Lombardi Editorial: Jesus and Socrates

In his weekly editorial Vatican Radio and Holy See Press Office Director, Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J. discusses: Jesus and Socrates
During the General Audience on Holy Wednesday, and departing from his prepared comments, the Pope spoke at length about the prayer of Jesus at Gethsemane. Meditating with great depth about the anguish of Jesus, over his fear in the face of death, he revealed the difference between Jesus and Socrates.

We all admire the strength and self-control of the ancient Greek sage, whom his disciple Plato described with great ability in his unforgettable writings. But his aloofness before the experience of dying in some ways removes him from the actual poverty and fragility of the common human condition when faced with death. This isn’t the case of Jesus, who really was one of us.

God’s love descends to the lowest depths to take us all towards heaven. Paradoxically, perhaps the most mysterious and mystifying episode of the Gospel, Gethsemane is transformed into a story that can give more comfort to the limitless suffering of humanity in all ages. Pain without limit, but also love without limit. That is why we can speak of “salvation” and we can believe in it, in our flesh, in our lives and in our death.

Responding on Good Friday to questions he received from different parts of the world, the Pope said that in the Eucharist the risen body of Jesus touches us and enters us, in order to transform our lives into his new life. Passion and Resurrection, the greatest gift from God to our humanity on its journey.