Catholic World News News Feature

Advent is the season of hope, Pope says December 01, 2008

The Vatican opened the season of Advent with a Vespers service in St. Peter's basilica on Saturday evening, November 29, with Pope Benedict XVI presiding.

The Holy Father observed in his homily that Advent is "par excellence, the spiritual season of hope." He encouraged the faithful to in "that universal form of hope and expectation which is prayer" as the Christian world prepares for the celebration of the Nativity.

The Pope cited the words of Psalm 141: "I call upon Thee, O Lord; make haste to me!" That is "the cry of a person who senses great danger," the Pope observed, and it is also "the cry of the Church among the many perils that surround her and threaten her sanctity." He explained that the Christian world recognizes the urgent need for Jesus to provie "the only way of liberation from mortal danger."

Pope Benedict returned to the theme of Advent preparation on Sunday as he celebrated Mass in the basilica of San Lorenzo, honoring the 1,750th anniversary of that saint's martyrdom. He remarked that the liturgies of Advent help the faithful to "listen and reflect" in their prayer as they await the coming of the Savior.

During his homily the Pope reflected on the history of the Roman basilica, beginning with the work of the deacon St. Lawrence, who gave his life to the poor of Rome. During World War II, the Pope continued, his predecessor Pius XII rushed to help the people of the surrounding neighborhood after a bombing raid damaged the basilica and its environs. Finally the Pope paid tribute to two prominent figures buried in the basilica: Blessed Pius IX and the postwar Italian political leader Alcide De Gaspari; the Pontiff described the latter as "an outstanding statesman with a broad-ranging Christian vision for Europe."

Returning to the Vatican for his midday Angelus audience, the Pope said that Advent "invites us to reflect upon the dimension of time," since the Christian world is thinking about Christ's entry into a particular time and place in human history. Advent is also an opportunity to look forward to the end of time, when Christ will come again in triumph, he said. Although Jesus was born into a particular time and place, the Pope said, his salvific action continues through all of time; "the Lord comes continually into our lives." Advent, he said, should be a reminder to all Christians that Jesus will come to us again, and "at a time that only God knows each will be called to account for his life." The lesson to be learned from that realization, he said, is one of "detachment from worldly things, sincere penitence for one's errors, effective charity towards others and, above all, humble and trusting abandonment in the hands of God, our tender and merciful Father."