It is interesting to observe that, in a secular world, giving little importance to Church affairs, it was not enough to simply make the announcement of Pope Benedict’s resignation. Journalists understood the impact of this decision and milked this news from every possible angle.
Is it possible that Pope Benedict is not just thought of as a good and holy man who has held an important role as the head of the Catholic Church but that the world recognises him to be an outstanding leader, a prophet, a teacher of the truth? This unshakable rock that has weathered terrifying storms remains a steadfast symbol enabling us to see that he may indeed have the answers to life’s most troubling questions.
The man, Joseph Ratzinger, in every role and office that he held, has always worn the personality of Jesus Christ Himself and reflected His light, His image, His truth. This quotation from his book, Values in a Time of Upheaval, is a sampling of his voice in our wilderness:
“Christian faith in God also affirms that God, the eternal reason, is love. He is not a relationless existence circling around its own self. Precisely because He is sovereign, because He is the Creator and encompasses all things, He is relationship and love. Faith in the incarnation of God in Jesus Christ and in His suffering and dying for man is the highest expression of this conviction that the centre of all morality, the centre of existence itself and its innermost source, is love.
“This affirmation is the strongest possible rejection of every ideology of violence. It is the true apologia for man and for God. Nor should we forget that the God of reason and of love is also the judge of the world and of human beings, the one who guarantees justice, because everyone must give account to Him.
“In view of the temptations to misuse power, it is fundamentally important for us not to forget the truth of judgment: everyone must give account of himself. There is a justice that is not simply abolished by love.”
Losing Benedict as our Pope is like losing a parent. It requires a period of mourning. It is a time of great sadness; a shutting down from usual activities to reflect on the lessons learnt and to hold on to personal and significant memories.
However, this loss is partial as His Holiness plans to retire to a life of prayer and we can find consolation that he will continue to feed us and the Church with his profound writings and teaching.