Pope Benedict XVI's Sunday Angelus

(08 Aug 10 – RV) Pope Benedict XVI prayed the Angelus with the faithful gathered in the courtyard of the Papal Summer residence at Castel Gandolfo this Sunday.

In his remarks ahead of the traditional prayer of Marian devotion, Pope Benedict reflected on the Gospel reading for this Sunday, saying in the passage from the Gospel according to St. Luke, Jesus continues his discourse to the disciples about the worth of the person and about how useless earthly concerns really are, and illustrates how the expectation of the fulfilment of the "blessed hope, His coming, must push us even more to a fulfilling life, rich in good works." “It is,” he said, “an invitation to use things without selfishness, without the thirst for possession or domination, but according to God's logic, the logic of attention to one’s neighbour, the logic of love.

The Holy Father also looked forward to some of the saints’ feasts, which the Church shall celebrate this week, men and women who made God the centre of their lives and lived accordingly: The religious founder, St. Dominic and the foundress, St. Claire of Assisi; St. Lawrence of Rome, Deacon and Martyr; and finally, a pair of 20th century martyrs who shared the same fate at Auschwitz - the Carmelite Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, born Edith Stein, and the Franciscan Maximilian Kolbe, founder of the Army of Mary Immaculate, both of whom experienced the darkness of World War II without ever losing hope in the God of life and love.

After the Angelus prayer, Pope Benedict greeted pilgrims in many languages, including English…

I offer a warm welcome to the English-speaking visitors gathered for this Angelus prayer. Today’s Gospel reminds us that by God’s goodness much has been given to us, and much will be required of us. During these quiet days of summer let us thank the Lord for the many blessings we have received and draw ever closer to him in prayer, in fidelity to his commandment of love, and in communion with his Body, the Church. Upon you and your families I invoke an abundance of joy and peace in the Lord!