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The World Seen From Rome
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VATICAN DOSSIER
* Church's Roots Aren't European, Says Pope
* Benedict XVI Urges More Effort to Stop AIDS
* Pope: Migrant Youth Suffer a "Dual Belonging"
* Papal Agenda for Next 2 Months
* Concern Raised for Migrants Stuck Between Cultures
WORLD FEATURES
* Holy See Insists That It Has Right to Speak
* Bishop Invites Americans to Lourdes
* Padre Pio Credited With Parish's Conversion
WEDNESDAY'S AUDIENCE
* On St. Ephrem the Syrian
DOCUMENTS
* Papal Message for Migrants Day
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VATICAN DOSSIER
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Church's Roots Aren't European, Says Pope
Comments on Syriac Poet-Theologian
VATICAN CITY, NOV. 28, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Christianity didn't originate in Europe, but rather has its roots in the Middle Eastern world of the Old Testament, says Benedict XVI.
The Pope said this today during the general audience in Paul VI Hall, which he dedicated to the figure of St. Ephrem the Syrian, a fourth-century theologian, poet and musician.
He said the reflection continued along the lines of his commentary last week on the fourth-century Syriac Christian Aphraates, which also showed the cultural diversity of the early Christians.
"According to general opinion," said the Pontiff, "Christianity is a European religion that has exported the culture of this Continent to other countries. The reality, though, is a lot more complex, as the root of the Christian religion is found in the Old Testament, and therefore in Jerusalem and the Semitic world."
The Holy Father continued: "Its expansion during the first centuries was both westward -- toward the Greek-Latin world, where it then inspired the European culture -- and eastward to Persia and India, thus contributing to stimulate a specific culture, in Semitic languages, with its own identity."
St. Ephrem, said Benedict XIV, "was the most important representative of Syriac Christianity, and succeeded in a unique way to reconcile the vocation of the theologian with that of the poet."
A deacon
Ephram was born in 306 in Nisibis, in what is modern-day Turkey, and died of the plague in 373 in Edessa, in what is modern-day Greece. The Pope said that while not much is known of his life, it is commonly held that he was a deacon and lived a life of celibacy and poverty.
The Holy Father said the deacon, "a rich and captivating author," also "left us a large written theological inheritance."
"The specific character of his work is that theology meets poetry," continued the Pontiff. "If we want to get closer to his doctrine, we need to acknowledge that he studied theology through poetry.
"Poetry allowed him to deepen his theological reflections through paradoxes and images. His theology became both liturgy and music at the same time: He was indeed a great composer and musician."
Benedict XVI quoted several of Ephrem's hymns, as examples of the saint's "poetic theology."
In his hymn "On Christ's Nativity," Ephrem reflected on the figure of the Virgin Mary: "The Lord came to her to make himself a servant. The Word came to her to keep silence in her womb. The lightning came to her to not make any noise."
Pearl of faith
In another hymn, "On the Pearl," St. Ephrem talks of faith: "My brothers, I put (the pearl) in the palm of my hand, to be able to look at it closely.
"I observed it from one side and then the other: It had only one appearance from all sides.
"(Such) is the search for the Son, inscrutable, for he is luminous."
Commenting on the hymns of the fourth-century poet-theologian, Benedict XVI said, "His theological reflection is expressed with images and symbols taken from nature, from daily life and from the Bible."
The Pope also noted the deacon's writings on women: "To Ephrem the role of the woman is a relevant one. The way he wrote about women was always prompted by sensibility and respect: The fact that Jesus dwelt in the womb of Mary has enormously raised the woman's dignity.
"For Ephrem there is no redemption without Jesus, just as there could be no incarnation without Mary."
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Benedict XVI Urges More Effort to Stop AIDS
VATICAN CITY, NOV. 28, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI is appealing to all people of good will to increase their efforts to halt the spread of HIV/AIDS, and to combat "the disdain" he says is often directed toward those with the disease.
The Pope made this appeal at the end of today's general audience, which was held in Paul VI Hall. He noted that Saturday is World AIDS Day.
"I remain spiritually close to everyone suffering from this terrible sickness, and to their families, especially those who have lost a loved one," the Holy Father said. "To everyone I give assurances of my prayers. Furthermore, I wish to exhort all people of good will to increase their efforts to halt the spread of the HIV virus, to combat the disdain which is often directed towards people who are affected by it, and to care for the sick, especially those who are still children."
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Pope: Migrant Youth Suffer a "Dual Belonging"
Says Church Looks on Them With Special Affection
VATICAN CITY, NOV. 28, 2007 (Zenit.org).- In an ever more globalized world, emigration is a growing phenomenon that causes particular difficulties for youth who travel far from their countries and families, says Benedict XVI.
