Pope prays for repose of souls of late cardinals

“The search for the "things of above" does not mean that Christians should ignore the obligations and tasks of this world, only that we must not loose ourselves to them, as if they had a definitive value. The call to the reality of Heaven is an invitation to recognize the relativity of what is destined to pass, compared to those values that do not know the test of time. We must work, we must be committed, we must allow ourselves just rest, but with the serenity of one who knows that he is only a traveller on a journey toward the heavenly homeland, a pilgrim, in a sense, a stranger on the road to eternity”.

Inspired by St Paul’s letter to the Colossians, Pope Benedict XVI gave this reflection on the Christian vision of life on earth and beyond to the bishops, priests and lay faithful who had come to celebrate mass for the repose of the souls of cardinals who had died over the course of the past year.

Speaking from the high altar of St Peter’s the Pope said this “ultimate goal has now been reached by the late Cardinals Peter Seiichi Shirayanagi, Cahal Brendan Daly, Armand Gaétan Razafindratandra, Thomas Spidlik, Paul Augustin Mayer, Luigi Poggi, as well as a number of archbishops and bishops who have left us in the past year” .

“We affectionately remember them, giving thanks to God for the gifts he bestowed on the Church through these our brothers who have preceded us in the sign of faith and now sleep the sleep of peace. Our gratitude becomes a prayer for their souls that the Lord will welcome them into the bliss of Paradise”.

Pope Benedict continued “we love to remember these our venerable brothers as zealous pastors, whose ministry has always been marked by the eschatological horizon that inspires hope in the promise of happiness without a shadow , promised to us after this life, as witnesses of the Gospel bent on living those "things of above", which are the fruit of the Spirit: "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (Gal 5:22), as Christians and pastors animated by a deep faith, by a strong desire to comply to Jesus and to adhere closely to his person, constantly contemplating his face in prayer. For this they were able to foretaste eternal life …that Christ himself has promised to "whoever believes in him." The term "eternal life" in fact means a divine gift given to mankind: communion with God in this world and its fullness in the future.

Pope Benedict concluded : “the Son of man came not to be served but to serve and give life. God is not domineering, but love without measure. He does not show his omnipotence in punishment, but in mercy and forgiveness. Understanding this means entering into the mystery of salvation: Jesus came to save and not to condemn, with the sacrifice of the Cross, he reveals the face of God's love …we know that even the smallest force of love is greater than the maximum force for destruction and that it can transform the world, and because of this very faith we can have a "trustworthy hope, in that eternal life”. Listen to the full report by Emer McCarthy: