Nov 4 Tue
Can Christ overcome evil?
In his first homily as pope, St John Paul II explained:
Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors for Christ.
Peter came to Rome! What else but obedience to the inspiration received from the Lord could have guided him and brought him to this city, the heart of the Empire? Perhaps the fisherman of Galilee did not want to come here. He would have preferred to stay on the shores of the Lake of Gennesaret, with his boat and his nets. Yet, guided by the Lord and obedient to His inspiration, he came here!
According to an ancient tradition, Peter tried to leave Rome during Nero’s persecution. However, the Lord intervened and came to meet him. Peter spoke to Him and asked, “Quo vadis, Domine?” — “Where are you going, Lord?” And the Lord answered him at once: “I am going to Rome to be crucified again.”
Ashamed, Peter returned to Rome and stayed there until his crucifixion.
The Lord came to make us all “a kingdom of priests.”
By the mystery of His power, Christ’s mission as Priest, Prophet-Teacher, and King continues in the Church. Each one of the members of the People of God shares in this threefold mission and power to overcome evil.
Perhaps in the past, the tiara, that triple crown, was placed on the Pope’s head to signify the Lord’s plan for his Church, namely that all “sacred power” exercised in the Church, is nothing other than service, service with a single purpose: to ensure that the whole People of God shares in this threefold mission of Christ and always remains under the power of the Lord; a power that has its source not in the powers of this world, but instead in the mystery of the Cross and the Resurrection.
Christ’s power does not speak the language of force but expresses itself in charity and truth.
Christ made the pope become and remain the servant of his unique power, the servant of his sweet power, the servant of his power that knows no dusk. He made the pope a servant: indeed, the servant of his servants.
Help the Pope and all those who wish to serve Christ and, with Christ’s power, serve the human person and the whole of mankind.
Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors for Christ. To His saving power, open the boundaries of states, economic and political systems, the vast fields of culture, civilization, and development. Do not be afraid. Christ knows “that which is in man.” He alone knows it.
So often today, man does not know what is in him, in the depths of his mind and heart. So often, he is uncertain about the meaning of his life on this earth. He is assailed by doubt, a doubt that turns into despair. We ask you, therefore, we beg you with humility and trust, let Christ speak to man. He alone has words of life, yes, of life eternal.