Pope says society needs cross as reminder of people's shared dignity

Catholic News Service ^ | August 15, 2005

[NYer]

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (CNS) -- The crucifix should be present in public and private places because this external symbol of God's presence is a reminder of humanity's shared God-given dignity, Pope Benedict XVI said.

"The modern world believed that by putting God aside" and following man's ideas and desires people could "become truly free," but that did not happen, the pope said during his homily at Mass Aug. 15, the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The pope's comments came while he celebrated Mass at St. Thomas Church in Castel Gandolfo, where the papal summer residence is located south of Rome.

Only by exalting God's greatness, just as Mary did in her hymn of praise, the Magnificat, can people become great, the pope said in remarks apart from his prepared text.

"We must apply all this to our daily lives: It is important that God be great among us in both public and private life," he said.

It is important that "God be present in the symbol of the cross in public places, (that) God be present in our communal life because only if God is present (will) we have a guide, a common path," the pope said.

Without God, people lose their "divine dignity" and become "only a product of a blind evolution," he said.

By not recognizing humanity's divine dignity, people "can be used and abused," he said.

But it is this shared "splendor of God in one's face" that gives humanity the common ground it needs in the public sphere, the pope said.

Without recognizing God's presence, people have "nothing left in common" and "differences become irreconcilable," he said.

The pope emphasized that making God great in public and private life meant making "room for God every day," including morning prayer and "giving Sunday to God."

Spending more time with God does not make one "lose time" or freedom, rather it makes the day "greater, fuller, richer," the pope said.

After celebrating the morning Mass, the pope also marked the feast of the Assumption with a noon blessing in the courtyard of the papal villa.

He said the Marian feast day is a reminder that "heaven is our final dwelling place" and that Mary is calling on people to welcome God's will with open arms.

The pope said in his Aug. 15 Angelus that Mary asks the faithful "to not be seduced by fallacies adorned with that which is ephemeral and transient, and to not give in to the temptations of egoism and evil that extinguish the joy of life from one's heart."

In an Aug. 14 Angelus address from the papal summer residence, Pope Benedict also encouraged people not to give up hope in God even during times of great trial.

God "never closes his eyes before the needs of his children, and if sometimes he seems unfeeling to their requests it is only to put them to the test and toughen their faith," he said.

[areafiftyone]

I love this Pope!

[onedoug]

As a Jew, I agree.

[Siobhan]

Only by exalting God's greatness, just as Mary did in her hymn of praise, the Magnificat, can people become great, the pope said in remarks apart from his prepared text.

BUMP

[Siobhan]

The crucifix should be present in public and private places because this external symbol of God's presence is a reminder of humanity's shared God-given dignity, Pope Benedict XVI said.

BUMP BUMP BUMP

[Siobhan]

He said the Marian feast day is a reminder that "heaven is our final dwelling place" and that Mary is calling on people to welcome God's will with open arms.

Bumpity Bump Bump.

[onyx]

I love this Pope more and more everyday and I already love him totally!

[Tax-chick]

Incredible.

[NYer]

It is important that "God be present in the symbol of the cross in public places, (that) God be present in our communal life because only if God is present (will) we have a guide, a common path," the pope said.

It worked in San Diego. They saved the cross.

[Tax-chick]

Hey, good news! I'd lost track of that case.

[onyx]

That's right!!

But as a native San Diegan, I can tell you, the fight for the cross atop Mt. Soledad is not yet over.

[Salvation]

**The pope said in his Aug. 15 Angelus that Mary asks the faithful "to not be seduced by fallacies adorned with that which is ephemeral and transient, and to not give in to the temptations of egoism and evil that extinguish the joy of life from one's heart."**

Thank you, Pope Benedict XVI!

[BulldogCatholic]

Hmmm...this is the same man who in Vatican II, to appease the Protestants at the council, refused to allow her to be titled "Mediatrix" and as one of the Architects of Lumen Gentium had this to say about our Lady, and "warned" us not to get caught up in the "cult" of Mary:

LUMEN GENTIUM
Dogmatic Constitution on the Church
Second Vatican Council


III. On the Blessed Virgin and the Church
60. There is but one Mediator as we know from the words of the apostle, "for there is one God and one mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a redemption for all".(298) The maternal duty of Mary toward men in no wise obscures or diminishes this unique mediation of Christ, but rather shows His power. For all the salvific influence of the Blessed Virgin on men originates, not from some inner necessity, but from the divine pleasure. It flows forth from the superabundance of the merits of Christ, rests on His mediation, depends entirely on it and draws all its power from it. In no way does it impede, but rather does it foster the immediate union of the faithful with Christ.
IV. The Cult of the Blessed Virgin in the Church
66. Placed by the grace of God, as God's Mother, next to her Son, and exalted above all angels and men, Mary intervened in the mysteries of Christ and is justly honored by a special cult in the Church. Clearly from earliest times the Blessed Virgin is honored under the title of Mother of God, under whose protection the faithful took refuge in all their dangers and necessities.(21*) Hence after the Synod of Ephesus the cult of the people of God toward Mary wonderfully increased in veneration and love, in invocation and imitation, according to her own prophetic words: "All generations shall call me blessed, because He that is mighty hath done great things to me".(301) This cult, as it always existed, although it is altogether singular, differs essentially from the cult of adoration which is offered to the Incarnate Word, as well to the Father and the Holy Spirit, and it is most favorable to it. The various forms of piety toward the Mother of God, which the Church within the limits of sound and orthodox doctrine, according to the conditions of time and place, and the nature and ingenuity of the faithful has approved, bring it about that while the Mother is honored, the Son, through whom all things have their being (302) and in whom it has pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell,(303) is rightly known, loved and glorified and that all His commands are observed.

