Catholic Metanarrative

Wednesday, August 31, 2005

Wednesday Liturgy: "Ustedes" vs. "Vosotros"

ROME, AUG. 30, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum Pontifical University.

Q: No. 59 of the instruction "Redemptionis Sacramentum" states that the reprobated practice by which priests, deacons or the faithful alter or vary at will the text of the sacred liturgy that they are charged to pronounce, must cease. Does this also apply in the Spanish language where in the United States the sacramentary has "Vosotros" but the Mexican culture has made most of the priests and deacons use "Ustedes"? Are we obliged to use the actual words in the sacramentary in this case? -- G.O., Pendleton, Oregon

A: About 15 years ago, at the instigation of the Holy See, all Spanish-language bishops' conferences agreed on a common text for the Mass. Before this agreement there were many differences in the translations including different versions of the Our Father. The lectionary for the readings remains proper to each national or regional episcopal conference.

In this missal the greetings retain the more familiar "vosotros" form prevalent in Spain instead of the more formal "ustedes" common in Latin America.

In fact, except for some remnants in Argentina and Chile, the "vosotros" form practically disappeared in both spoken and written American Spanish several generations ago. Only in Spain does the plural "vosotros" with its attendant concordances form part of daily usage.

This distinction has no current equivalent in English as both expressions translate as "you" plural. However, the familiar "tu" or "vos" and "vosotros" are roughly equivalent to the archaic English "thee" and "ye" which were familiar forms whereas "you," at least in the singular, was slightly more formal.

Because this form is no longer current speech the Mexican bishops requested and obtained permission to substitute "ustedes" for "vosotros" in the greetings. For the sake of unity, however, they retained the older form in the verb constructions of Christ's words at the consecration narrative "Take and eat/drink."

Not all Latin American bishops' conferences adopted the same criteria as the Mexican. Some have preferred to maintain the more archaic form in the liturgy considering that it creates no particular barrier to understanding and is well accepted by the faithful.

Even in Mexico, the faithful readily adapt to visiting priests used to the "vosotros" form as it does not imply any variation with respect to the responses and interventions of the assembly.

Now, approved exceptions or adaptations to liturgical norms are usually territorial in nature; that is, they apply only in the ecclesiastical territory for which they were approved. They may be applied outside this territory only when Mass is celebrated in a country which has no approved missal in the same language.

Since not all Spanish-speaking Americans are of Mexican extraction, the United States uses the common Spanish Language Missal which, in principle, should be used as it is, conserving the "vosotros" form.

Nevertheless, since this change has been approved in Mexico, and is mostly a question of grammar with no theological implications, it is not quite in the same league as the arbitrary changes made to approved texts to which "Redemptionis Sacramentum" is referring.

I think that the bishop could permit this usage if the use of "vosotros" were to cause particular difficulties in the pastoral attention of Mexican faithful.

Likewise in those greetings where the rubrics allow the celebrant to substitute similar words for those printed in the missal then there is no reason why he may not substitute "ustedes" for "vosotros" in Masses for Mexicans.

Wednesday Liturgy: Follow-up: Plexiglass Covering on Altar

ROME, AUG. 30, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum Pontifical University.

Several questions arose regarding our commentaries on altar linens (see Aug. 16). An Indiana reader asked about the proper use and design of the altar linens.

The principle involved is formulated in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM), No. 351: "Every effort should be made to ensure that even as regards objects of lesser importance the canons of art be appropriately taken into account and that noble simplicity come together with elegance."

That said, there is little more in recent norms regarding the design, size and materials of these cloths. The constant use of the word "linen" in the norms indicates that it is the most appropriate material and that even if other quality fabrics are used they should share the same qualities as linen and should be white in color.

The corporal, which should always be used for Mass, is square in shape and is customarily folded into nine sections and thus stored flat. It is often stiffened with starch so as to open more readily and keep its shape longer.

There are no specified dimensions and it can come in several (reasonable) sizes, according to the number of vessels to be placed upon it. Some authors recommend that it be left unadorned although in many places a cross is worked into the center of the side near the celebrant or at the center of the square.

In these latter cases the corporal should be folded in such a way that the nobler side of the decoration is that upon which the sacred vessels will be placed.

The purificator is rectangular in shape and usually folded three times lengthwise. It may be adorned but not so much as to impede its function as a practical towel for purifying the sacred vessels. If not made of linen it should be of another white absorbent fabric. Its size may vary slightly depending on functionality, but 12 to 17 inches (31 to 43 centimeters) is a fairly good average.

The towels for the washing of hands should be practical, absorbent and sufficiently ample so as to allow this rite to be more than a mere finger dip. At the same time they should be clearly reserved for liturgical use and not have a domestic appearance.

Another reader, a deacon from Birmingham, England, inquired more specifically about the use and placement of the corporal.

He states: "Regarding the use of the corporal: you stated that, if the burse is not used, the corporal should be placed on the chalice pall for removal after Mass. But what if there is no chalice pall either, as is correct for most parishes? In the past, in clearing the altar after the Eucharistic liturgy, I have folded the corporal (carefully) and placed it on the credence table. There it remains until the next celebration or until it requires washing. Conversely, if the parish priest is to celebrate the next Mass alone, I have left the corporal exactly where it is as most priests of my acquaintance prefer not to 'mess around' with the corporal -- incorrectly, in my humble opinion. But what is then the correct liturgical practice? Your quote from 'Redemptionis Sacramentum' does not appear to rule this out."

Although it is true that the pall is not obligatory, its function is above all to protect the contents of the chalice from dust and insects. It proves its usefulness almost everywhere during the summer months and always adds a touch of elegance to the chalice.

If the pall is not used the folded corporal can still be easily placed on top of the chalice for the next Mass although it may also be placed folded on the credence as you suggest.

It should not normally be left upon the altar, as the rite for the preparation of gifts (GIRM, 73) specifically foresees its unfolding, to wit: "First, the altar, the Lord's table, which is the center of the whole Liturgy of the Eucharist, is prepared by placing on it the corporal, purificator, Missal, and chalice (unless the chalice is prepared at the credence table)."

This task is usually entrusted to the deacon or acolyte. But if the priest celebrates alone with no ministers present it falls upon him to reverently open the corporal.

A related question comes from an Oregon reader: "I've just read your comments about the altar linens and want to be very sure that I understand. We have a young parish priest who, contrary to the practice of our pastor, does not place the small chalices, to be used for the congregation, on the corporal for the consecration of the wine. I have always thought that what is to be consecrated must be on the corporal, and now am not at all sure about that."

You are correct in assuming that the species to be consecrated must always be placed upon a corporal, and indeed, except during the distribution of Communion, the Sacred Species must always be placed upon a corporal.

As a sample I will quote just two texts of the GIRM but could cite many more. GIRM No. 142 describes the presentation of the chalice:

"[T]he priest stands at the side of the altar and pours wine and a little water into the chalice, saying quietly, 'Per huius aquae' (By the mystery of this water). He returns to the middle of the altar, takes the chalice with both hands, raises it a little, and says quietly, 'Benedictus es, Domine' (Blessed are you, Lord). Then he places the chalice on the corporal and covers it with a pall, as appropriate."

GIRM No. 118 considers the situation where, due to the number of vessels, purification is deferred until after Mass: "[I]t is also permitted, especially if there are several vessels to be purified, to leave them suitably covered on a corporal, either at the altar or at the credence table, and to purify them immediately after Mass following the dismissal of the people."

In short, the liturgical norms always foresee the use of a corporal for the placement of the Sacred Species.

Wednesday, August 24, 2005

Angelus: At World Youth Day's Closing Mass

COLOGNE, Germany, AUG. 21, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the address Benedict XVI delivered in various languages at the end of the closing Mass of World Youth Day, before praying the Angelus.

* * *

Dear Friends,

We have come to the conclusion of this marvelous celebration and indeed of the 20th World Youth Day. In my heart I sense welling up within me a single thought: "Thank you!" I am sure that this thought finds an echo in each one of you. God himself has implanted it in our hearts and he has sealed it with this Eucharist which literally means "thanksgiving." Yes, dear young people, our gratitude, born from faith, is expressed in our song of praise to Him, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who has given us yet another sign of his immense love.

Our words of thanks rise up to God through the gift of this unforgettable meeting, and are now extended to all those who have been involved in its preparation and organization. I wish to renew my gratitude particularly to the Pontifical Council for the Laity, under its president, Archbishop Stanislaw Rylko, ably assisted by the secretary, Bishop Josef Clemens, and also to my confreres from the German Bishops' Conference, in the first place to the archbishop of Cologne, Cardinal Joachim Meisner. I am grateful to the political and administrative authorities who have ensured that each event has run smoothly; I thank the many volunteers from German dioceses and from different countries. A cordial word of thanks goes also to the many contemplative communities who have supported us in prayer during this World Youth Day.

And now, as the living presence of the Risen Christ in our midst nourishes our faith and hope, I am pleased to announce that the next World Youth Day will take place in Sydney, Australia, in 2008. We entrust to the maternal guidance of Mary most holy, the future course of the young people of the whole world.

[After praying the Angelus, the Holy Father said:]

[In French] I greet affectionately the French-speaking young people. Thank you dear friends, for your participation, and I trust that you return home bringing within, you like the Magi, the joy of having found Christ, the Son of the living God.

[In English] I extend a warm greeting to the English-speaking young people from all parts of the world at the conclusion of these unforgettable days. May the light of Christ, which you have followed on your way to Cologne, shine ever more brightly and strongly in your lives!

[In Spanish] Dear Spanish-speaking young people! You have come to worship Christ. Now that you have found him, continue to worship him in your hearts, always prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you (cf. 1 Peter 3:15). Have a pleasant return home!

[In Italian] My dear Italian-speaking friends! This 20th World Youth Day is ending, but the Eucharistic celebration must continue in our lives: Bring to all the joy of Christ that you have found here.

