"Jesus, I love you!". These were the last words of our beloved Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in the early hours of December 31. With these words, which sum up his whole life, he left us to go to the Father's House.
The news of his death at the end of the year, while shocking us, should prompt us to pray with confidence for him who has been like a father in the faith for all Christians and to give many thanks to God for his life and ministry as successor of Peter.
A particularly eloquent witness in these last ten years 'sustaining the Church with his silence', as Pope Francis said a few days ago. He defined himself at the beginning of his pontificate as a 'humble worker in the vineyard of the Lord'.
In his testament, made public on the occasion of his death, the words, "Remain firm in the faith! Do not let yourselves be confused!" are impressive. In this writing, which dates from 2006, he reveals the depths of his heart: gratitude to God for the gift of family, which marked the life of faith of such an outstanding theologian; recognition of the presence of God in the difficult and winding ups and downs of life; the richness of the contact with so many people throughout his life.
It is a call to trust in God, who ultimately guides the history of mankind with the power of his Love, revealed in Jesus Christ, who has made the Church truly his body, despite all her defects and inadequacies, the intimate relationship between faith and reason, faith and true science, faith and the right interpretation of Sacred Scripture.
There are so many milestones that we could recall from his pontificate, especially from his very rich magisterium! In Spain we have had the grace of having him among us on several very significant occasions.
All of them are worthy of being remembered, but there is no doubt that the adoration vigil at Cuatro Vientos, during WYD 2011 in Madrid, was an absolutely unforgettable experience for all of us.
In spite of the storm, he stood firm under the rain at the altar and, before the thunderous silence of more than a million faithful, adoring Jesus on his knees, he spoke to us of the centrality of Christ, the way, the truth and the life.
Jesus Christ has been the center of his life and of his pontificate. The gift he has given us with his three-volume work on Jesus of Nazareth indicates this. Surely, one of the best testimonies of gratitude that we can give at this time is to reread and study his rich and tasty magisterium, accessible to all, because despite his lofty theology, his recipients were the simple faithful, whose faith he was always determined to defend, protect and increase from the cold and harsh winds of secularization.
Those words with which he begins his encyclical Deus Caritas est continue to resonate in my heart: "One does not begin to be a Christian by an ethical decision or a great idea, but by an encounter with an event, with a Person, which gives a new horizon to life and, with it, a decisive orientation".
We ask the Lord to give rest in his bosom to the good and faithful servant. Moreover, we ask the Eternal Father that our beloved Benedict may continue to watch over us, the Church and the world, from heaven.
Personally, I thank the Lord for having received episcopal ordination through him. Thank you, Benedict! Thank you, Lord!