[AnAmericanMother]

My soul doth magnify the Lord;
And my spirit hath rejoicéd in God my Saviour.
For he hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden:
Lo, from henceforth all generations shall call me blesséd;
For he that is mighty hath magnifiéd me,
And holy is his name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him throughout all generations:
He hath shewéd strength with his arm;
He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts;
He hath put down the mighty from their seat,
And hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filléd the hungry with good things,
And the rich he hath sent empty away.
He remembering his great mercy hath holpen his servant Israel,
As he promised to our forefathers:
Abraham, and his seed forever.

Glory be to the Father,
And to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be:
World without end. Amen.

[NYer]

Hmmm...this is the same man who in Vatican II, to appease the Protestants at the council, refused to allow her to be titled "Mediatrix" and as one of the Architects of Lumen Gentium had this to say about our Lady, and "warned" us not to get caught up in the "cult" of Mary:

This is the same man who once was liberal in his thinking but through prayer and reflection has been moved and shaped by the Holy Spirit into the humble individual who now serves as our Holy Father.

With God, all things are possible.

[gbcdoj]

Hmmm...this is the same man who in Vatican II, to appease the Protestants at the council, refused to allow her to be titled "Mediatrix"

Do you ever tire of spreading disinformation?

By her maternal charity, she cares for the brethren of her Son, who still journey on earth surrounded by dangers and cultics, until they are led into the happiness of their true home. Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked by the Church under the titles of Advocate, Auxiliatrix, Adjutrix, and Mediatrix. (Vatican Council II, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, §62)

[Dominick]

I suspect his person could be better named Lazarus. He seems to resurrect old arguments.

CCC 969 "This motherhood of Mary in the order of grace continues uninterruptedly from the consent which she loyally gave at the Annunciation and which she sustained without wavering beneath the cross, until the eternal fulfillment of all the elect. Taken up to heaven she did not lay aside this saving office but by her manifold intercession continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation . . . . Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix."

JOHN PAUL II -ANGELUS: Sunday, 23 June 2002
Beside the merciful Heart of Christ, we venerate the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mediatrix of grace and of salvation.

Of course, we should know that John Paul II was a hopeless liberal... /sarcasm

[BulldogCatholic]

Disinformation?

That is EXACTLY the problem with the Vatican II documents, I will once again post from Lumen Gentium where the Council father say that JESUS is the only mediator, and then later on it , after many other definitions for Our Lady, sticks the word "Mediatrix" in there, instead of just coming out and saying it boldly. Vatican II is just that a mumble jumble of first conservative, then liberal, the something that may appear to be Traditional, then something to appeal to the Moslems (how we should all love our Moslems as they "honor Mary).

And you wonder why there are confused catholics. I beckon again for you to defend and explain the following, are there two "Mediatrix" or not?

III. On the Blessed Virgin and the Church
60. There is but one Mediator as we know from the words of the apostle, "for there is one God and one mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a redemption for all".(298) The maternal duty of Mary toward men in no wise obscures or diminishes this unique mediation of Christ, but rather shows His power. For all the salvific influence of the Blessed Virgin on men originates, not from some inner necessity, but from the divine pleasure. It flows forth from the superabundance of the merits of Christ, rests on His mediation, depends entirely on it and draws all its power from it. In no way does it impede, but rather does it foster the immediate union of the faithful with Christ.
IV. The Cult of the Blessed Virgin in the Church

[Dominick]

Total Disinformation.

Mary is the Mediatrix, and the Immaculate Conception, and the Mother of God, only because of Christ. Without her Fiat; nothing about Mary would have been remarkable. At the same time, she is also the Medatrix of Graces, as she had brought Christ into the world. There is no paradox that she is the Daughter of the Father, Mother of the Son, and Spouse of the Holy Spirit.

Christ is the one Mediator. 1 Tim 5: "For there is one God. There is also one mediator between God and the human race, Christ Jesus, himself human"

No matter what Vatican II or anyone else says, the words of St. Paul are authoritative.

Obviously, you are parroting someone when you make these comments. I seriously doubt that you have read most of what you cite, except when it is quoted for you in an SSPX pamphlet.