[In Polish] To all the young Polish people, I extend a warm embrace! As the great Pope John Paul II would say: Keep the flame of faith alive in your lives and in your people. May Our Lady, Mother of Christ, guide your steps always.

[In Portuguese] I greet with affection the Portuguese-speaking young people. I pray, dear friends, that you will always live in friendship with Jesus, so as to know true joy and communicate it to others, especially to young people in difficulty.

[In Tagalog] My dear Tagalog-speaking friends and all the young people of Asia! Like the Magi, you too have come from the East to worship Christ.

Now that you have found him, return to your countries bringing in your hearts the light of his love.

[In Swahili] A warm greeting also to you, young people from Africa! Bring to your great and beloved Continent the hope that Christ has given you.

Be everywhere sowers of peace and brotherhood.

[In German] Dear friends who understand me in my own language, I thank you for the affection with which you have sustained me in these days. Be close to me in prayer. Walk together in unity. Always be faithful to Christ and to the Church. May the peace and the joy of Christ be with you always!

[Translation of the text issued by the Vatican press office]

Benedict XVI's Farewell Address at Airport

COLOGNE, Germany, AUG. 21, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation Benedict XVI's farewell address to Germany, which he delivered today in the Cologne-Bonn airport.

* * *

At the conclusion of this, my first visit to Germany as the Bishop of Rome and the Successor of Peter, I must express once again my heartfelt gratitude for the welcome given to me, to my collaborators and especially to the many young people who came to Cologne from every continent for this World Youth Day. The Lord has called me to succeed our beloved Pope John Paul II, whose inspired idea it was to initiate the series of World Youth Days. I have taken up this legacy with joy, and I give thanks to God for giving me the opportunity to experience in the company of so many young people this further step along their spiritual pilgrimage from continent to continent, following the Cross of Christ.

I am grateful to all those who have so effectively ensured that every phase of this extraordinary gathering could take place in an orderly and serene fashion. These days spent together have given many young men and women from the whole world the opportunity to become better acquainted with Germany. We are all well aware of the evil that emerged from our homeland during the 20th century, and we acknowledge it with shame and suffering. During these days, thanks be to God, it has become quite evident that there was and is another Germany, a land of singular human, cultural and spiritual resources. I hope and pray that these resources, thanks, not least, to the events of recent days, may once more spread throughout the world!

Now young people from all over the world can return home enriched by their contacts and their experiences of dialogue and fellowship in the different regions of our homeland. I am certain that their stay, marked by their youthful enthusiasm, will remain as a pleasant memory with the people who have offered them such generous hospitality, and that it will also be a sign of hope for Germany. Indeed one can say that during these days Germany has been the center of the Catholic world. Young people from every continent and culture, gathered in faith around their pastors and the Successor of Peter, have shown us a young Church, one that seeks with imagination and courage to shape the face of a more just and generous humanity. Following the example of the Magi, these young men and women set out to encounter Christ, in accordance with the theme of this World Youth Day. Now they are returning to their own regions and cities to testify to the light, the beauty and the power of the Gospel which they have experienced anew.

I must also express thanks to all who have opened their hearts and their homes to the countless young pilgrims. I am grateful to the government authorities, to the political leaders and the various civil and military departments, as well as the security services and the many volunteer organizations which have put so much effort into the preparation and realization of each of the initiatives and events of this World Youth Day. A special word of thanks goes to all who planned the moments of prayer and reflection, as well as the liturgical celebrations, eloquent examples of the joyful vitality of the faith that animates the generation in our time. I would also like to express my gratitude to the leaders of other churches and ecclesial communities, and to the representatives of other religions who wished to be present at this important meeting. I express my hope that we can strengthen our common commitment to train the younger generation in the human and spiritual values which are indispensable for building a future of true freedom and peace.

My deep gratitude goes to Cardinal Joachim Meisner, archbishop of Cologne, the diocese that hosted this international meeting, to the bishops of Germany, led by the president of the bishops' conference, Cardinal Karl Lehmann, to the priests, to men and women religious, and to the parish communities, lay associations and movements who have devoted such energy to helping the young people present to reap the spiritual fruits of their stay. I offer a special word of thanks to the young people from Germany, who in a variety of ways have helped to welcome other young people and to share with them moments of faith that have been truly memorable. I hope that this event will remain impressed on the life of Germany's Catholics and will be an incentive for a renewed spiritual and apostolic outreach! May the Gospel be received in its integrity and witnessed with profound conviction by all Christ's disciples, so that it becomes a source of authentic renewal for all of German society, thanks also to dialogue with the different Christian communities and the followers of other religions.

Finally, my respectful and cordial greetings go to the political, civil and diplomatic authorities present at this departure ceremony. In particular I thank you, Mr. Chancellor, and I ask you kindly to convey my deep gratitude to the president of the republic, the members of the government and all the German people. Filled with the emotions and memories of these days, I now return to Rome. Upon all of you I invoke God's abundant blessings for a future of serene prosperity, harmony and peace.

[Translation of German original issued by the Vatican press office]

Papal Homily at Closing Mass of World Youth Day

COLOGNE, Germany, AUG. 21, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Here is the homily Benedict XVI delivered today during the closing Mass of World Youth Day, celebrated in the Marienfield near Cologne.

* * *

[In German]

Dear young friends,

Yesterday evening we came together in the presence of the Sacred Host, in which Jesus becomes for us the bread that sustains and feeds us (cf. John 6:35), and there we began our inner journey of adoration. In the Eucharist, adoration must become union. At the celebration of the Eucharist, we find ourselves in the "hour" of Jesus, to use the language of John's Gospel. Through the Eucharist this "hour" of Jesus becomes our own hour, his presence in our midst. Together with the disciples he celebrated the Passover of Israel, the memorial of God's liberating action that led Israel from slavery to freedom. Jesus follows the rites of Israel. He recites over the bread the prayer of praise and blessing.

But then something new happens. He thanks God not only for the great works of the past; he thanks him for his own exaltation, soon to be accomplished through the Cross and Resurrection, and he speaks to the disciples in words that sum up the whole of the Law and the Prophets: "This is my Body, given in sacrifice for you. This cup is the New Covenant in my Blood." He then distributes the bread and the cup, and instructs them to repeat his words and actions of that moment over and over again in his memory.

What is happening? How can Jesus distribute his Body and his Blood? By making the bread into his Body and the wine into his Blood, he anticipates his death, he accepts it in his heart and he transforms it into an action of love. What on the outside is simply brutal violence, from within becomes an act of total self-giving love. This is the substantial transformation which was accomplished at the Last Supper and was destined to set in motion a series of transformations leading ultimately to the transformation of the world when God will be all in all (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:28). In their hearts, people always and everywhere have somehow expected a change, a transformation of the world. Here now is the central act of transformation that alone can truly renew the world: Violence is transformed into love, and death into life.

Since this act transmutes death into love, death as such is already conquered from within, the Resurrection is already present in it. Death is, so to speak, mortally wounded, so that it can no longer have the last word. To use an image well known to us today, this is like inducing nuclear fission in the very heart of being -- the victory of love over hatred, the victory of love over death. Only this intimate explosion of good conquering evil can then trigger off the series of transformations that little by little will change the world. All other changes remain superficial and cannot save. For this reason we speak of redemption: What had to happen at the most intimate level has indeed happened, and we can enter into its dynamic. Jesus can distribute his Body, because he truly gives himself.

[In English]

This first fundamental transformation of violence into love, of death into life, brings other changes in its wake. Bread and wine becomes his Body and Blood. But it must not stop there, on the contrary, the process of transformation must now gather momentum. The Body and Blood of Christ are given to us so that we ourselves will be transformed in our turn. We are to become the Body of Christ, his own flesh and blood. We all eat the one bread, and this means that we ourselves become one. In this way, adoration, as we said earlier, becomes union. God no longer simply stands before us, as the one who is totally Other. He is within us, and we are in him. His dynamic enters into us and then seeks to spread outwards to others until it fills the world, so that his love can truly become the dominant measure of the world.

I like to illustrate this new step urged upon us by the Last Supper by drawing out the different nuances of the word "adoration" in Greek and in Latin. The Greek word is "proskynesis." It refers to the gesture of submission, the recognition of God as our true measure, supplying the norm that we choose to follow. It means that freedom is not simply about enjoying life in total autonomy, but rather about living by the measure of truth and goodness, so that we ourselves can become true and good. This gesture is necessary even if initially our yearning for freedom makes us inclined to resist it. We can only fully accept it when we take the second step that the Last Supper proposes to us. The Latin word for adoration is "ad-oratio" -- mouth-to-mouth contact, a kiss, an embrace, and hence ultimately love. Submission becomes union, because he to whom we submit is Love. In this way submission acquires a meaning, because it does not impose anything on us from the outside, but liberates us deep within.

[In French]

Let us return once more to the Last Supper. The new element to emerge here was the deeper meaning given to Israel's ancient prayer of blessing, which from that point on became the word of transformation, enabling us to participate in the "hour" of Christ. Jesus did not instruct us to repeat the Passover meal, which in any event, given that it is an anniversary, is not repeatable at will. He instructed us to enter into his "hour." We enter into it through the sacred power of the words of consecration -- a transformation brought about through the prayer of praise which places us in continuity with Israel and the whole of salvation history, and at the same time ushers in the new, to which the older prayer at its deepest level was pointing. The new prayer -- which the Church calls the "Eucharistic Prayer" -- brings the Eucharist into being. It is the word of power which transforms the gifts of the earth in an entirely new way into God's gift of himself and it draws us into this process of transformation. That is why we call this action "Eucharist," which is a translation of the Hebrew word "beracha" -- thanksgiving, praise, blessing, and a transformation worked by the Lord -- the presence of his "hour."

