From the homily of Pope Benedict XVI during Mass at Nationals Park in Washington, DC April 17, 2008:

"In the exercise of my ministry as the Successor of Peter, I have come to America to confirm you, my brothers and sisters, in the faith of the Apostles (cf. Lk 22:32). I have come to proclaim anew, as Peter proclaimed on the day of Pentecost, that Jesus Christ is Lord and Messiah, risen from the dead, seated in glory at the right hand of the Father, and established as judge of the living and the dead (cf. Acts 2:14ff.). I have come to repeat the Apostle's urgent call to conversion and the forgiveness of sins, and to implore from the Lord a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Church in this country. As we have heard throughout this Easter season, the Church was born of the Spirit's gift of repentance and faith in the risen Lord. In every age she is impelled by the same Spirit to bring to men and women of every race, language and people (cf. Rev 5:9) the good news of our reconciliation with God in Christ."

Man was created with an immortal nature, being in the image and likeness of God. By his own decision, eternal life was lost by him at the fall, and death entered the earth. He now knew corruption: his body subject to decay, and his soul wounded and darkened. A Savior came to earth to rescue man from this state, and return him to his intended place in God's creation. It was God Himself. He laid aside his Godhead, and experienced all we experience, except sin. He entered even into death, saying, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?".

But he broke out the other side. The particles of death, death which had taken its hold on man, were dissembled, and life and light burst forth. He is our forerunner, and we too now can pass through death to new life; we can exit out the other side. Mankind which was made subject to death by Adam's fall, can now move through to life by the new Adam's rising. Our dignity, place in creation, and immortal nature are redeemed through unity with our Lord and God, Jesus Christ.

Posted Mon, Sep 17, 2007 under /message category [permanent link]

You, are a being created by God. He loves you; He desires to be with you. In your body weakened by the fall, you can chose not to be with Him, and thus create a barrier from Him. He became man to even break that barrier: that by becoming man, He could for all mankind destroy the barrier between God and His creation. In His person, He assumed all the sin of humanity--in His blood, He atoned for it--in His resurrection, He defeated it. In your will, you can receive Him, and by union with Christ, be reunited with the Father. He loves you--you are His creation, and precious in His sight.

Clues are in each sunrise. In the melody of musical notes, moving something deep within us. Light streaming through the bold colors of stained glass, painting in the air before our eyes. We recognize Beauty.

Hints are in the devotion of a mother toward her child. The friend who stands by through a trying time. Charity shown to a stranger. The life-long fidelity of a spouse. We recognize Love.

Indications are in the discoveries of science. The universal dignity of the human person. That reality is unchanged by opinion. We recognize Truth.

Signs are in the man who does right unobserved. When justice is secured for the injured. When wisdom trumps profit in judgement. We recognize Goodness.

Beauty. Love. Truth. Goodness. In these moments we see not only the physical reality, but we catch a glimpse of something further. We perceive with an interior sense an unseen reality that is interwoven in an endless Unity. The experience awakens in us a new depth, awakens us to a deeper reality.

Beauty. Love. Truth. Goodness. Unity. Existence itself is measured on the scale of these axes. Ugliness does not so much exist, as beauty degraded. Hate does not so much exist, as love contempted. Lies do not so much exist, as truth contradicted. Bad does not so much exist, as goodness perverted. And Fracture does not so much exist, as unity divided. Where there is no possibility of corruption, evil cannot exist.

Who is God? He is Who is. If we trace Beauty, Love, Truth, and Goodness back to their source, we find them fulfilled and united in Him. Being itself has its source in Him, and He holds all that is, in existence.

"Then Moses said to God, 'If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, "The God of your fathers has sent me to you," and they ask me, "What is his name?" what shall I say to them?' God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM.' And he said, 'Say this to the people of Israel, "I AM has sent me to you."'" (Exodus 3:13-14 RSV)

The Infinite God enters time as an Infant Child; creation beholds in wonder the human face of her Creator.

Rejoice o Earth, your Hope is born; this is He Who reconciles Heaven and Earth.

He comes to us. He has not abandoned us. Our God overflows with love for us. Out of this love he has sent his son, Emmanuel, God with us. Our God comes to us. He has become like us, taking on human form. He shares his life with us, so that we may come to know him. We have fallen. He has a great call for us. But we are not able to fulfill it on our own. We require his help, his grace. So he brings that grace, and gives it as a free gift. A gift purchased at the price of his human life. He received that life back, and he gives it back to all who will receive. And so he offers it to each person: "will you receive this life, my life?" He has not spoken from some hiding place, or from some dark place of the earth. He comes to us, and is near to the one in need. He awaits our response. And with our "yes", he will sweep us up into his life, into his embrace. He will walk with us, and be with us. God with us. He comes to us.

"Say to those whose hearts are frightened, 'Be strong, fear not! Here is your God, he comes with vindication; With divine recompense he comes to save you.'" (Isaiah 35:4 NAB)

"...he said, 'Man, your sins are forgiven you.' And the scribes and Pharisees began to question, saying, 'Who is this that speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God only?'" (Luke 5:20-21 RSV)

Who can forgive sins but God only?

Where can we go to be freed from our captivity? To whom can we turn? You alone Lord have the words of eternal life. You alone give us the water of which we shall never thirst again.

Behold, the lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.

On him lies the punishment that brings us peace. Ours were the sufferings he bore, our the sorrows he carried. He was pierced through for our faults, crushed for our sins.

His name is mercy.

A love which is so great it knows complete sacrifice. The callouses of sin melt in his glance. The undeserving receive from him the gift of grace.

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28 RSV)

Jesus Christ broke the power of death. God became man, and took on flesh which was corrupted by sin. He lived in union, and his life became a perfect sacrifice. When his blood was spilled, it atoned for the sins of the human race, so perfect, spotless, unblemished was the offering. He has restored our communion with the Father, and made it possible that we might be with him. Jesus Christ has united us in his body, we become one in him, and thus we are able to approach the Father. He has become one of us, that we may become one with him. Through him we pass through death to newness of life. Each one of us must now choose, for he has given us free will. If we believe in him, if we trust in him, if we rely on him, if we abide in him, we shall have everlasting life.

O Jesus, may we never despair of your aid, and may you bring us to the place you have prepared for us for all eternity.

"Those whom he foreknew he predestined to share the image of his Son, that the Son might be the first-born of many brothers. Those he predestined, he likewise called; those he called he also justified; and those he justified he in turn glorified." (Rm 8:29-30 NAB)