Pope Speaks on Freedom of the Church as He Bestows Pallium on 38 Archbishops
(29 Jun 10 – RV) On Tuesday Pope Benedict XVI led celebrations for the solemnity of
the Feast of Sts Peter and Paul Apostles. During Mass held in St Peter’s basilica
he bestowed the pallium on 38 Metropolitan Archbishops. In his homily the Holy Father
reflected on the theme of the freedom of the Church. Below a Vatican Radio translation
from the original Italian text:
Dear brothers and sisters!
The
biblical texts of this Eucharistic Liturgy of the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul,
in their great wealth, highlight a theme that could be summarized thus: God is close
to his faithful servants and frees them from all evil, and frees the Church from negative
powers. It is the theme of the freedom of the Church, which has a historical aspect
and another more deeply spiritual one.
This theme runs through today's Liturgy
of the Word. The first and second readings speak, respectively, of St Peter and St
Paul, emphasizing precisely the liberating action of God in them. Especially the text
from the Acts of the Apostles describes in abundant detail the intervention of the
Angel of the Lord, who releases Peter from the chains and leads him outside the prison
in Jerusalem, where he had been locked up, under close supervision, by King Herod
(cf. at 12.1 to 11). Paul, however, writing to Timothy when he feels close to the
end of his earthly life, takes stock which shows that the Lord was always near him
and freed him from many dangers and frees him still by introducing him into His eternal
Kingdom ( see 2 Tim 4, 6-8.17-18). The theme is reinforced by the Responsorial Psalm
(Ps 33), and also finds a particular development in the Gospel of Peter's confession,
where Christ promises that the powers of hell shall not prevail against his Church
(cf. Mt 16:18).
Observing closely we note a certain progression regarding
this issue. In the first reading a specific episode is narrated that shows the Lord's
intervention to free Peter from prison. In the second Paul, on the basis of his extraordinary
apostolic experience, is convinced that the Lord, who already freed him "from the
mouth of the lion "delivers him" from all evil", by opening the doors of Heaven to
him. In the Gospel we no longer speak of the individual Apostles, but the Church
as a whole and its safekeeping from the forces of evil, in the widest and most profound
sense. Thus we see that the promise of Jesus - "the powers of hell shall not prevail"
on the Church – yes, includes the historical experience of persecution suffered by
Peter and Paul and other witnesses of the Gospel, but it goes further, wanting to
protect especially against threats of a spiritual order, as Paul himself writes in
his Letter to the Ephesians: " For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with
the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness,
with the evil spirits in the heavens"(Eph 6:12).
Indeed, if we think of the
two millennia of Church history, we can see that - as the Lord Jesus had announced
(cf. Mt 10.16-33) – Christians have never been lacking in trials, which in some periods
and places have assumed the character of real persecution. These, however, despite
the suffering they cause, are not the greatest danger for the Church. In fact it suffers
greatest damage from what pollutes the Christian faith and life of its members and
its communities, eroding the integrity of the Mystical Body, weakening its ability
to prophesy and witness, tarnishing the beauty of its face. This reality is already
attested in the Pauline Epistle. The First Epistle to the Corinthians, for example,
responds to some problems of divisions, inconsistencies, of infidelity to the Gospel
which seriously threaten the Church. But the Second Letter to Timothy – of which we
heard an excerpt - speaks about the dangers of the "last days", identifying them
with negative attitudes that belong to the world and can infect the Christian community:
selfishness, vanity, pride, love of money, etc. (cf. 3.1 to 5). The Apostle’s conclusion
is reassuring: men who do wrong - he writes - "will not make further progress, for
their foolishness will be plain to all" (3.9). There is therefore a guarantee of freedom
promised by God to the Church, it is freedom from the material bonds that seek to
prevent or coerce mission, both through spiritual and moral evils, which may affect
its authenticity and credibility.
The theme of the freedom of the Church,
guaranteed by Christ to Peter, also has a specific relevance to the rite of the imposition
of the pallium, which we renew today for thirty-eight metropolitan archbishops, to
whom I address my most cordial greeting, extending with it affection to all who have
wanted to accompany them on this pilgrimage. Communion with Peter and his successors,
in fact, is the guarantee of freedom for the Church's Pastors and the Communities
entrusted to them. It is highlighted on both levels in the aforementioned reflections.
Historically, union with the Apostolic See, ensures the particular Churches and Episcopal
Conferences freedom with respect to local, national or supranational powers, that
can sometimes hinder the mission of the ecclesial Church. Furthermore, and most essentially,
the Petrine ministry is a guarantee of freedom in the sense of full adherence to truth
and authentic tradition, so that the People of God may be preserved from mistakes
concerning faith and morals. Hence the fact that each year the new Metropolitans come
to Rome to receive the pallium from the hands of the Pope, must be understood in its
proper meaning, as a gesture of communion, and the issue of freedom of the Church
gives us a particularly important key for interpretation. This is evident in the case
of churches marked by persecution, or subject to political interference or other hardships.
But this is no less relevant in the case of communities that suffer the influence
of misleading doctrines or ideological tendencies and practices contrary to the Gospel.
Thus the pallium becomes, in this sense, a pledge of freedom, similar to the "yoke"
of Jesus, that He invites us to take up, each on their shoulders (Mt 11:29-30). While
demanding, the commandment of Christ is "sweet and light" and instead of weighing
down on the bearer, it lifts him up, thus the bond with the Apostolic See – while
challenging – sustains the Pastor and the portion of the Church entrusted to his care,
making them freer and stronger.
I would like to draw a final point from the
Word of God, in particular from Christ's promise that the powers of hell shall not
prevail against his Church. These words may also have a significant ecumenical value,
since, as I mentioned earlier, one of the typical effects of the Devil is division
within the Church community. The divisions are in fact symptoms of the power of sin,
which continues to act in members of the Church even after redemption. But the word
of Christ is clear: " Non praevalebunt – it will not prevail" (Matt. 16:18). The unity
of the Church is rooted in its union with Christ, and the cause of full Christian
unity - always to be sought and renewed from generation to generation - is well supported
by his prayer and his promise. In the fight against the spirit of evil, God has given
us in Jesus the 'Advocate', defender, and after his Easter, "another Paraclete" (Jn
14:16), the Holy Spirit, which remains with us always and leads the Church into the
fullness of truth (cf. Jn 14:16; 16:13), which is also the fullness of charity and
unity. With these feelings of confident hope, I am pleased to greet the delegation
of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, which, in the beautiful custom of reciprocal
visits, participates in the celebrations of the patron saints of Rome. Together we
thank God for progress in ecumenical relations between Catholics and Orthodox, and
we renew our commitment to generously reciprocate to God's grace, which leads us to
full communion.
Dear friends, I cordially greet all of you: Cardinals, Brother
Bishops, Ambassadors and civil authorities, in particular the Mayor of Rome, priests,
religious and lay faithful. Thank you for your presence. May the Saints Peter and
Paul help you to grow in love for the holy Church, the Mystical Body of Christ the
Lord and messenger of unity and peace for all men. May they also help you to offer
the hardships and sufferings endured for fidelity to the Gospel with joy for her holiness
and her mission. May the Virgin Mary, Queen of Apostles and Mother of the Church,
always watch over you and especially over the Ministry of metropolitan archbishops.
With her heavenly help may you always live and act in that freedom that Christ has
won for us. Amen.