2010-02-22 15:19:24

Pope asks for prayer as he starts retreat


(February 22, 2010) Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday entrusted his annual spiritual retreat to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin, imploring her that Lent be a time lived "with joy and fruit." The Pope said this on Sunday before praying the midday Angelus with those in St. Peter's Square. He began his week-long spiritual exercises Sunday evening. During the week, all his public appointments, including Wednesday’s General Audience, will be suspended. Pope Benedict reflected on Sunday’s Gospel narration of Christ's temptations in the desert, explaining what it means to "enter into the Lenten journey." He said Christ came into the world to free us from sin and the dangerous fascination of planning our lives without God, by personally struggling against the Tempter, right up to the cross. The world, he said, improves beginning with ourselves, changing what is not right in our lives with the grace of God." The basic teaching of Christ’s temptation is that “If we carry the Word of God in our heart and in our mind, if it enters into our lives, if we have confidence in God, we can reject any sort of deception of the Tempter." In this regard, the Pope explained, Lent can be considered a long retreat, "during which we return to ourselves and listen to God’s voice to overcome the temptations of the Evil One and find the truth of our being. It is a time, we could say, of spiritual 'contest' to live together with Jesus, “not with pride and presumption, but using the weapons of faith, that is, prayer, listening to God’s Word and penance," Pope Benedict added.







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