29 April 2007
PONTIFICAL ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
HOMILY FOR THE MASS IN ASSISI
29 April 2007
Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo
President of the Governatorato of Vatican City State
1. Distinguished members of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences,
I express my gratitude to Bishop Sánchez Sorondo for his invitation to join you on this pilgrimage to Assisi where we can draw from the pure source of the spirit and witness of St. Francis, on this day - the feast of Saint Catherine of Siena. I gladly accepted his invitation, wishing to express the Holy See’s and my personal esteem to each of you and the contribution which you give through your own work, and collectively through the Pontifical Academy. Your efforts in striving to resolve the serious and complex social problems afflicting humanity today and in pointing out the challenges to be faced by future generations are highly appreciated.
I gladly accepted this invitation also because it is a joy for me to join you in fixing our gaze on the Lord; his image is truly reflected in the figure of Saint Francis – Patron of Italy – to whom this splendid Basilica is dedicated, as well as to the figure of Saint Catherine – with him a Patron of Italy and also a Patron of Europe and a Doctor of the Church. Their lives inspire us and their intercession encourages and sustains us.
2. You are meeting these days in Rome, to study the theme “Charity and Justice in the Relations among Peoples and Nations” in light of the teachings of Pope Benedict XVI in his encyclical “Deus Caritas Est”. All human history has been characterised by unending strife among peoples, and no less so today than yesterday. Pope Benedict XVI, in his Easter message “Urbi et Orbi”, highlighted some of the open wounds afflicting humanity today. Many other problems due to international structures and relations could be mentioned, and all can be traced back to violations of justice and offences against charity. It is not necessary to recall these issues as you are very well aware of them.
Apart from that, you have come here to Assisi, not to find a new theoretical or practical solution to these problems, but rather, to draw inspiration, to gather new courage, and to return back home and resume your scientific commitments with renewed determination. Your work is demanding: it calls for dedication and perseverance; it requires the courage of a hope, like that of Abraham: a hope against hope – “spes contra spem”, to use an expression from Paul’s Letter to the Romans (4, 18); it calls for a vigorous trust in the victory of those who rely on God, over those who choose death more than life. Your own high ideals, and their being tied to the unshakeable reality of God, will enable your efforts to succeed best, even in the face of those who out of indifference or even hostility – perhaps due to the prevalence of ideologies in contrast with the message of life – are unwilling to listen to the solutions you have long meditated with objectivity and wisdom.
Today, here in Assisi, the place and time are ideal to gather new energy for a journey, which we know as a long and difficult one. It will end in front of the Lamb, who stands in the centre of the throne of God; who shepherds those that survived the time of great distress, that wash their robes and make them white in his blood; he will lead them to springs of life-giving water, and God will wipe away the tears from their eyes. So we have read today from the Book of Revelation.