"Young Migrants" is the theme of the Pope's Message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, which is to be celebrated on Jan. 13. The message, signed Oct. 18 and released today, has been published in six languages, including English.
"For the young migrants, the problems of the so-called difficulty of dual belonging seem to be felt in a particular way," the Holy Father wrote. "On the one hand, they feel a strong need to not lose their culture of origin, while on the other, the understandable desire emerges in them to be inserted organically into the society that receives them, but without this implying a complete assimilation and the resulting loss of their ancestral traditions.
"These boys and girls often end up on the street abandoned to themselves and prey to unscrupulous exploiters who often transform them into the object of physical, moral and sexual violence."
Refugees
Another realm in which youth suffer is the sector of forced migrants, refugees and the victims of human trafficking, the Pontiff said.
He wrote: "On this subject it is impossible to remain silent before the distressing images of the great refugee camps present in different parts of the world. How can we not think that these little beings have come into the world with the same legitimate expectations of happiness as the others?
"And, at the same time, how can we not remember that childhood and adolescence are fundamentally important stages for the development of a man and a woman that require stability, serenity and security? These children and adolescents have only had as their life experience the permanent, compulsory 'camps' where they are segregated, far from inhabited towns, with no possibility normally to attend school. How can they look to the future with confidence?
"While it is true that much is being done for them, even greater commitment is still needed to help them by creating suitable hospitality and formative structures."
Benedict XVI encouraged helping young migrants in every way possible, first of all by providing support for their families and schools.
"But how complex the situations are, and how numerous the difficulties these young people encounter in their family and school contexts," he acknowledged.
The Pope continued: "Everyone's commitment -- teachers, families and students -- will surely contribute to helping the young migrants to face in the best way possible the challenge of integration and offer them the possibility to acquire what can aid their human, cultural and professional formation.
"This holds even more for the young refugees for whom adequate programs will have to be prepared, both in the scholastic and the work contexts, in order to guarantee their preparation and provide the necessary bases for a correct insertion into the new social, cultural and professional world."
Students
Finally, the Holy Father returned to a theme he mentioned in his message last year for this world day: students who emigrate to study.
"They are young people who need a specific pastoral care because they are not just students, like all the rest, but also temporary migrants," the Pontiff explained. "They often feel alone under the pressure of their studies and sometimes they are also constricted by economic difficulties. The Church, in her maternal concern, looks at them with affection and tries to put specific pastoral and social interventions into action that will take the great resources of their youth into consideration."
Benedict XVI concluded by addressing young migrants: "Prepare yourselves to build together with your young peers a more just and fraternal society by fulfilling your duties scrupulously and seriously toward your families and the state.
"Be respectful of the laws and never let yourselves be carried away by hatred and violence. Try instead to be protagonists as of now of a world where understanding and solidarity, justice and peace will reign.
"Jesus wants you to be his true friends, and for this it is necessary for you to cultivate a close relationship with him constantly in prayer and docile listening to his word. He wants you to be his witnesses, and for this it is necessary for you to be committed to living the Gospel courageously and expressing it in concrete acts of love of God and generous service to your brothers and sisters. The Church needs you too and is counting on your contribution."
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Papal Agenda for Next 2 Months
Brazilian Nun to Be Beatified in December
VATICAN CITY, NOV. 28, 2007 (Zenit.org).- The Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff released Benedict XVI's schedule for December and January. The Pope approved one rite of beatification during the next two months.
On Dec. 1, at 5 p.m. in St. Peter's Basilica, the Holy Father will celebrate first vespers for the First Sunday of Advent. Then, on Dec. 8, the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Pope will pay homage to Mary Immaculate at 4 p.m. in Rome's Piazza di Spagna. Benedict XVI will make a pastoral visit and celebrate Mass at the Roman parish of Santa Maria del Rosario ai Martiri Portuensi on Dec. 16, the Third Sunday of Advent.
Christmas
On Christmas Eve, the Pope will celebrate midnight Mass in St. Peter's Basilica. He will give his blessing "urbi et orbi" (to the city of Rome and the world) at midday on Dec. 25.
Then, New Year's Eve at 6 p.m. in St. Peter's Basilica, the Holy Father will celebrate first vespers of thanksgiving for the past year.
There is one rite of beatification approved by the Pontiff for December. The beatification of the Servant of God Lindalva Justo de Oliveira, of the Society of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, will be held Dec. 2, next Sunday, in the Barradao Stadium of São Salvador da Bahia, Brazil.
January
On New Year's Day, the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God and 41st World Day of Peace, the Holy Father will preside at Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at 10 a.m.
The following Sunday, Jan. 6, the solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, the Pontiff will celebrate Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at 10 a.m.
The Pope will baptize a number of children Jan. 13, the feast of the Baptism of Our Lord, when he presides at Mass in the Sistine Chapel at 10 a.m.
