redeemer:
‘Fear not little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom’
(Lk 12:32)” (Christmas Message to Catholics living in the Middle East Region,
21 December 2006). Dear Brother Bishops, count on my support and encouragement
as you do all that is in your power to assist our Christian brothers and sisters to
remain and prosper here in the land of their ancestors and to be messengers and promoters
of peace. I appreciate your efforts to offer them, as mature and responsible citizens,
spiritual sustenance, values and principles that assist them in playing their role
in society. Through education, professional preparation and other social and economic
initiatives their condition will be sustained and improved. For my part, I renew
my appeal to our brothers and sisters worldwide to support and to remember in their
prayers the Christian communities of the Holy Land and the Middle East. In this context
I wish to express my appreciation for the service offered to the many pilgrims and
visitors who come to the Holy Land seeking inspiration and renewal in the footsteps
of Jesus. The Gospel story, contemplated in its historical and geographical setting,
becomes vivid and colorful, and a clearer grasp of the significance of the Lord’s
words and deeds is obtained. Many memorable experiences of pilgrims to the Holy Land
have been possible thanks also to the hospitality and fraternal guidance offered by
you, especially by the Franciscan Friars of the Custody. For this service, I wish
to assure you of the appreciation and gratitude of the Universal Church and I express
the wish that many more pilgrims will visit in the future. Dear brothers, as
we address together our joyful prayer to Mary, Queen of Heaven, let us place confidently
in her hands the well-being and spiritual renewal of all Christians in the Holy Land,
so that, under the guidance of their Pastors, they may grow in faith, hope and love,
and persevere in their mission as promoters of communion and peace.