Angelus – November 11,
2012 – On Trusting God
This
week, in his Sunday Angelus message in Saint Peter’s Square, Pope Benedict XVI
addressed those present and spoke about the two widows found in Sunday’s Mass
readings, one found in 1 Kings 17:10-16 and the other found in the Gospel, Mark
12:41-44. First explaining what occurred
in the readings, he comments, “Both of these women are desperately poor and
precisely in this situation demonstrate a great faith in God”. Pope Benedict argues that from these two
readings and these two women, a “precious teaching about faith” can be
found. He expounds, “It is about the
interior attitude of those who base their lives on God, on His Word, and
completely entrust themselves to Him”. In Scripture, widows were often
very poor and in need. However, Pope
Benedict urges,
Nevertheless, Scripture says that the
objective condition of need, in this case the fact of being a widow, is not
sufficient: God always asks for our adherence in faith, which is expressed in love
of Him and neighbour.
No one is ever so poor that he cannot give something. And in fact both of our widows today
demonstrate their faith through acts of charity…
Pope Benedict also quoted Pope Saint Leo the Great (whose
feast day was November 10th), saying, “No
act of goodness is without value before God, no act of mercy is without fruit”.
He concluded his
message showing how our Blessed Mother is the perfect example of how one
entrusts oneself to God completely, and he asks for her help during this Year
as we grow and strengthen our confidence in God and His Word. During this next week, may we practice and
live with full trust and confidence in God and His provident care.
While greeting those
in the Square, His Holiness acknowledged the beatification of Maria Luisa
Prosperi, who was beatified on Saturday in Spoleto, Italy. She was a religious, a Benedictine abbess,
who lived from 1779-1847. She was also a
mystic, “who desired to associate herself with Christ’s
Passion in a singular way”.
Blessed Maria Luisa
Prosperi, pray for us!
Image from http://pierostradella.it/relic/M/m.htm.
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