On Jan. 25, feast of the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle, the Pope will celebrate vespers at 5:30 p.m. in the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls.
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Concern Raised for Migrants Stuck Between Cultures
Pontifical Council President Presents Pope's Message
VATICAN CITY, NOV. 28, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Officials of the Pontifical Council for Migrants and Travelers are calling for specific pastoral action to support young immigrants and refugees, often stuck between two cultures.
Today in the Vatican press office, Cardinal Renato Martino, president of the Vatican dicastery, presented Benedict XVI's Message for the 94th World Day of Migrants and Refugees. The World Day will be held Jan. 13 on the theme of "Young Migrants."
Cardinal Martino affirmed that "the migration of young people is undergoing considerable growth. The young are forced to emigrate because of poverty and want, environmental decay, local and international conflicts, political and religious persecution, the demand for labor in industrialized countries, family reunion, etc." "Young migrants," the cardinal said, "often find themselves alone, in a no man's land, halfway between two cultures." He added that this causes them "to live in a situation of great uncertainty that prevents them from conceiving a feasible project for their future and increases the factors that lead to marginalization, opening the doors to criminality, prostitution, alcohol, drugs and larceny."
Spiritual death
"The crisis of values of our own day," the president of the pontifical council continued, "leads to the spiritual death of many young immigrants. Most of them are also relatively distant from religious concerns, and often recognize that they have received no [...] education in this field."
"Specific pastoral action in support of young immigrants must be undertaken while bearing in mind the existential situation of the individual [...] the language, culture, religion, origin and personal history of each young immigrant," he added.
Another official on hand, Archbishop Agostino Marchetto, secretary of the pontifical council, focused on aspects concerning the right to asylum and the situation of refugees. After recalling the fact that in some states, unaccompanied minors are placed in detention, he turned to consider living conditions in refugee camps.
"Transitional camps," he said, "must go back to the role for which they were intended: places in which to reside temporarily. [...] Currently, however, it has become a general practice, especially in countries of the South, to force people to live in overcrowded camps, very often in unspeakable conditions.
"Normally they are not even allowed to work, while their freedom of movement is limited, and thus they become totally dependent on the internal distribution of food within the camps. Moreover, they are often reduced to a life with a minimum of necessary goods and scant dignity. [...] Hence there is little future for people who live in these places, which are often located in remote areas."
Women religious
The archbishop praised the work of female religious who, "assisted by Catholic nongovernmental organizations and by U.N. organizations, care for and accompany young people, especially girls who have suffered violence, rape or threats. There also exist centers for underage mothers, offering them a second chance to complete their interrupted education or to learn a trade."
In his remarks, Monsignor Novatus Rugambwa, undersecretary of the Pontifical Council for Migrants and Travelers, considered the position of students who emigrate, highlighting how the Pope, in his message, presents them "as a gift for man and for the Church. They bring with them the great resources of their youth, and must be open and receptive to new ideas and experiences while, at the same time, capable of remaining anchored in the truth."
"As the Holy Father says," Monsignor Rugambwa continued, "these young people must not only increase their openness to the dynamism of inculturation, but also seek opportunities for dialogue between cultures and religions, [...] thus they will experience the universality of the Church."
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WORLD FEATURES
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Holy See Insists That It Has Right to Speak
Says It Participates in International Community as Guardian of Man
By Marta Lago
ROME, NOV. 28, 2007 (Zenit.org).- The human being has dignity and a transcendent dimension, and this is why an independent moral authority, such as the Holy See, has a role to play in international organizations, says an official at the Vatican Secretariat of State.
Monsignor Pietro Parolin, undersecretary for relations with states, affirmed this in a conference delivered Nov. 21 to a group of ambassadors and members of diplomatic corps gathered in the Argentinian Embassy to the Holy See. The gathering marked the 150th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Holy See and that nation.
"The Catholic Church is the only religious institution that can enter into diplomatic relations and that interests itself in international rights, acting through the Holy See, an international sovereign subject of singular characteristics," Monsignor Parolin said.
He explained that an adequate understanding of the Holy See, as such, requires two distinctions. First, one must bear in mind that the Holy See cannot simply be identified with the Church, as a community of believers. And second, it cannot be identified with Vatican City State, a geographical place that assures the freedom of the Roman Pontiff."The Holy See is the Holy Father himself inasmuch as he is an independent, universal, spiritual authority, together with the organizations of the Roman Curia that collaborate with his mission," he defined.
The Holy See thus requires a particular status, such as that given by the definition of "subject 'sui juris,'" meaning the Holy See defines for itself its juridical organization and does not receive it from outside, and as such, can enter into relationship with other states.
The Holy See currently has diplomatic relations with 176 states. It has a presence at the United Nations as an observer state, membership in seven organizations or agencies within the U.N. system, and is an observer in another eight. The Holy See also has observer status in five regional organizations.
