Pope Benedict XVI Homily at Mass for the souls of deceased Cardinals and Bishops

(November 03, 2011) Pope Benedict XVI on Thursday recalled nine Cardinals who passed away in the course of the year including Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil the head of Syro-Malabar Catholic Church who passed away on April the first. Celebrating a traditional mass in St Peter’s Basilica, Rome, in memory of the Cardinals and Bishops passed away in the past twelve months the Pontiff said that the death of Christ is the source of life, because in it God has poured all his love, like a huge fountain of water, thus giving us new life with his victory over death. During his homily the Pope said that we have the confidence that we live in Christ and will always remain in his presence. Pope Benedict referred to the passage from the Book of Hosea which reminds the resurrection of Jesus, the mystery of his death and his entry into eternal life. Reflecting on the passage from the Gospel of Mark the Pope said Jesus spoke to his disciples on his sufferings and his death and his resurrection on the third day which remained a mystery to them. By his dying on the cross Jesus gave new and eternal life which is the fruit of the tree of the Cross, a tree that blooms and bears fruit and provides full light and strength that comes from God. Without the Cross of Christ, the whole of nature is powerless. Further the Pontiff explained that because of Christ and due to the work accomplished in Him by the Holy Trinity a new hope is given to humanity. Jesus prayed at the last Supper that he wanted those whom the Father had given him to be with him. Among those are the venerable persons departed for whom the Eucharist is offered, for they have known God through Jesus and have experienced the love of the Father Son and the Spirit. On Wednesday, All Souls day, a special prayer was offered at Vatican’s Grotto of our Lady of Lourdes for all the departed Popes.