Pope's general audience of August 29

(August 29, 2012) Every week on Wednesday, the Pope holds a public meeting, called the general audience, during which pilgrims and tourists who come to Rome have a chance of seeing and hearing him speak in several languages and receive his blessing. The general audience of August 29^th took place in the square outside the papal summer residence in the hill town of Castel Gandolfo, just southeast of Rome, where the Pope is currently passing his summer. Among them was a large group of 600 altar servers from France. This week, Pope Benedict XVI based his discourse on the day’s liturgical feast of the martyrdom St. John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus, the only saint whose birth as well as death are both celebrated by the Church.
Delivering his main discourse in Italian, the Pope noted that John the Baptist is given great prominence in the Gospels. While Luke tells us about his birth, life in the wilderness and preaching, Mark tells us about his tragic death. John the Baptist gave the people a clear invitation to prepare the way to welcome the Lord, to straighten the crooked streets of life through a radical change of heart. The Baptist not only preaches repentance but humbly steps aside so Jesus can grow, be listened to and followed. In his final act, the Baptist, without hesitation, bears witness with his blood to his fidelity to God’s commandments, accomplishing his mission to the full. St. Bede, a monk of the 9th century, in his homily reminds us that the Baptist gave his life for Christ, even though he was not ordered to deny Jesus, he was compelled only to deny the truth. Nevertheless, he died for Christ. He did not stop telling the truth, and thus he died for Christ, the truth. It is his love for truth that prevented him from compromising with the powerful nor was he afraid to utter harsh words against those who had lost the way of God.
Pope Benedict further pointed out that the source of John’s uprightness, consistency and total dedication to God was his relationship with God in prayer. John is God’s answer to the prayers of his parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth. Even though both were advanced in age and Elizabeth was barren, nothing is impossible with God. The announcement of John’s birth takes place in a place of prayer, in the temple of Jerusalem, where Zechariah breaks into “the song of joy, praise and thanksgiving” to the Lord Zechariah. It is a prayer is recited even today every morning in the Lauds in the "Benedictus". Zechariah exalts God’s action in history and points prophetically to the mission of his son John of preceding the Son of God made flesh in order to prepare His way. The whole existence of the precursor of Jesus, the Pope said, is nurtured by his relationship with God, especially the time spent in the wilderness, which besides being a place of temptation is also a place where devoid of support and material security man realizes his poverty and makes God his only sure reference point. John the Baptist, the Pope further explained, is not only a man of prayer but also a guide in man’s relationship with God, the Pope said. In narrating about the Lord’s Prayer, ‘Our Father’, St. Luke said that Jesus taught the prayer to his disciples when they requested him saying, “Lord teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
Pope Benedict observed that the martyrdom of St. John the Baptist is a reminder to the Christians of our time that with the love of Christ, his Word and Truth, one cannot compromise. Christian life requires, so to speak, the "martyrdom" of daily fidelity to the Gospel, which is the courage to let Christ grow in us and guide our thinking and actions, he said. This, he said, can happen in our lives only if our relationship with God is strong. Prayer is not time wasted, nor is it time robbed from activities, including apostolic, rather it is exactly the opposite. If we are able to live in faithful, constant and confident prayer, God Himself will give us strength and ability to live happily and peacefully, overcoming difficulties and bearing witness with courage. The Pope invoked the intercession of St. John the Baptist so that we may always maintain the primacy of God in our lives. At Wednesday’s general audience, Pope Benedict greeted other groups in their languages, including in English.

Listen:
I offer a warm welcome to all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors, especially those from England, Indonesia, Japan and Malta. Today, the Church celebrates the Martyrdom of Saint John the Baptist. John, whose birth we celebrate on the twenty-fourth of June, gave himself totally to Christ, by preparing the way for him through the preaching of repentance, by leading others to him once he arrived, and by giving the ultimate sacrifice. Dear friends, may we follow John’s example by allowing Christ to penetrate every part of our lives so that we may boldly proclaim him to the world. May God bless all of you!