Objective
The "tenacious" assertion of its own international personality and the petition of the Holy See to intervene in international policy debates in order to offer its contribution is far from an interest in safeguarding its own independence, underlined Monsignor Parolin.
If the Holy See wishes to place itself as "an independent interlocutor of the states and to express an authorized judgment about the problems that affect lives," it is because "it thinks that it represents a dimension of man that, although decisive in the life of the societies, is not fully under the jurisdiction of the states, nor does it end in them," he said.
"There exists," the monsignor affirmed, "something that goes above and beyond the material element."
The key, he explained, is the dignity of man, which is prior to the existence of the state. Respect for this dignity is the thermometer of the legitimacy and justice of any legal norm. And "this dignity of the individual has as an essential element the transcendent dimension [of man]," he said.
"If man did not transcend the material dimension, there would not be sufficient reason for the respect of his dignity to be over and above national interests," observed Monsignor Parolin. "This pre-existence and independence of the dignity of the individual, and more concretely, his transcendent dimension, is the ultimate justification for the existence of a sovereign moral authority independent of the states."
"As a consequence, the Holy See, in its international activity, without interfering in the realms and responsibilities proper to the states, proposes itself as guardian of the human person and religious liberty," Monsignor Parolin continued.
Action
The Vatican official said that working in the Secretariat of State, especially in the section for relations with states, implies having the advantage of a unique watchtower from which to observe and know the international reality, given that one is privy to a constant overall vision formed in part by an almost daily contact with the diplomats accredited to the Holy See.
And guiding the activities of the Holy See in the international realm is what Monsignor Parolin called "the binomial of person-truth."
The Holy See, he said, "attempts to emphasize these concepts, making use of the very tools provided by the international community, such as the manifesto of the United Nations, which solemnly declares that the organization was established in order to save future generations from the scourge of war, in order to reaffirm the faith -- a key word -- in the fundamental rights of man, in the dignity of the human person, in order to ensure the respect for international rights and to promote social progress."
The significant use of the term "faith" in the cited context, enabled the Holy See, in the last U.N. debate, to observe "that the existence of a universal, transcendent truth about man and his intrinsic dignity was affirmed, [a truth] that is not simply a historic creation, but is rather a reality that precedes and determines all political activity," such that "no ideology of power can suppress such truth," the monsignor recalled.
And it is this dignity of the human being, he added, "that determines the just balance of national interests, which can never consider themselves absolute," and whose defense "should contribute to promoting the common good of all men."
"The Holy See emphasizes constantly that respect for the dignity of man, therefore, is the deepest ethical foundation for the search for peace and in the building of international relations," Monsignor Parolin affirmed. "The lack of, contempt for, or partial adhesion to this principle is the origin of conflicts, of environmental degradation and of injustices."
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Bishop Invites Americans to Lourdes
Encourages Pilgrimages During Jubilee Year
WASHINGTON, D.C., NOV. 28, 2007 (Zenit.org).- The bishop of Lourdes, France, where Our Lady appeared to a young shepherd girl 150 years ago, is inviting Americans to make a pilgrimage during the jubilee year marking the anniversary of the apparitions.
Bishop Jacques Perrier made this recommendation Tuesday during a trip to the United States to promote the yearlong celebrations that will begin this Dec. 8 and end Dec. 8, 2008.
Dec. 8 is the feast of the Immaculate Conception, which is the title that Mary took when she appeared to Bernadette Soubirous in Lourdes.
Bishop Perrier made his appeal at the U.S. bishops' conference in the nation's capital as part of a series of visits to cities around the globe, including Paris, Rome and London.
"I invite the people of the United States to visit Lourdes during the jubilee year or to honor the anniversary at home in their parishes with prayer, with service to the sick and disabled or by pilgrimage to local grotto replicas throughout the country," Bishop Perrier said.
Each pilgrim going to Lourdes will be invited to follow the "Jubilee Path" in four steps: the baptismal font where Bernadette was baptized, the "cachot" where she lived with her family throughout the apparitions, the grotto where the saw the Blessed Virgin 18 times and the chapel where Bernadette made her first Communion.
A novena will be offered, downloadable from the Internet, for all those desiring to be pilgrims at home and to make possible the involvement of communities throughout the world associated with Lourdes and St. Bernadette.
It is estimated that more than 500,000 American Catholics visit the sanctuaries at Lourdes every year. The annual number of pilgrims to the shrine tops 6 million.
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Padre Pio Credited With Parish's Conversion
Former Orthodox Woman Says Saint Obtained Cure for Her
By Nieves San Martín
PESCEANA, Romania, NOV. 28, 2007 (Zenit.org).- The 71-year-old mother of a former Orthodox priest says she was cured of lung cancer through the intercession of Padre Pio. After the apparent miracle, the priest explained, he and his mother, and members of his parish, have become Catholics.
