God's love and mercy guaranteed, says preacher during Papal spiritual exercises.

(March 10, 2006) : On the fourth day Thursday March 9^th of the Papal retreat, preacher Cardinal Marco Cé used three Gospel passages for meditation - Jesus' transfiguration, the healings of the epileptic child and the blind beggar near Jericho. The Transfiguration reveals "the intrinsic unity between the cross and glory, people awaiting a powerful and glorious Messiah who would liberate Israel from Roman oppression. The presence of Moses and Elias with the Father indicated that in Jesus all the promises of the Old Covenant are fulfilled, Cardinal Cé said. Speaking of the epileptic child, the preacher recalled that the disciples were unable to free the child from his evil and that Christ acted in response to the father's faith: "Jesus asks us to trust unconditionally in his infinite mercy.” Commenting on the blind beggar from Jericho, Cardinal Cé said that beggar’s faith was also decisive in recovering his sight. The blind man heard the Lord's arrival -- "faith comes from hearing" -- and his most profound desire was to see Jesus. This is a very important lesson for today, said Cardinal Cé: "Faith is not only, or above all, information; faith is self-giving; it is communion with Jesus who gives himself. "Let us ask the Lord for the grace to cure our blindness. Let us ask him to give us the truth, the only one that makes us truly free, and, at the same time, let us ask for the strength to make it concrete in our lives, following him on the path that leads to Jerusalem, certain that glory is already in the cross." The retired patriarch of Venice, Cardinal Marco Cé, is preaching the Lenten spiritual exercises to Pope Benedict in the chapel of the Apostolic Palace, that are also being attended by members of the Roman Curia. The papal spiritual exercises will end Saturday morning.