Jesus' hour is the hour in which love triumphs. In other words: it is God who has triumphed, because he is Love. Jesus' hour seeks to become our own hour and will indeed become so if we allow ourselves, through the celebration of the Eucharist, to be drawn into that process of transformation that the Lord intends to bring about. The Eucharist must become the center of our lives. If the Church tells us that the Eucharist is an essential part of Sunday, this is no mere positivism or thirst for power. On Easter morning, first the women and then the disciples had the grace of seeing the Lord. From that moment on, they knew that the first day of the week, Sunday, would be his day, the day of Christ the Lord. The day when creation began became the day when creation was renewed. Creation and redemption belong together. That is why Sunday is so important. It is good that today, in many cultures, Sunday is a free day, and is often combined with Saturday so as to constitute a "weekend" of free time. Yet this free time is empty if God is not present.

Dear friends!

Sometimes, our initial impression is that having to include time for Mass on a Sunday is rather inconvenient. But if you make the effort, you will realize that this is what gives a proper focus to your free time. Do not be deterred from taking part in Sunday Mass, and help others to discover it too. This is because the Eucharist releases the joy that we need so much, and we must learn to grasp it ever more deeply, we must learn to love it. Let us pledge ourselves to do this -- it is worth the effort! Let us discover the intimate riches of the Church's liturgy and its true greatness: It is not we who are celebrating for ourselves, but it is the living God himself who is preparing a banquet for us. Through your love for the Eucharist you will also rediscover the sacrament of Reconciliation, in which the merciful goodness of God always allows us to make a fresh start in our lives.

[In Italian]

Anyone who has discovered Christ must lead others to him. A great joy cannot be kept to oneself. It has to be passed on. In vast areas of the world today there is a strange forgetfulness of God. It seems as if everything would be just the same even without him. But at the same time there is a feeling of frustration, a sense of dissatisfaction with everyone and everything. People tend to exclaim: "This cannot be what life is about!" Indeed not. And so, together with forgetfulness of God there is a kind of new explosion of religion. I have no wish to discredit all the manifestations of this phenomenon. There may be sincere joy in the discovery. Yet if it is pushed too far, religion becomes almost a consumer product. People choose what they like, and some are even able to make a profit from it. But religion constructed on a "do-it-yourself" basis cannot ultimately help us. It may be comfortable, but at times of crisis we are left to ourselves. Help people to discover the true star which points out the way to us: Jesus Christ! Let us seek to know him better and better, so as to be able to guide others to him with conviction.

This is why love for sacred Scripture is so important, and in consequence, it is important to know the faith of the Church which opens up for us the meaning of Scripture. It is the Holy Spirit who guides the Church as her faith grows, causing her to enter ever more deeply into the truth (cf. John 16:13). Pope John Paul II gave us a wonderful work in which the faith of centuries is explained synthetically: the Catechism of the Catholic Church. I myself recently presented the Compendium of the Catechism, prepared at the request of the late Holy Father. These are two fundamental texts which I recommend to all of you.

[In Spanish]

Obviously books alone are not enough. Form communities based on faith! In recent decades movements and communities have come to birth in which the power of the Gospel is keenly felt. Seek communion in faith, like fellow travelers who continue together to follow the path of the great pilgrimage that the Magi from the East first pointed out to us. The spontaneity of new communities is important, but it is also important to preserve communion with the Pope and with the bishops. It is they who guarantee that we are not seeking private paths, but are living as God's great family, founded by the Lord through the Twelve Apostles.

[In German]

Once again, I must return to the Eucharist. "Because there is one bread, we, though many, are one body," says St. Paul (1 Corinthians 10:17). By this he meant: Since we receive the same Lord and he gathers us together and draws us into himself, we ourselves are one. This must be evident in our lives. It must be seen in our capacity to forgive. It must be seen in our sensitivity to the needs of others. It must be seen in our willingness to share. It must be seen in our commitment to our neighbors, both those close at hand and those physically far away, whom we nevertheless consider to be close. Today there are many forms of voluntary assistance, models of mutual service, of which our society has urgent need. We must not, for example, abandon the elderly to their solitude, we must not pass by when we meet people who are suffering. If we think and live according to our communion with Christ, then our eyes will be opened.

Then we will no longer be content to scrape a living just for ourselves, but we will see where and how we are needed. Living and acting thus, we will soon realize that it is much better to be useful and at the disposal of others than to be concerned only with the comforts that are offered to us. I know that you as young people have great aspirations, that you want to pledge yourselves to build a better world. Let others see this, let the world see it, since this is exactly the witness that the world expects from the disciples of Jesus Christ; in this way, and through your love above all, the world will be able to discover the star that we follow as believers.

Let us go forward with Christ and let us live our lives as true worshippers of God! Amen.

[Translation of text issued by the Vatican press office]

Wednesday Liturgy: Bells at the Consecration

ROME, AUG. 23, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum Pontifical University.

Q: The ringing of bells at the elevation is now omitted during the consecration; the reason given is that since the Mass is now said in the language of the parishioners, they should be aware of what is happening and are not in need of bells to tell them. Does not the ringing of bells at the elevation draw attention to the great event that has occurred on the altar? -- E.H., Williamsford, Ontario

A: The General Instruction of the Roman Missal refers to bell ringing in No. 150: "A little before the consecration, when appropriate, a server rings a bell as a signal to the faithful. According to local custom, the server also rings the bell as the priest shows the host and then the chalice."

The text makes it clear that ringing a bell at the consecration is an option, not an obligation.

Since the GIRM's presumption is that Mass is celebrated in the local tongue, the use of the vernacular, in itself, cannot be used as a reason for the abolition of the bell ringing. There may be other good reasons, but they should be weighed carefully. A long-standing custom should not just be swept away unless more is to be gained by dropping it than retaining it.

The birth of the custom of a signal bell at the consecration, probably during the 13th century, had more to do with the recitation of the canon in a low voice than to the language of the Mass as such.

It may also have been inspired by changes in church architecture in which the people were more physically separated from the altar by the choir -- and in some cases a significant number of faithful were impeded from seeing the altar during Mass. Thus the use of the bell became necessary.

Some centuries later the bell was also rung at other moments such as the Sanctus and before Communion.

Certainly the practical reasons for ringing the bell have all but disappeared. Yet, it can still serve a purpose as an extra aid to call attention to the moment of the consecration, as a jolt to reawaken wandering minds and a useful catechetical tool for children and adults alike.

In an age when people are ever more in thrall to audiovisual means of communication, and less attentive to abstract discourse, it seem strange that we set about removing those very means that, as well as forming part of our tradition, could prove most effective in transmitting a message of faith. A similar argument could also be made regarding the decline in practices such as the use of incense during Mass.

The Holy See has maintained the practice of ringing the bell at the consecration in St. Peter's Basilica, although it has an excellent sound system. I also had the experience of a parish that restored the use of the signal bell after many years without it. Not only where there no complaints but the general reaction was very positive from all age groups.

Wednesday Liturgy: Follow-up: Tabernacles and Adoration

ROME, AUG. 23, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum Pontifical University.

Several questions have arisen regarding the tabernacle, adoration and proper reverence (see July 26).

Some readers asked if, after adoration, it were sufficient to place a cloth over the monstrance or draw a wooden screen before the altar in order to reserve the Blessed Sacrament.

For example, an English reader writes: "I was told that it was OK for the door to the Blessed Sacrament chapel to be left ajar as no one is in room, when others are still in the building even if they are not aware of the Presence in chapel. Is it OK for a cloth to be placed over the monstrance while alone and the next person to uncover it when the building is empty? I myself am not happy with these ideas and would like some advice and, if I am right, a document or suchlike that I can show so this will not happen."

According to "Redemptionis Sacramentum," No. 131:

"Apart from the prescriptions of canon 934 §§ 1, it is forbidden to reserve the Blessed Sacrament in a place that is not subject in a secure way to the authority of the diocesan Bishop, or where there is a danger of profanation. Where such is the case, the diocesan Bishop should immediately revoke any permission for reservation of the Eucharist that may already have been granted."

Note this norm refers to the security of the tabernacle, which is generally locked and bolted or otherwise fixed in place so that even if thieves were to enter the building they could not easily access the tabernacle or remove it entirely.

If this is true of the tabernacle, it should be clear that it is totally insufficient to simply cover or hide the monstrance. Once adoration is over, the Blessed Sacrament should be reserved in a secure tabernacle.

Regarding leaving the Blessed Sacrament alone during exposition, once more "Redemptionis Sacramentum" is clear, in No. 138:

"Still, the Most Holy Sacrament, when exposed, must never be left unattended even for the briefest space of time. It should therefore be arranged that at least some of the faithful always be present at fixed times, even if they take alternating turns."

Another question concerned the number of candles to be used during adoration.

Four or six candles may be used although widespread custom allows for more. There are no special norms, such as the proportion of wax, regarding the makeup of candles for adoration. Those candles should follow the name general requirements as for altar candles.

Finally, a California reader poses the following question: "We have just begun perpetual adoration in our parish and are extremely grateful to our pastor for allowing us the opportunity to adore Our Lord 24 hours a day, seven days a week. My only concern was the presence of a locked tabernacle that contains consecrated hosts off to the side, but inside the small room where Jesus is exposed on the altar in the monstrance. The extraordinary ministers of Communion are now being instructed to enter into the small chapel for consecrated hosts to bring to their homebound. I was just wondering if the disturbance of them coming in to retrieve the Sacred Hosts somehow takes away from our focus on Jesus on the altar and if this is allowable according to the Church's specifications? I am more concerned with the respect and reverence given to the Blessed Sacrament ... and not so much for the convenience of the homebound ministers. Any direction would be greatly appreciated and humbly accepted."

While unaware of the structure of the church in question, I would suppose that the pastor is seeking to be faithful to the general liturgical norm that there not be more than one tabernacle or Eucharistic chapel.