Lucrecia Tudor was born into the Romanian Orthodox Church and her son, Victor, followed a vocation to the priesthood. In 2002, he was working in Pesceana, close to Valcea, in south central Romania. Another son, Mariano, dedicated himself to painting, especially iconography, and lives and works in Rome.
The story of the family, and the church they are building dedicated to Saint Pio de Pietrelcina, was related to ZENIT by Italian journalist, Renzo Allegri.
Lucrecia was diagnosed with a tumor in her left lung more than five years ago. Romanian doctors told her surgery was impossible and she had few months to live. Lucrecia and Father Victor turned to Mariano for help, hoping that a doctor in Rome could be found to give a better prognosis.
Mariano contacted a well-known surgeon, who invited the young painter to bring his mother to Rome, where he would try to save her.
After reviewing the reports from his Romanian colleagues, the doctor examined Lucrecia with more detail, only to arrive at the same conclusion: An operation was useless. He could only offer medications to ease the sharp pain, which, he predicted would increase in the terminal phase.
Mariano kept his mother with himself in Rome so as to be near the doctor for checkups. He was working on a mosaic in a church and, as his mother does not speak Italian, he kept her close by. While he was working, his mother walked through the church, contemplating the paintings and statues.
In one corner, there was a large statue of Padre Pio. Lucrecia liked the statue and asked Mariano who it depicted. Mariano related briefly the story of the saint. In the coming days, he saw his mother spending all her time seated before the image, with which she chatted as if it were alive. Two weeks later, Mariano took his mother to the hospital for her checkup. The doctor said the tumor had disappeared.
Lucrecia had asked Padre Pio to help her, even though she was Orthodox, and, she said, the saint had granted her request.
"The great cure of my mother, accomplished through Padre Pio in favor of an Orthodox woman, impressed me much," Father Victor said. "I began to read the life of the Italian saint. I told my parishioners what had happened. They all knew my mother and everyone knew we had gone to Italy in order to try a surgical intervention, and that she had returned home cured, without any doctor having operated.
"In my parish, they began to know and love Padre Pio. We read everything we found about him. His holiness won us over. Meanwhile, in my parish other sick people also received extraordinary graces from Padre Pio. Among my people, there spread a great enthusiasm and, little by little, we decided to become Catholics, in order to be closer to Padre."
The step from the Orthodox to the Catholic Church required a slow process. And there were difficulties of every kind, Allegri explained in relating the story. But the parishioners continued in the process and even decided to build a church to dedicate it to Padre Pio.
"The funds are the result of the savings of this poor people, and of the help of some German Catholics who heard our story," Father Victor said. "And my parishioners are those who are bringing forward the work, working for free, naturally. [] After a few days, we celebrated solemnly the placing of the first stone. And it was a big party, because the Metropolitan Archbishop of Fagaras and Alba Julia of the Romanians, meaning, the highest authority of the Greek Catholic Church in Romania, came to celebrate [] To conclude this ceremony, the metropolitan wished to meet my mother, cured through a miracle of Padre Pio, and posed with her for a photo."
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Wednesday's Audience
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On St. Ephrem the Syrian
"Scepter of the Holy Spirit"
VATICAN CITY, NOV. 28, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the address Benedict XVI delivered today at the general audience in Paul VI Hall. The reflection focused on the figure of St. Ephrem the Syrian, fourth-century theologian, poet and musician.
* * *
Dear brothers and sisters!
According to general opinion, Christianity is a European religion that has exported the culture of this Continent to other countries. The reality, though, is a lot more complex, as the root of the Christian religion is found in the Old Testament, and therefore in Jerusalem and the Semitic world. Christianity has always nourished itself from its roots in the Old Testament.
Also, its expansion during the first centuries was both westward -- toward the Greek-Latin world, where it then inspired the European culture -- and eastward to Persia and India, thus contributing to stimulate a specific culture, in Semitic languages, with its own identity.
To show the cultural diversity of the early Christian faith, during last Wednesday's catechesis I talked about a representative of this Christianity, Aphraates the Persian sage, almost unknown to us. Along the same lines I would like to speak today of St. Ephrem the Syrian, born in Nisibis around 306 into a Christian family.
He was the most important representative of Syriac Christianity, and succeeded in a unique way to reconcile the vocation of the theologian with that of the poet. He was brought up with James, bishop of Nisibis (303-338), and with him he founded the theological school of his town. Once deacon, he completely immersed himself in the life of the local Christian community until 363, the year in which Nisibis fell under Persian rule. Ephrem fled to Edessa, where he continued his activities as a preacher. He died there in 373, after being infected with the plague while attending to the sick.
