The Holy Father just completed a retreat, conducted by Cardinal Arinze. In today’s Angelus address, Benedict talks about the experience and also about today’s Gospel reading on the Transfiguration. I have heard three different homilies on it in the past two days, one by my bishop at the Diaconate Day of Reflection yesterday, one by my pastor, and now the Pope’s thoughts. A few excerpts from the Holy Father:
“I wish to underscore that the Transfiguration of Jesus was substantially a prayer experience (cf Lk 9, 28-29). Prayer, in fact, reaches it culmination, and thus becomes the font of interior light, when the spirit of man adheres to the Spirit of God and man’s will melts in a sense, into oneness with Him. When Jesus climbed the mountain, he was immersed in contemplation of God’s loving plan that had sent him into the world to save humankind….. Jesus saw before him the Cross, the ultimate sacrifice necessary for freeing us from the dominion of sin and death.” (My translation of the Italian original.)
After the Angelus, he spoke to the women of the world:
“Today’s date, 8 March, invites us to reflect on the condition of women and to renew our effort to ensure that always and everywhere every woman may fully live and manifest her abilities, obtaining her full respect and dignity…..the witness of the Saints is of value here; our era has had that of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, a humble daughter of Albania, who became, by the grace of God, an example to the whole world of charitable works and service to human progress. How many other women work each day, behind the scenes, for the good of humanity and the Reign of God! I assure all women today of my prayers so that they may be always respected in their dignity and valued for their potential.” (My translation of the Italian original.)
