Snippets from ZENIT

ZENIT today carries the text of Pope Benedict XVI's message for this year's World Youth Day, celebrated in the dioceses and parishes of the world on Palm Sunday. I was rather taken by the concluding paragraph:

Mary, Mother of hope

May Saint Paul be your example on this path of apostolic life. He nourished his life of constant faith and hope by looking to Abraham, of whom he wrote in the Letter to the Romans: "Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become the father of many nations" (Rom 4:18). Following in the footsteps of the people of hope - composed of prophets and saints of every age - we continue to advance towards the fulfilment of the Kingdom, and on this spiritual path we are accompanied by the Virgin Mary, Mother of Hope. She who incarnated the hope of Israel, who gave the world its Saviour, and who remained at the foot of the Cross with steadfast hope, is our model and our support. Most of all, Mary intercedes for us and leads us through the darkness of our trials to the radiant dawn of an encounter with the Risen Christ.

I would like to conclude this message, my dear young friends, with a beautiful and well-known prayer by Saint Bernard that was inspired by one of Mary's titles, Stella Maris, Star of the Sea: "You who amid the constant upheavals of this life find yourself more often tossed about by storms than standing on firm ground, do not turn your eyes from the brightness of this Star, if you would not be overwhelmed by boisterous waves. If the winds of temptations rise, if you fall among the rocks of tribulations, look up at the Star, call on Mary ... In dangers, in distress, in perplexities, think on Mary, call on Mary ... Following her, you will never go astray; when you implore her aid, you will never yield to despair; thinking on her, you will not err; under her patronage you will never wander; beneath her protection you will not fear; she being your guide, you will not weary; with her assistance, you will arrive safely in the port" (Homilies in Praise of the Virgin Mother, 2:17).

Mary, Star of the Sea, we ask you to guide the young people of the whole world to an encounter with your Divine Son Jesus. Be the celestial guardian of their fidelity to the Gospel and of their hope.

There is also a news item entitled "Pope coaches priests on evangelising parishioners". This is a report of Pope Benedict's meeting with the priests of Rome for a question-and-answer session, something that is now a Lenten tradition. Dare one call this an example of dialogue? An extract quoted in the news report:

"It is very important," he emphasized, "that these faithful really find in their parish priest a pastor who loves them and helps them to listen today to the Word of God, to understand that it is a Word for them and not only for people of the past or the future, to help them even more, in the sacramental life, in the experience of prayer, in listening to the Word of God, and on the path of justice and charity, because Christians should be the leaven of our society with so many problems [...]."

This paragraph suggests to me the importance of what one might term the more "Churchy" aspect of Christian living - prayer and sacramental life - so as to enable the more "outreach" aspect - justice and charity. How far do our priests deliver on the first of these? The two aspects do, of course, go together. The full question and answer can be found here, and are worth a read. I particularly like the reference to "a place of hospitality of the faith", suggested particularly with regard to those attracted to the Church but not yet members, to provide a kind of "way in". I think this idea has an analagous application to those who are already members of a parish. Is the parish really a place of hospitality for their faith? Or does it stop at the level of their culture or social life?