It is not known with certainty whether he was a monk, but in any case it is certain that he remained a deacon all his life and that he embraced celibacy and poverty. In this way, according to the specific character of his culture, the common and fundamental Christian identity can be seen: faith, hope -- the hope that allows you to live a chaste and simple life putting your faith in the Lord -- and charity, even to the point of giving one's own life to care for the victims of the plague.
St. Ephrem left us a large written theological inheritance. His considerable writings can be grouped into four categories: works written in ordinary prose (his polemical works, or biblical commentaries); works in poetic prose; sermons in verses; and finally the hymns -- undoubtedly Ephrem's most extensive work.
He is a rich and captivating author for many reasons, but particularly because of his theological profile. The specific character of his work is that theology meets poetry. If we want to get closer to his doctrine, we need to acknowledge that he studied theology through poetry. Poetry allowed him to deepen his theological reflections through paradoxes and images. His theology became both liturgy and music at the same time: he was indeed a great composer and musician.
Theology, reflection on faith, poetry, chanting and the praising of God all complement one another. It is actually from this liturgical character that the divine truth appeared with clarity in Ephrem's theology. During his search for God and in his theology, he followed the path of paradox and symbol. His preference was to use opposing images, because they serve to underline the mystery of God.
I cannot quote much of his work, partly because poetry is difficult to translate, but just to give an idea of his poetic theology I would like to quote parts of two different hymns. First of all, as Advent is almost here, I would like to show you some wonderful images taken from the hymns "On Christ's Nativity." In an inspired tone Ephrem expressed his wonder of the figure of the Virgin Mary:
"The Lord came to her
to make himself a servant.
The Word came to her
to keep silence in her womb.
The lightning came to her
to not make any noise.
"The shepherd came to her
and the Lamb is born, who humbly cries.
Because Mary's womb
has reversed the roles:
The one who created all things
wasn't born rich, but poor.
"The Almighty came to her (Mary),
but he came humbly.
Splendor came to her,
but dressed in humble clothes.
The One who gives us all things
met hunger.
"The One who gives water to everyone
met thirst.
Naked and unclothed he came from her,
he who dresses all things (with beauty)."
(Hymn "De Nativitate" 11, 6-8).
To express the mystery of Christ, Ephrem uses a large variety of topics, expressions and images. In one of his hymns he connects Adam (in paradise) with Christ (in the Eucharist) in an effective way:
"It was the cherub's sword,
that closed the path
to the tree of life.
"But for the people,
the Lord of this tree
gave himself like food
at the (Eucharistic) offering.
"Eden's trees
were given as nourishment
to the first Adam.
"For us, the gardener
of the garden
has made himself food
for our souls.
"In fact we all left
Paradise together with Adam,
who left it all behind.
"Now that the sword has been removed,
from there (on the cross) by the lance
we are able to return."
(Hymn 49,9-11).
Ephrem uses two images to speak about the Eucharist: the charcoal or the hot coal, and the pearl. The theme of the hot coal is taken from the prophet Isaiah (cf. 6:6). It is the image of the seraph who takes the hot coal with tongs and simply grazes the lips of the prophet to purify them; the Christian, instead, takes and consumes the hot coal, that is, Christ himself:
"In your bread hides the Spirit
that cannot be consumed;
In your wine is the fire that cannot be drunk.
"The Spirit in your bread, the fire in your wine:
Here is a wonder welcomed by our lips.
"The seraph could not get his fingers close to the hot coal,
that could only approach Isaiah's mouth;
neither did the fingers take it, nor the lips swallow it;
But the Lord granted us the ability to do both things.
"The fire rained down with anger to destroy the sinners,
But the fire of grace comes down on the bread and remains there.
Instead of the fire destroying man,
we ate the fire in the bread
and we were revived."
(Hymn "De Fide" 10,8-10).
Here is another example of St. Ephrem's hymns, where he writes of the pearl as a symbol of the richness and beauty of faith:
"My brothers, I put (the pearl) to the palm of my hand,
to be able to look at it closely.
"I observed it from one side and then the other:
It had one only appearance from all sides.
"(Such) is the search for the Son, inscrutable,
for he is luminous.
"In its clarity, I saw the clear one,
that does not become opaque;
and in its purity,
I saw the great symbol of our Lord's body,
That is pure.
"In its indivisibility, I saw the truth,
which is indivisible."
(Hymn "On The Pearl" 1, 2-3).
The figure of Ephrem is still very relevant for the life of the various Christian Churches. In the first place we discover him as a theologian, who began from sacred Scripture and poetically reflected upon the mystery of the redemption of man by Christ, the embodiment of the Word of God.
His theological reflection is expressed with images and symbols taken from nature, from daily life and from the Bible. Ephrem conferred an educational and catechetical character to his poetry and to the hymns for the liturgy; these are theological hymns suitable for performance or liturgical songs. Ephrem uses such hymns to spread the doctrine of the Church at liturgical festivals. Over time the hymns proved to be an extremely effective catechetical instrument for the Christian community.