I am sure that any "disturbance" caused by the entrance of the extraordinary ministers of Communion would be momentary and would show no disrespect to the Blessed Sacrament. After all, the primary purpose of Eucharistic reservation is to be able to bring Communion to the sick.

Indeed, it could also serve as a reminder and an opportunity for the adorers to unite their thoughts and prayers to those members of the community who, due to illness, are unable to avail of the privilege of perpetual adoration.

A reader from Kalgoorlie, Australia, asked what is the proper act of reverence for those who are physically unable to make a genuflection.

This is a difficulty experienced even by young people who have suffered sports injuries, and in this case the general principle "ad impossibilia nemo tenetur" (the impossible obliges nobody) is applied.

It is enough for such people to do whatever act they are capable of: a deep bow; slowly going down on the knee in a pew; or, if even this is impossible, fulfilling the essential act of adoration which is an interior and spiritual movement of which the external gesture is an expression.

Our late great Holy Father John Paul II exemplified this reverence, often pushing himself to heroic sacrifices in kneeling before the Blessed Sacrament. Toward the end, when even this was impossible, he adored with his eyes and his heart.

Sunday, August 21, 2005

Speech: Benedict XVI's Address at World Youth Day Vigil

COLOGNE, Germany, AUG. 20, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the address Benedict XVI gave at this evening's vigil at World Youth Day.

* * *

[In German]

Dear young friends,

In our pilgrimage with the mysterious Magi from the East, we have arrived at the moment which Saint Matthew describes in his Gospel with these words: "Going into the house (over which the star had halted), they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshipped him" (Matthew 2:11). Outwardly, their journey was now over. They had reached their goal. But at this point a new journey began for them, an inner pilgrimage which changed their whole lives. Their mental picture of the infant King they were expecting to find must have been very different.

They had stopped at Jerusalem specifically in order to ask the King who lived there for news of the promised King who had been born. They knew that the world was in disorder, and for that reason their hearts were troubled. They were sure that God existed and that he was a just and gentle God. And perhaps they also knew of the great prophecies of Israel foretelling a King who would be intimately united with God, a King who would restore order to the world, acting for God and in his name. It was in order to seek this King that they had set off on their journey: Deep within themselves they felt prompted to go in search of the true justice that can only come from God, and they wanted to serve this King, to fall prostrate at his feet and so play their part in the renewal of the world. They were among those "who hunger and thirst for justice" (Matthew 5:6). This hunger and thirst had spurred them on in their pilgrimage -- they had become pilgrims in search of the justice that they expected from God, intending to devote themselves to its service.

Even if those who had stayed at home may have considered them Utopian dreamers, they were actually people with their feet on the ground, and they knew that in order to change the world it is necessary to have power. Hence they were hardly likely to seek the promised child anywhere but in the King's palace. Yet now they were bowing down before the child of poor people, and they soon came to realize that Herod, the King they had consulted, intended to use his power to lay a trap for him, forcing the family to flee into exile. The new King, to whom they now paid homage, was quite unlike what they were expecting. In this way they had to learn that God is not as we usually imagine him to be. This was where their inner journey began. It started at the very moment when they knelt down before this child and recognized him as the promised King. But they still had to assimilate these joyful gestures internally.

[In English]

They had to change their ideas about power, about God and about man, and in so doing, they also had to change themselves. Now they were able to see that God's power is not like that of the powerful of this world. God's ways are not as we imagine them or as we might wish to them to be. God does not enter into competition with earthly powers in this world. He does not marshal his divisions alongside other divisions. God did not send twelve legions of angels to assist Jesus in the Garden of Olives (cf. Matthew 26:53). He contrasts the noisy and ostentatious power of this world with the defenseless power of love, which succumbs to death on the Cross, and dies ever anew throughout history; yet it is this same love which constitutes the new divine intervention that opposes injustice and ushers in the Kingdom of God. God is different -- this is what they now come to realize. And it means that they themselves must now become different, they must learn God's ways.

They had come to place themselves at the service of this King, to model their own kingship on his. That was the meaning of their act of homage, their adoration. Included in this were their gifts -- gold, frankincense and myrrh -- gifts offered to a King held to be divine. Adoration has a content and it involves giving. Through this act of adoration, these men from the East wished to recognize the child as their King and to place their own power and potential at his disposal, and in this they were certainly on the right path. By serving and following him, they wanted, together with him, to serve the cause of good and the cause of justice in the world.

In this they were right. Now, though, they have to learn that this cannot be achieved simply through issuing commands from a throne on high. Now they have to learn to give themselves -- no lesser gift would be sufficient for this King. Now they have to learn that their lives must be conformed to this divine way of exercising power, to God's own way of being. They must become men of truth, of justice, of goodness, of forgiveness, of mercy. They will no longer ask: How can this serve me? Instead they will have to ask: How can I serve God's presence in the world? They must learn to lose their life and in this way to find it. Having left Jerusalem behind, they must not deviate from the path marked out by the true King, as they follow Jesus.

[In French]

Dear friends, what does all this mean for us? What we have just been saying about the nature of God being different, and about the way our lives must be shaped accordingly, sounds very fine, but remains rather vague and unfocussed. That is why God has given us examples. The Magi from the East are just the first in a long procession of men and women who have constantly tried to gaze upon God's star in their lives, going in search of the God who has drawn close to us and shows us the way. It is the great multitude of the saints -- both known and unknown -- in whose lives the Lord has opened up the Gospel before us and turned over the pages; he has done this throughout history and he still does so today. In their lives, as if in a great picture-book, the riches of the Gospel are revealed. They are the shining path which God himself has traced throughout history and is still tracing today.

My venerable predecessor Pope John Paul II beatified and canonized a great many people from both the distant and the recent past. Through these individuals he wanted to show us how to be Christian; how to live life as it should be lived -- according to God's way. The saints and the blessed did not doggedly seek their own happiness, but simply wanted to give themselves, because the light of Christ had shone upon them. They show us the way to attain happiness, they show us how to be truly human. Through all the ups and downs of history, they were the true reformers who constantly rescued it from plunging into the valley of darkness; it was they who constantly shed upon it the light that was needed to make sense -- even in the midst of suffering -- of God's words spoken at the end of the work of creation: "It is very good."

One need only think of such figures as Saint Benedict, Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint Teresa of Avila, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Saint Charles Borromeo, the founders of 19th-century religious orders who inspired and guided the social movement, or the saints of our own day -- Maximilian Kolbe, Edith Stein, Mother Teresa, Padre Pio. In contemplating these figures we learn what it means "to adore" and what it means to live according to the measure of the child of Bethlehem, by the measure of Jesus Christ and of God himself.

[In Spanish]

The saints, as we said, are the true reformers. Now I want to express this in an even more radical way: Only from the saints, only from God does true revolution come, the definitive way to change the world. In the last century we experienced revolutions with a common program -- expecting nothing more from God, they assumed total responsibility for the cause of the world in order to change it. And this, as we saw, meant that a human and partial point of view was always taken as an absolute guiding principle. Absolutizing what is not absolute but relative is called totalitarianism. It does not liberate man, but takes away his dignity and enslaves him. It is not ideologies that save the world, but only a return to the living God, our Creator, the guarantor of our freedom, the guarantor of what is really good and true. True revolution consists in simply turning to God who is the measure of what is right and who at the same time is everlasting love. And what could ever save us apart from love?

Dear friends! Allow me to add just two brief thoughts. There are many who speak of God; some even preach hatred and perpetrate violence in God's name. So it is important to discover the true face of God. The Magi from the East found it, when they knelt down before the child of Bethlehem. "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father," said Jesus to Philip (John 14:9). In Jesus Christ, who allowed his heart to be pierced for us, the true face of God is seen. We will follow him together with the great multitude of those who went before us. Then we will be traveling along the right path.

[In Italian]

This means that we are not constructing a private God, a private Jesus, but that we believe and worship the Jesus who is manifested to us by the sacred Scriptures and who reveals himself to be alive in the great procession of the faithful called the Church, always alongside us and always before us. There is much that could be criticized in the Church. We know this and the Lord himself told us so: It is a net with good fish and bad fish, a field with wheat and darnel. Pope John Paul II, as well as revealing the true face of the Church in the many saints that he canonized, also asked pardon for the wrong that was done in the course of history through the words and deeds of members of the Church. In this way he showed us our own true image and urged us to take our place, with all our faults and weaknesses, in the procession of the saints that began with the Magi from the East.

It is actually consoling to realize that there is darnel in the Church. In this way, despite all our defects, we can still hope to be counted among the disciples of Jesus, who came to call sinners. The Church is like a human family, but at the same time it is also the great family of God, through which he establishes an overarching communion and unity that embraces every continent, culture and nation. So we are glad to belong to this great family; we are glad to have brothers and friends all over the world. Here in Cologne we discover the joy of belonging to a family as vast as the world, including heaven and earth, the past, the present, the future and every part of the earth. In this great band of pilgrims we walk side by side with Christ, we walk with the star that enlightens our history.

[In German]

"Going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshipped him" (Matthew 2:11). Dear friends, this is not a distant story that took place long ago. It is with us now. Here in the sacred Host he is present before us and in our midst. As at that time, so now he is mysteriously veiled in a sacred silence; as at that time, it is here that the true face of God is revealed. For us he became a grain of wheat that falls on the ground and dies and bears fruit until the end of the world (cf. John 12:24). He is present now as he was then in Bethlehem. He invites us to that inner pilgrimage which is called adoration. Let us set off on this pilgrimage of the spirit and let us ask him to be our guide. Amen.

[Translation distributed by the Vatican press office]

Friday, August 19, 2005

Speech: Papal Address After Visit to Cologne Cathedral

COLOGNE, Germany, AUG. 18, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the address Benedict XVI delivered from the Roncalliplatz after visiting the Cathedral of Cologne today, the first day of his visit to Germany for World Youth Day.