It is important to underline Ephrem's reflection on the God of creation: Nothing in creation is isolated, and the world is, with sacred Scripture, a Bible of God. By using his freedom wrongly, man overturns the order of the cosmos.
To Ephrem the role of the woman is a relevant one. The way he wrote about women was always prompted by sensibility and respect: The fact that Jesus dwelt in the womb of Mary has enormously raised the woman's dignity. For Ephrem there is no redemption without Jesus, just as there could be no incarnation without Mary. The divine and human dimensions of the mystery of our redemption can already be found in Ephrem's texts; in a poetic way and with scriptural images, he anticipated the theological background and in some ways the language itself of the great Christological definitions from the fifth-century councils.
Honored by the Christian tradition as "scepter of the Holy Spirit," Ephrem opted to be a deacon of his Church for his entire life. It was a decisive and emblematic choice: He was deacon, that is to say, a servant, in the ministry of the liturgy, in his love for Christ -- which was radical -- that he sung of in an unparalleled way, and in charity toward his brothers, whom he taught with rare mastery the knowledge of divine revelation.
[Translation by Laura Leoncini]
[After praying the Angelus, the Holy Father greeted pilgrims in six languages. In English, he said:]
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
In this week's catechesis we turn to Saint Ephrem, the greatest of the Syriac Fathers and the most renowned poet of the patristic age. Saint Ephrem's theology, deeply grounded in the Scriptures and profoundly orthodox in content, was expressed in poetic language marked by striking paradoxes and vivid imagery.
Through his mastery of poetic symbolism, Ephrem sought to communicate, especially in his Hymns, the mystery of the trinitarian God, the incarnation of the eternal Son born of the Virgin Mary, and the spiritual treasures contained in the Eucharist. His poetry and hymns not only enriched the liturgy; they also proved an important means of catechesis for the Christian community in the fourth century.
Particularly significant is Ephrem's teaching on our redemption by Christ: his poetic descriptions of the interplay of the divine and human aspects of this great mystery foreshadowed the theology and, to some extent, even the language of the great Christological definitions of the councils of the next century. In his life-long service to the Church as a deacon, Saint Ephrem was an example of fidelity to the liturgy, meditation on the mystery of Christ and charitable service to his brothers and sisters.
I am pleased to greet the English-speaking visitors present at today's Audience, especially those from Australia, Canada and the United States. I offer a special welcome to the students from the University of Sunbury, Melbourne; and to the students and staff of the University of Dallas, Texas. I also greet the members of the pilgrimage from the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, led by their Archbishop. Upon all of you I cordially invoke an abundance of joy and peace in our Lord Jesus Christ.
[After greeting the pilgrims, he said in Italian:]
December marks World AIDS Day. I remain spiritually close to everyone suffering from this terrible sickness, and to their families, especially those who have lost a loved one. To everyone I give assurances of my prayers.
Furthermore, I wish to exhort all people of good will to increase their efforts to halt the spread of the HIV virus, to combat the disdain which is often directed towards people who are affected by it, and to care for the sick, especially those who are still children.
© Copyright 2007 -- Libreria Editrice Vaticana
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DOCUMENTS
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Papal Message for Migrants Day
"The Gospel Is Alive and Suited to Every Situation"
VATICAN CITY, NOV. 28, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Here is the text of Benedict XVI's message for the 94th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, which was presented today. The text was signed Oct. 18, and the World Day is scheduled for Jan. 13, which will focus on the theme of young migrants.
* * *
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
The theme of the World Day of Migrants and Refugees invites us this year to reflect in particular on young migrants. As a matter of fact, the daily news often speaks about them. The vast globalization process underway around the world brings a need for mobility, which also induces many young people to emigrate and live far from their families and their countries. The result is that many times the young people endowed with the best intellectual resources leave their countries of origin, while in the countries that receive the migrants, laws are in force that make their actual insertion difficult. In fact, the phenomenon of emigration is becoming ever more widespread and includes a growing number of people from every social condition. Rightly, therefore, the public institutions, humanitarian organizations and also the Catholic Church are dedicating many of their resources to helping these people in difficulty.
For the young migrants, the problems of the so-called "difficulty of dual belonging" seem to be felt in a particular way: on the one hand, they feel a strong need to not lose their culture of origin, while on the other, the understandable desire emerges in them to be inserted organically into the society that receives them, but without this implying a complete assimilation and the resulting loss of their ancestral traditions. Among the young people, there are also girls who fall victim more easily to exploitation, moral forms of blackmail, and even abuses of all kinds. What can we say, then, about the adolescents, the unaccompanied minors that make up a category at risk among those who ask for asylum? These boys and girls often end up on the street abandoned to themselves and prey to unscrupulous exploiters who often transform them into the object of physical, moral and sexual violence.