* * *

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I am pleased to be with you this evening in Cologne, a city that I love for the many memories which it evokes for me. For a number of years I lived in the neighboring city of Bonn as a professor, and from there I would often come to Cologne where I had many friends. It was, I am convinced, by a special design of Providence that I soon became a friend of the then archbishop, Cardinal Joseph Frings, who gave me his full confidence and called me to be his theologian for the Second Vatican Council, which meant that I was able to play an active part in that historic event.

I also came to know his successor, Cardinal Joseph Höffner, with whom I was associated for many years, first as a fraternal colleague in the German Bishops' Conference and later through working together for various offices of the Roman Curia. Your present archbishop, Cardinal Joachim Meisner, is a good friend of mine, and I thank him for his warm words of welcome and for his hard work over the past months in preparing for World Youth Day.

I also wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to Cardinal Karl Lehmann, the president of the German Bishops' Conference, for all his dedication, and through him I thank the bishops and all those involved in marshalling the different sectors of the Church in this country for today's great ecclesial event.

I am grateful to all those who for many months have been preparing for this important moment, so eagerly awaited: in particular, the Planning Committee in Cologne, but also the dioceses and local communities which have welcomed the young people in recent days. I can well imagine what all of this entails in terms of energy spent and sacrifices accepted, and I pray that it will bear abundant fruit in the spiritual success of this World Youth Day. Finally I cannot fail to express my profound gratitude to the civil and military authorities, the leaders of the city and region, and the police and security forces of Germany and North Rhine-Westphalia. In the person of the mayor I thank the people of Cologne for their understanding in the face of this "invasion" by so many young people from all over the world.

The city of Cologne would not be what it is without the Magi, who have had so great an impact on its history, its culture and its faith. Here, in some sense, the Church celebrates the feast of the Epiphany every day of the year! And so, before addressing you in the presence of this magnificent cathedral, I paused for a moment of prayer before the reliquary of the three Magi and gave thanks to God for their witness of faith, hope and love. The relics of the Magi were brought from Milan in 1164 by the archbishop of Cologne, Reinald von Dassel; after crossing the Alps, they were received in Cologne with great jubilation.

On their pilgrimage across Europe the relics of the Magi left traces behind them which are still evident today, both in place names and in popular devotions. In honor of the Magi the inhabitants of Cologne produced the most exquisite reliquary of the whole Christian world and, as if that were not sufficient, they raised above it an even greater reliquary, this stupendous Gothic cathedral which, after the ravages of war, once more stands before visitors in all the splendor of its beauty. Along with Jerusalem the "Holy City," Rome the "Eternal City" and Santiago de Compostela in Spain, Cologne, thanks to the Magi, has become down the centuries one of the most important places of pilgrimage in the Christian West.

Yet Cologne is not just the city of the Magi. It has been deeply marked by the presence of many saints; these holy men and women, through the witness of their lives and the imprint they left on the history of the German people, have helped Europe to grow from Christian roots. I think above all of the martyrs of the first centuries, like young Saint Ursula and her companions, who, according to tradition, were martyred under Diocletian. How can one fail to remember Saint Boniface, the apostle of Germany, whose election as bishop of Cologne in 745 was confirmed by Pope Zachary? The name of Saint Albert the Great is also linked to this city; his body rests nearby in the crypt of the Church of Saint Andrew.

In Cologne Saint Thomas Aquinas was a disciple of Saint Albert and later a professor. Nor can we forget Blessed Adolph Kolping, who died in Cologne in 1865; from a shoemaker he became a priest and founded many social initiatives, especially in the area of professional training.

Closer to our own times, our thoughts turn to Edith Stein, the eminent 20th-century Jewish philosopher who entered the Carmelite Convent in Cologne taking the name of Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, and later died in the concentration camp at Auschwitz. Pope John Paul II canonized her and declared her a co-patroness of Europe, together with Saint Bridget of Sweden and Saint Catherine of Siena.

In these and all the other saints, both known and unknown, we discover the deepest and truest face of this city and we become aware of the legacy of values handed down to us by the generations of Christians who have gone before us. It is a very rich legacy. We need to be worthy of it. It is a responsibility of which the very stones of the city's ancient buildings remind us. Indeed it is these spiritual values that make possible mutual comprehension between individuals and peoples, between different cultures and civilizations. In this context, I offer a warm greeting to the representatives of the different Christian denominations and those from other religions. I thank all of you for your presence in Cologne at this great gathering, in the hope that it will mark a step forward on the path toward reconciliation and unity.

For Cologne does not speak to us of Europe alone; it opens us to the universality of the Church and of the world. Here, one of the three Magi was seen as a Moorish King, and, as such, the representative of the continent of Africa. Here, according to tradition, Saint Gereon and his companions of the Theban Legion died as martyrs. Irrespective of the strictly historical reliability of these traditions, the centuries-old devotion toward those saints testifies to the universal outlook and openness of the faithful of Cologne and, in a wider sense, of the Church which emerged in Germany through Saint Boniface's apostolic activity.

This openness has been confirmed in recent years by great charitable initiatives such as Misereor, Adveniat, Missio and Renovabis. Themselves originating in Cologne, these societies have brought the love of Christ to all continents.

Now you yourselves are here, dear young people from throughout the world. You represent those distant peoples who came to know Christ through the Magi and who were brought together as the new People of God, the Church, which gathers men and women from every culture. Today it is your task to live and breathe the Church's universality. Let yourselves be inflamed by the fire of the Spirit, so that a new Pentecost will renew your hearts. Through you, may other young people everywhere come to recognize in Christ the true answer to their deepest aspirations, and may they open their hearts to receive the Word of God Incarnate, who died and rose from the dead for the salvation of the world.

[Translation released by the Vatican press office]

Speech: Pope's Message to Young People

COLOGNE, Germany, AUG. 18, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the message Benedict XVI addressed from a ship on the Rhine River this afternoon to young people gathered in Cologne.

* * *

[In German]

Dear Young People,

I am delighted to meet you here in Cologne on the banks of the Rhine! You have come from various parts of Germany, Europe and the rest of the world as pilgrims in the footsteps of the Magi. Following their route, you too want to find Jesus. Like them, you have begun this journey in order to contemplate, both personally and with others, the face of God revealed by the Child in the manger. Like yourselves, I too have set out to join you in kneeling before the consecrated white Host in which the eyes of faith recognize the real presence of the Savior of the world. Together, we will continue to meditate on the theme of this World Youth Day: "We Have Come To Worship Him" (Matthew 2:2).

[In English]

With great joy I welcome you, dear young people. You have come here from near and far, walking the streets of the world and the pathways of life. My particular greeting goes to those who, like the Magi, have come from the East. You are the representatives of so many of our brothers and sisters who are waiting, without realizing it, for the star to rise in their skies and lead them to Christ, Light of the Nations, in whom they will find the fullest response to their hearts' deepest desires. I also greet with affection those among you who have not been baptized, and those of you who do not yet know Christ or have not yet found a home in his Church. Pope John Paul II had invited you in particular to come to this gathering; I thank you for deciding to come to Cologne.

Some of you might perhaps describe your adolescence in the words with which Edith Stein, who later lived in the Carmel in Cologne, described her own: "I consciously and deliberately lost the habit of praying."

During these days, you can once again have a moving experience of prayer as dialogue with God, the God who we know loves us and whom we in turn wish to love. To all of you I appeal: Open wide your hearts to God! Let yourselves be surprised by Christ! Let him have "the right of free speech" during these days! Open the doors of your freedom to his merciful love! Share your joys and pains with Christ, and let him enlighten your minds with his light and touch your hearts with his grace. In these days blessed with sharing and joy, may you have a liberating experience of the Church as the place where God's merciful love reaches out to all people. In the Church and through the Church you will meet Christ, who is waiting for you.

[In French]

Today, as I arrive in Cologne to take part with you in the 20th World Youth Day, I naturally recall with deep gratitude the Servant of God so greatly loved by us all, Pope John Paul II, who had the inspired idea of calling young people from all over the world to join in celebrating Christ, the one Redeemer of the human race. Thanks to the profound dialogue which developed over more than 20 years between the Pope and young people, many of them were able to deepen their faith, forge bonds of communion, develop a love for the Good News of salvation in Christ and a desire to proclaim it throughout the world. That great Pope understood the challenges faced by young people today and, as a sign of his trust in them, he did not hesitate to spur them on to be courageous heralds of the Gospel and intrepid builders of the civilization of truth, love and peace.

Today it is my turn to take up this extraordinary spiritual legacy bequeathed to us by Pope John Paul II. He loved you -- you realized that and you returned his love with all your youthful enthusiasm. Now all of us together have to put his teaching into practice. It is this commitment which has brought us here to Cologne, as pilgrims in the footsteps of the Magi.

According to tradition, the names of the Magi in Greek were Melchior, Gaspar and Balthasar. Matthew, in his Gospel, tells of the question which burned in the hearts of the Magi: "Where is the infant king of the Jews?" (Matthew 2:2). It was in order to search for him that they set out on the long journey to Jerusalem. This was why they withstood hardships and sacrifices, and never yielded to discouragement or the temptation to give up and go home. Now that they were close to their goal, they had no other question than this.

We too have come to Cologne because in our hearts we have the same urgent question that prompted the Magi from the East to set out on their journey, even if it is differently expressed. It is true that today we are no longer looking for a king, but we are concerned for the state of the world and we are asking: "Where do I find standards to live by, what are the criteria that govern responsible cooperation in building the present and the future of our world? On whom can I rely? To whom shall I entrust myself? Where is the One who can offer me the response capable of satisfying my heart's deepest desires?"

The fact that we ask questions like these means that we realize our journey is not over until we meet the One who has the power to establish that universal Kingdom of justice and peace to which all people aspire but which they are unable to build by themselves. Asking such questions also means searching for Someone who can neither deceive nor be deceived, and who therefore can offer a certainty so solid that we can live for it and, if need be, even die for it.

[In Spanish]

Dear friends, when questions like these appear on the horizon of life, we must be able to make the necessary choices. It is like finding ourselves at a crossroads: which direction do we take? The one prompted by the passions or the one indicated by the star which shines in your conscience? The Magi heard the answer: "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written by the prophet" (Matthew 2:5), and, enlightened by these words, they chose to press forward to the very end. From Jerusalem they went on to Bethlehem. In other words, they went from the word which showed them where to find the King of the Jews whom they were seeking, all the way to the end, to an encounter with the King who was at the same time the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

Those words are also spoken for us. We too have a choice to make. If we think about it, this is precisely our experience when we share in the Eucharist. For in every Mass the liturgy of the Word introduces us to our participation in the mystery of the cross and resurrection of Christ and hence introduces us to the Eucharistic Meal, to union with Christ. Present on the altar is the One whom the Magi saw lying in the manger: Christ, the living Bread who came down from heaven to give life to the world, the true Lamb who gives his own life for the salvation of humanity. Enlightened by the Word, it is in Bethlehem -- the "House of Bread" -- that we can always encounter the inconceivable greatness of a God who humbled himself even to appearing in a manger, to giving himself as food on the altar.

We can imagine the awe which the Magi experienced before the Child in swaddling clothes. Only faith enabled them to recognize in the face of that Child the King whom they were seeking, the God to whom the star had guided them. In him, crossing the abyss between the finite and the infinite, the visible and the invisible, the Eternal entered time, the Mystery became known by entrusting himself to us in the frail body of a small child. "The Magi are filled with awe by what they see; heaven on earth and earth in heaven; man in God and God in man; they see enclosed in a tiny body the One whom the entire world cannot contain" (St. Peter Chrysologus, Serm. 160, No. 2). In these days, during this "Year of the Eucharist," we will turn with the same awe to Christ present in the Tabernacle of mercy, in the Sacrament of the Altar.

[In Italian]

Dear young people, the happiness you are seeking, the happiness you have a right to enjoy has a name and a face: It is Jesus of Nazareth, hidden in the Eucharist. Only he gives the fullness of life to humanity! With Mary, say your own "yes" to God, for he wishes to give himself to you. I repeat today what I said at the beginning of my pontificate: "If we let Christ into our lives, we lose nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing of what makes life free, beautiful and great. No! Only in this friendship are the doors of life opened wide. Only in this friendship is the great potential of human existence truly revealed. Only in this friendship do we experience beauty and liberation" (Homily at the Mass of Inauguration, April 24). Be completely convinced of this: Christ takes from you nothing that is beautiful and great, but brings everything to perfection for the glory of God, the happiness of men and women, and the salvation of the world.

In these days I encourage you to commit yourselves without reserve to serving Christ, whatever the cost. The encounter with Jesus Christ will allow you to experience in your hearts the joy of his living and life-giving presence, and enable you to bear witness to it before others. Let your presence in this city be the first sign and proclamation of the Gospel, thanks to the witness of your actions and your joy. Let us raise our hearts in a hymn of praise and thanksgiving to the Father for the many blessings he has given us and for the gift of faith which we will celebrate together, making it manifest to the world from this land in the heart of Europe, a Europe which owes so much to the Gospel and its witnesses down the centuries.

[In German]

And now I shall go as a pilgrim to the Cathedral of Cologne, to venerate the relics of the holy Magi who left everything to follow the star which was guiding them to the Savior of the human race. You too, dear young people, have already had, or will have, the opportunity to make the same pilgrimage. These relics are only the poor and frail sign of what those men were and what they experienced so many centuries ago.

The relics direct us toward God himself: it is he who, by the power of his grace, grants to weak human beings the courage to bear witness to him before the world. By inviting us to venerate the mortal remains of the martyrs and saints, the Church does not forget that, in the end, these are indeed just human bones, but they are bones that belonged to individuals touched by the transcendent power of God. The relics of the saints are traces of that invisible but real presence which sheds light upon the shadows of the world and reveals the Kingdom of Heaven in our midst. They cry out with us and for us: "Maranatha!" -- "Come Lord Jesus!" My dear friends, I make these words my farewell, and I invite you to the Saturday evening Vigil. I shall see you then!

[Translation issued by the Vatican press office]

Speech: Benedict XVI's Address on Arrival in Germany

Mr. President,
Distinguished Political and Civil Authorities,
Your Eminences and Venerable Brothers in the Episcopate,
Dear Citizens of the Federal Republic,
My Dear Young People!

With deep joy I find myself for the first time after my election to the Chair of Peter in my beloved homeland, in Germany. With deep emotion I thank God who has enabled me to begin my pastoral visits outside Italy with this visit to the nation of my birth. I have come to Cologne for the 20th World Youth Day, which had already been planned by my predecessor, the unforgettable Pope John Paul II.

I am sincerely grateful to all present for the warm welcome given to me. My respectful greeting goes first to the president of the Federal Republic, Mr. Horst Köhler, whom I thank for the gracious words of welcome which he addressed to me in the name of all the citizens of the Federal Republic of Germany. I also express my gratitude to the representatives of the government, the members of the diplomatic corps and the civil and military authorities. With fraternal affection I greet the pastor of the Archdiocese of Cologne, Cardinal Joachim Meisner. My greeting also goes to the other bishops, the priests, men and women religious, and to all those engaged in various pastoral activities in the German-speaking dioceses. At this moment I also greet with affection all those living in the different Länder of the Federal Republic of Germany.

In these days of intense preparation for the World Youth Day, the dioceses of Germany, and the diocese and city of Cologne in particular, have been enlivened by the presence of very many young people from different parts of the world. I wish to thank all those who have so competently and generously helped to organize this worldwide ecclesial event. I am grateful to the parishes, religious institutes, associations, civil organizations and the many individuals who have offered hospitality and so friendly a welcome to the thousands of pilgrims coming here from different continents. The Church in Germany and the people of the German Federal Republic can be proud of their long tradition of openness to the global community; among other things, this is seen in their many initiatives of solidarity, particularly on behalf of developing countries.

In this spirit of esteem and acceptance toward all those who come from different cultures and traditions, we are about to experience World Youth Day in Cologne. That so many young people have come to meet the Successor of Peter is a sign of the Church's vitality. I am happy to be with them, to confirm their faith and to enliven their hope. At the same time, I am sure that I will also receive something from them, especially from their enthusiasm, their sensitivity and their readiness to face the challenges of the future.

And so I greet the young people themselves, and all those who have welcomed them in these event-filled days. In addition to intense moments of prayer, reflection and celebration with them and with all those taking part in the various scheduled events, I will have an opportunity to meet the bishops, to whom even now I extend a warm greeting. I will also meet the representatives of the other churches and ecclesial communities, make a visit to the synagogue for a meeting with the Jewish community, and also welcome the representatives of some Islamic communities. These meetings are important steps along the journey of dialogue and cooperation in our shared commitment to building a more just and fraternal future, a future which is truly more human.

During this World Youth Day we will reflect together on the theme: "We Have Come To Worship Him" (Matthew 2:2). This is a precious opportunity for thinking more deeply about the meaning of life as a "pilgrimage," guided by a "star," in search of the Lord. Together we shall consider the Magi, who, coming from various distant lands, were among the first to recognize the promised Messiah in Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of the Virgin Mary, and to bow down in worship before him (cf. Matthew 2:1-12).

The ecclesial community and the city of Cologne have a special link with these emblematic figures. Like the Magi, all believers -- and young people in particular -- have been called to set out on the journey of life in search of truth, justice and love. The ultimate goal of the journey can only be found through an encounter with Christ, an encounter which cannot take place without faith.

Along this interior journey we can be guided by the many signs with which a long and rich Christian tradition has indelibly marked this land of Germany: from great historical monuments to countless works of art found throughout the country, from documents preserved in libraries to lively popular traditions, from philosophical inquiry to the theological reflection of her many great thinkers, from the spiritual traditions to the mystical experience of a vast array of saints. Here we find a rich cultural and spiritual heritage which even today, in the heart of Europe, testifies to the fruitfulness of the Christian faith and tradition.

The diocese and the region of Cologne, in particular, keep the living memory of great witnesses to Christian civilization. Among others, I think of Saint Boniface, Saint Ursula, Saint Albert the Great, and, in more recent times, Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein) and Blessed Adolph Kolping. May these, our illustrious brothers and sisters in the faith, who down the centuries have held high the torch of holiness, be "models" and "patrons" of the World Youth Day which we now celebrate.

To all of you here present I renew my deep gratitude for your gracious welcome, and I pray to the Lord for the future of the Church and of society as a whole in this Federal Republic of Germany, so dear to my heart. May this country's long history and her great social, economic and cultural attainments be an incentive to renewed commitment in the pursuit of authentic progress, solidarity and development, not only for the German nation, but for the other peoples of the Continent as well.

May the Virgin Mary, who presented the Child Jesus to the Magi when they arrived in Bethlehem to worship the Savior, continue to intercede for us, just as for centuries she has kept watch over the German people from her many shrines throughout the German Länder. May the Lord bless everyone here present, together with all the pilgrims and all who live in this land. May God protect the Federal Republic of Germany!

[Translation of the German original issued by the Vatican press office]

Thursday, August 18, 2005

Article: World Youth Day: Cardinal Meisner's Catechesis to Young People

COLOGNE, Germany, AUG. 17, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Bishops and cardinals at World Youth Day began their sessions of catechesis for the participants at the event. Below is a translation of the catechesis given by Cardinal Joachim Meisner, archbishop of Cologne, in the Neuss ice arena, on the topic "Seeking the Truth as the Deeper Meaning of Human Existence."

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Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising (Matthew 2:2).

Dear Young People!

1. The catecheses serve as a kind of framework for World Youth Day. Here, both you and the catechists will be confronted with the themes of World Youth Day. God is the Word. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1) -- so says the prologue to the Gospel of St. John. That means that God can be spoken and heard. And that is what happens in the catecheses. God lets himself be spoken, and he lets himself be heard.