Next, looking more closely at the sector of forced migrants, refugees and the victims of human trafficking, we unhappily find many children and adolescents too. On this subject it is impossible to remain silent before the distressing images of the great refugee camps present in different parts of the world. How can we not think that these little beings have come into the world with the same legitimate expectations of happiness as the others? And, at the same time, how can we not remember that childhood and adolescence are fundamentally important stages for the development of a man and a woman that require stability, serenity and security? These children and adolescents have only had as their life experience the permanent, compulsory "camps" where they are segregated, far from inhabited towns, with no possibility normally to attend school. How can they look to the future with confidence? While it is true that much is being done for them, even greater commitment is still needed to
help them by creating suitable hospitality and formative structures.
Precisely from this perspective the question is raised of how to respond to the expectations of the young migrants? What can be done to help them? Of course, it is necessary to aim first of all at support for the family and schools. But how complex the situations are, and how numerous the difficulties these young people encounter in their family and school contexts! In families, the traditional roles that existed in the countries of origin have broken down, and a clash is often seen between parents still tied to their culture and children quickly acculturated in the new social contexts. Likewise, the difficulty should not be underestimated which the young people find in getting inserted into the educational course of study in force in the country where they are hosted. Therefore, the scholastic system itself should take their conditions into consideration and provide specific formative paths of integration for the immigrant boys and girls that are suited to their needs. The
commitment will also be important to create a climate of mutual respect and dialogue among all the students in the classrooms based on the universal principles and values that are common to all cultures. Everyone's commitment -- teachers, families and students -- will surely contribute to helping the young migrants to face in the best way possible the challenge of integration and offer them the possibility to acquire what can aid their human, cultural and professional formation. This holds even more for the young refugees for whom adequate programs will have to be prepared, both in the scholastic and the work contexts, in order to guarantee their preparation and provide the necessary bases for a correct insertion into the new social, cultural and professional world.
The Church looks with very particular attention at the world of migrants and asks those who have received a Christian formation in their countries of origin to make this heritage of faith and evangelical values bear fruit in order to offer a consistent witness in the different life contexts. Precisely in this regard, I invite the ecclesial host communities to welcome the young and very young people with their parents with sympathy, and to try to understand the vicissitudes of their lives and favor their insertion.
Then, among the migrants, as I wrote in last year's Message, there is one category to consider in a special way: the students from other countries who because of their studies, are far from home. Their number is growing constantly: they are young people who need a specific pastoral care because they are not just students, like all the rest, but also temporary migrants. They often feel alone under the pressure of their studies and sometimes they are also constricted by economic difficulties. The Church, in her maternal concern, looks at them with affection and tries to put specific pastoral and social interventions into action that will take the great resources of their youth into consideration. It is necessary to help them find a way to open up to the dynamism of interculturality and be enriched in their contact with other students of different cultures and religions. For young Christians, this study and formation experience can be a useful area for the maturation of their faith, a
stimulus to be open to the universalism that is a constitutive element of the Catholic Church.
Dear young migrants, prepare yourselves to build together your young peers a more just and fraternal society by fulfilling your duties scrupulously and seriously towards your families and the State. Be respectful of the laws and never let yourselves be carried away by hatred and violence. Try instead to be protagonists as of now of a world where understanding and solidarity, justice and peace will reign. To you, in particular, young believers, I ask you to profit from your period of studies to grow in knowledge and love of Christ. Jesus wants you to be his true friends, and for this it is necessary for you to cultivate a close relationship with Him constantly in prayer and docile listening to his Word. He wants you to be his witnesses, and for this it is necessary for you to be committed to living the Gospel courageously and expressing it in concrete acts of love of God and generous service to your brothers and sisters. The Church needs you too and is counting on your contribution.
You can play a very providential role in the current context of evangelization. Coming from different cultures, but all united by belonging to the one Church of Christ, you can show that the Gospel is alive and suited to every situation; it is an old and ever new message. It is a word of hope and salvation for the people of all races and cultures, of all ages and eras.
To Mary, the Mother of all humanity, and to Joseph, her most chaste spouse, who were both refugees together with Jesus in Egypt, I entrust each one of you, your families, those who take care of the vast world of young migrants in various ways, the volunteers and pastoral workers that are by your side with their willingness and friendly support.
May the Lord always be close to you and your families so that together you can overcome the obstacles and the material and spiritual difficulties you encounter on your way. I accompany these wishes with a special Apostolic Blessing for each one of you and for those who are dear to you.
From the Vatican, October 18, 2007
BENEDICTUS PP. XVI
© Copyright 2007 -- Libreria Editrice Vaticana
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