Let us not forget the Rule of St. Benedict! It is one of the fundamental documents of the Western World, and it begins with the words: "Listen, O my son!" The Apostle Paul says: Faith comes from what is heard (see Romans 10:17). In the beginning is the Word and not the image. That is the reason that the creator gave us two ears and only one mouth -- so that we will listen twice as much as we speak. Now Satan, the enemy of human beings, set out from the very beginning to rob people of their hearing. When a person stops hearing, he or she no longer knows who he belongs to or where he belongs. And then he will be at the mercy of every social rat-catcher.

Every totalitarian system has begun by robbing the people of their hearing. I can still remember my childhood and youth very well: a childhood under the Nazi regime. On Sundays, the SA and the SS held huge marches with Nazi marching music. And under Communism, loudspeakers blasted out Socialist slogans and Socialist battle songs all day long on Saturdays and Sundays. That was even worse than the factory sirens on workdays. Therefore, the catechesis needs to be a place of inner silence, where we are able to hear the Word of God, and then to follow it.

2. In a non-biblical source, Christ gives us this advice: "Anyone who wants to be close to God requires 10 things. Nine parts silence and one part solitude." Silence is indispensable in order to avoid confusing God's word with your own. At his prayers in the desert or on top of a mountain or in other lonely places, the praying Christ does not give a lecture to God. Rather, he is silent and waits until he hears God speak. Nine parts silence -- that means, we then begin once more to understand our words as ripe fruits, just as Jesus does when he says that our words are like thistles or like grapes.

Grapes need to ripen for a long time before they can be savored. In the same way, in the silence of the catecheses at World Youth Day, we can allow those words to ripen which we will then need to repeat to others when we come home. Jesus was silent for thirty years before preaching for three. Here, we can say, in the words of Friedrich Nietzsche: "He who wants to speak a word listens long to himself in silence. He who wants to ignite a bolt of lightning must first remain long a cloud."

3. We are all messengers of the Word, just as we are all carriers of our faith. But my faith is not my faith -- rather, my faith is your faith. And the Word of God in me is not my Word of God -- rather, it is your Word of God. If we do not address our mutual faith to each other, do not pray to each other, do not love each other, then we will dismantle each other's faith, or we will become the thieves of each other's faith. The word that will help me further cannot be spoken by me -- it must be spoken to me by others.

Nor can I, as a bishop, make confession to myself and speak the words of absolution to myself -- rather, another priest must grant my pardon. The word of my forgiveness is carried to me by another -- I do not carry it myself. However, I carry it in myself for others. Thus, we meet one another with the often unspoken request: "Speak just one word and my soul will be healed." But first of all, I must hear the word. "Listen, O my son! Listen, O my daughter!" -- so begins the Rule of St. Benedict.

4. Satan is called the "Diabolos," the "creator of confusion," the "noise-maker," one whose goal is to rob us of our hearing. His business consists of constantly feeding people with information, to the point that they become nearly deaf and are incapable of receiving any real directions -- particularly not the Word of life itself. The counter-image to Satan -- who scattered the frightened apostles to the far corners after the ascension of Christ -- is Mary, who gathers the apostles together after they have been scattered. She leads them back to one another: under the same roof, in the same house, at the same table -- namely the table of the Last Supper in Jerusalem. There, she becomes the leader of the first Pentecost novena, at the end of which the miracle of Pentecost takes place. Mary gathers those who have been scattered. Thus, she is "Symbola" -- that is, the "gatherer" -- who appears in opposition to the Diabolos, the creator of confusion. We pray to Mary now in this hour of catechesis.

It is said of the Magi that: "On entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage" (Matthew 2:11). Today, as well, Mary offers us the child Christ, the center of our lives. Therefore, let us observe the rules for true Christian listening:

1. Sit down silently!
2. Fold your hands -- in other words, gather them together out of the
confusion!
3. Close your eyes!
4. Bow your head -- and
5. Guide your understanding from your head into your heart!

At the miracle of the loaves, when 5,000 grown men followed our Lord into the desert and have nothing with them to eat, a crisis is at hand. The people are about to starve. And Jesus says to his apostles: "Tell the people to sit down!" Then Jesus would perform the great miracle of the loaves. But the 5,000 people don't even know what Jesus is capable of.

But at the word of the Lord: "Tell the people to sit down!" they actually sit down on the grass. To sit down on the grass in the desert with a growling stomach and empty pockets sounds like suicide. But they believe the words of Jesus, that he can satisfy their hunger. Here, even before the miraculous multiplication of the loaves, an even greater miracle occurs, namely the miracle of the people's faithful obedience: They sit down, hungry, in the grass, in the hope that he can feed them. And as we know from this story, all of them are fed, and the pieces that are left over would fill 12 large baskets. That is the Miracle of the Desert. That miracle is now the first catechesis: "Tell the people to sit down!" -- "And speak just one word and my soul will be healed."

I am fully convinced that during these days, God will give you the Word which perhaps you need in order to redirect your lives. You cannot yet know what that Word is -- then you would tell it to yourselves in your imagination. Rather, you must truly live in these next few days with the inner prayer: "Lord, speak just one word and my soul will be healed!"

5. In silence, we begin our journey inward. What were our guidelines for meditation: "Sit down silently! Fold your hands! Close your eyes! Bow your head! Guide your understanding from your head to your heart!" We must return to the point which is the core of our being. And that is my self as a mirror image of God. I can find this in the longings of the deepest part of my life. These longings need to be laid bare. Let me illustrate this with a few examples:

Decades ago, I met an intelligent man who was completely without faith. And he admitted to me freely and openly that he could not understand how I, to whom he also attributed some intellectual abilities, could believe in God. I tried to help him get in touch with his unique self by asking him two questions. The first question was this: "Do you want to be bad? So bad that other people say, he's not worth a grain of salt. He is truly abysmally evil."

He answered, "Of course I don't want that." Then I asked him: "But every effect has to have a cause. You don't want to be bad. What is the reason for this?" He had never thought about that before, was his answer, and he didn't know why it was so. And he answered my question with a question: Did I know why that is? I said, "I know."

And when he asked if I could share my knowledge with him, I said, "Of course I can! We are not originals, prototypes, we are copies. Our original is God himself. We are images of him. And since God, my prototype, is the greatest good, I as his image cannot want to be bad. Even if I sometimes am. It is like a candle trying to stand on its head. The flame will not go along with doing the headstand. It keeps on burning and shining its light upward. I can twist it and turn it any way I want, but the flame will never shine downward, it will always shine upward.

"It's the same way with people. A person is not capable of wanting to be bad, even if he sometimes is, because his prototype, the innermost core of his being, is the image of God. And this God is the greatest good. And if, sometimes, we are not good, and we are caught not being good, then it as if a defiled image of God rises up inside us. It becomes physically visible when we start to sweat or turn red. Since our deepest self as the image of God remains linked to the prototype of God, and this God is the greatest good, I cannot want to be anything other than good. I would have to strip off my own skin."

And the second question is in the same vein, namely: "Would you like to be unloved?" To this question, the atheist answered: "That would be hell." That is, precisely, the theological definition of hell. But how does an atheist, who has had no schooling in faith and no religious instruction, know the definition of the nature of hell? What is the cause for this effect in the life of every human being: "I don't want to be unloved"? -- It lies, in turn, in our status as mirror images of God. Because God, as my foundation, as my prototype, is the personification of Love.

The one who says: "With age-old love I have loved you" (Jeremiah 31:3) cannot wish for his mirror image to be unloved. It is not possible. We must take ourselves from the surface into the deepest part of our lives. It is the same way with a river. If you want to taste the quality of the water in the Rhine, you shouldn't do so here in the Rhineland -- here the Rhine doesn't taste good anymore. You have to make a pilgrimage up the Rhine -- in other words, swim against the current -- to the source. There you can acquire a taste for Rhine water. But -- as everyone knows -- dead fish can only swim with the current. Only living, healthy fish can swim against the current.

We have to go back to our place of origin, to our prototype, to God, who is Love. Who do I meet at the source of my life? God, the living one, who is the creator of billions of galaxies. He says to his people in Israel: "With age-old love I have loved you; so I have kept my mercy toward you." This is not only true for the people of Israel, this is true for me personally! And again and again, Israel cannot believe that God loves this very race of people who have traditionally had more enemies than they number themselves -- just like the people of God today. They often have more enemies than friends. And God has chosen these people and said: "It is only you that I want." In the end, God wants only love. We can see this illustrated in the Gospel of St. John as well: As a continuation of the creation through the Word, the Word -- namely Jesus Christ -- becomes man, it becomes flesh, it lives as a word-become-man among us people, in order to love us tangibly, in person.

The Fathers of the Church had the courage to say, "God, the eternal Word, becomes a person so that people can become like God." The creation is greatness, beauty and truth. And Love is devotion come to life. How much devotion does a human child need in order to become an adult? And now we can be told: God's love explodes all perceptions. It is simply beyond measure, as the Universe is beyond number. The secret of all things is Love, in the way that God means it.

In John 21, Jesus asks Peter, "Do you love me?" And Peter answers: "Yes, Lord, you know everything; you also know that I love you even though I am the one who betrayed you, the one who did not have the strength to stand up and be faithful to you at the moment I was challenged." Peter's love remains unbroken. That is very important. Jesus accepts the love of the unfaithful disciple, just as he accepts the love of the sinful woman, Mary Magdalene. The disciple's love for Jesus is a poor love, but it is a love that can break through despite unfaithfulness and which seeks its meaning, its place and its source. And Jesus accepts it. Thus, the "you" goes both ways, and it means Love.

Ultimately, everyone meets God alone. In the same way, everyone lives alone, one day dies alone and takes responsibility for him or herself alone. Other people, even my nearest and dearest, can only come along, they can only support me. But God loves every single person. He became human for each and every one of us. He is closer to every person than that person is close to him or herself. If God, the creator of billions of solar systems, is so infinitely great, then every single person may conclude that an unfathomably great portion of God's love belongs only to him or her. And this connects us to one another. Thus Peter says, "You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood" (1 Peter 2:9). What we have in common with the Magi is not only our quest, but also our origins. Like them, we are of royal origin and royal dignity. We cannot think highly enough of ourselves.

6. The Magi, too, were driven by this inner restlessness -- by the longings that had their origin in the core of their being -- to the observation towers to search the heavens for signs of God's love. And then they found the star. And their great adventure began. They set forth on their way, they followed the star. And when it disappeared from their sight, they looked, they asked, they searched the skies again until they once again spotted their guiding star and came to their destination.

The World Youth Day in Cologne is, first of all, an invitation to hearken back to my origins, to the place where the mirror image of God molded my being, the place where all longing, restlessness and homesickness for that which is holy, good and beautiful -- ultimately for God -- begins. And you, as young people, are not as far removed from the hand of God the Creator as we older people are. This closer proximity to the hand of the Creator makes this longing for that which is pure, good and beautiful -- that is, for God -- much stronger than it is in us older people.

And when we go home again, our experience will be like that of the Magi. We will go out among the multitudes. It is then our duty to strive at home for that direction which we received here in Cologne. I know with the certainty of my faith that for each one of our lives, God has a specific, unique plan which cannot be delegated away. The success of our lives depends upon our ability to recognize and accomplish that plan.

Each of us has only one life. Life, faith and love are not like learning to drive, where you have a responsibility-free period while you are in driving school. No, in life, faith and love, you are a fully responsible driver from the very beginning. There is no such thing as a practice period for life, faith and love. It's serious from the very beginning.

How can I find out what God wants from me? Here, I strongly advise every one of you to make a good confession during these days -- perhaps a confession of your whole life. This happens very often at World Youth Days. We have to cleanse our souls, our hearts from all the sins, all the dirt and debris that has collected within us so that we can once again find a clear perspective on ourselves. God wants to make every person's calling clear to him or her at the World Youth Day in Cologne, so that the world doesn't have to wait so long for the next Mother Teresas, for the already-chosen Edith Steins in your midst, for the Maximilian Kolbes, and all the others.

But let me look for a few other paths from the surface of our lives to the depths of our being, to the source, where the image of God is tangible. It is a part of our nature that we cannot satisfy our inner hunger for eternity, for everlastingness. In my life, it has always been like this: When I strived for something -- perhaps wanted to own a beautiful picture -- and then, with greater or lesser effort achieved it, it fascinated me for a period of two to four weeks, and then it became ordinary again. Then my desires refocused themselves on some other object. And when I found the other thing, the same process repeated itself: It became ordinary, and my longings were not fulfilled.

Our longings cannot be fulfilled here on this Earth. They drive us from one goal to the next. As the great Augustine said: "Our hearts are troubled until they rest in Thee." Then we do not have something -- rather, we have HIM, he who is everything to us.

Or, in the same way, the law of the limitedness of our existence shows us that the template for our person is God, and not a human being. This becomes clear to me, for example, every time I listen to a familiar piece of music: I look forward to a very special passage, and then it escapes me again immediately. I want to hold onto it, but it cannot be held. It made me happy, and at the same time I was painfully moved. I want to keep it in the present, but it is not possible. It keeps moving forward. This is an example of the limitedness of our earthly existence, against which the longings of our hearts are constantly fighting. The music is very intense, but very fleeting. A picture, on the other hand, is very lasting -- it hangs in front of me all the time -- but it is less intense.

If a person travels across all of Italy, for example, in two weeks, he or she will gather a wide range of experiences, but the content of his or her experience will be very small. If, on the other hand, the person remains only in the Italian city of Florence for two weeks, he or she will have a smaller range of experiences, but the content of his or her experience will be much greater. The larger the range of one's experience, the smaller the content of that experience will always be. You cannot have both of these things in this world. And this is what my longing for eternity struggles against. This is proof that we have been created according to different measurements than the dimensions of a human being or the dimensions of the world. As measurements for people, the world and human beings will always be too small.

"Our hearts are troubled until they rest in God." -- Why have you come to Cologne? The answer is in the motto for this year's World Youth Day: "We have come to worship him." Our inner longing for a great, fulfilled and successful life has led us onto the roads, like the Magi, to seek and to find the one who is both the source and the destination of our lives: God, who is our all in all; God, who makes my life great.

If a high jumper wants to get over a bar, he needs to count on something higher than himself. A person who has faith is counting on something higher than him or herself -- namely, on God. And when he has jumped over the bar, the best praise he can hear is: "You've outdone yourself!" A person who has faith outdoes him or herself. This is what we are called upon to do, just like Mary, who says in the Magnificat: "The Mighty One has done great things for me" (Luke 1:49). The Mighty One will do great things for all of you.

Joachim Cardinal Meisner
Archbishop of Cologne

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

Article: World Youth Day: Cardinal Meisner's Homily at Opening Mass

COLOGNE, Germany, AUG. 16, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the homily delivered today by Cardinal Joachim Meisner, archbishop of Cologne, during the Mass at which he presided in the RheinEnergie Stadium to open World Youth Day.

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Brothers and Sisters!

1. Welcome to the Archdiocese of Cologne! We are delighted that you are all here. We are celebrating the first World Youth Day with two Popes: with Pope John Paul II in heaven above, and with our Pope Benedict XVI here on earth. What an amazing celebration of faith this will be! Three weeks before he died, the Holy Father called me to his room in the Gemelli hospital and asked me, "Are they still waiting for me in Cologne?" I replied, "Holy Father, we are faithfully waiting for you." We now call up to heaven: "Holy Father John Paul II, we are waiting for you!" And we call to Rome: "Holy Father Benedict XVI, we are waiting for you!" With Peter of yesterday, that is John Paul II, and Peter of today, that is Benedict XVI, in our midst, we are strengthened on our pilgrimage, for the Lord said to Peter, "Strengthen your brothers (and sisters)" (Luke 22:32).

Young people are so much closer to the beginning of their lives than older people. That is why the origin of their life in God's hand is a far stronger and more intensive aspect of their search for the true life, than for others. Those who give the young God-seekers any less than God are not giving them enough. Your search for a fulfilled life has taken you on a journey to Cologne, where we will be following in the footsteps of the first God-seekers, the Three Kings. Two years ago, Pope John Paul II took the words written by Matthew the Evangelist and made them the motto of World Youth Day in Cologne: "We have come to worship Him" (cf. Matthew 2:2).

2. We all have only one life. We are not granted a probationary period, free of responsibilities, like we are when we gain our driving licenses. We all set out on the road of life with a full set of responsibilities. There is no provisional license for life, love, faith or death. This is the real thing. We all carry full responsibility from the very beginning. I do not really need to tell you this, as you will be instinctively aware of it as creatures made by God.

That is what you have in common with all young people around the world. You are encountering each other this week not as strangers, but as relatives and companions. We are "relatives" because we were all created by the same God, and "companions" because we have joined each other in our search for a fulfilled and worthwhile life, for a life with God. Worship means no more, but also no less, than coming eye to eye with God and kneeling down before him -- kneeling down before the child in the manger, like the Wise Men.

God has made himself so small that he fits in with our personal lives and life-stories. However, it would be easy to overlook him if we were to go through life with our noses up in the air. He becomes visible at this low level as he washes the feet of his disciples. God is down below. Worshipping him on bended knee does not make us small, it makes us great, because it takes us eye to eye with God.

3. We all share a yearning for the good, the pure, the great and the beautiful. Why is that? Because we were all made in the image of God, who is the highest good and purity personified. That is why no one can want to be bad, impure and ugly. The hunger for love is in all of us.

When I asked a nonbeliever, "Do you wish to be unloved?" he answered, "That would be hell." How did he know this without having been taught about faith? Because we all originated in God's hand and have an intuitive knowledge of God and the fact that we were made in his image. And because God never releases us, even if we break away from him, we always instinctively remain aware of our origin and destination. Saint Augustine already realized this 1,600 years ago. He summarized this insight in his memorable words: "Our hearts are restless until they rest in you."

4. Two thousand years ago, this inner driving force from God caused the Three Kings to commence their journey to Christ. It has also brought you here to Cologne to look for and find God. He guarantees you a great future and a fulfilled life. For Christ, there was no alternative. When some of the disciples disagreed with his teachings, they decided to turn away from him.

Jesus asked the remaining disciples, "Do you also wish to go away?" And it was the first Peter who gave the Lord an answer that is both the first and the shortest creed in holy Scripture: "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life" (John 6:68). Peter's creed is also our own. "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life."

The Lord expressly tells us, "No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me" (John 6:44). You, dear brothers and brothers, have been drawn by the Father. That is the ultimate reason why you are here in Cologne. Your presence here is the result of an act of mercy by God. And I promise you sincerely: He will therefore remain your leader. He will turn you into a blessing for your environment, your fatherland, for the whole world, and guide you in bringing the world closer to God. That is how the world will remain a habitable place for us humans as God's children.

And that is why, dear young pilgrims from around the world, you are the future of the Church and the future of the World, because you are the children of God, brothers and sisters of Christ and the living temple of the Holy Spirit. The world does not survive first and foremost on production figures, refrigerators, missiles and similar commodities. It is sustained primarily through its connection to the living God and in turn to the source of its life.

World Youth Day 2005 in Cologne is not just a purely Catholic event. It concerns the whole world. Christ is not a Christian property agent -- he is the Lord of the world. And this week, we will be searching for Christ not just for our own benefit, but especially for that of our other brothers and sisters so that they may experience the joy of faith in Christ. Amen.

Joachim Cardinal Meisner
Archbishop of Cologne