“The Pope kissed the ground at Khartoum airport, and began his address at
the arrival ceremony with a frank statement of concern: “When people are weak and poor and
defenseless, I must raise my voice on their behalf. When they are homeless and suffering the
consequences of drought, famine, disease and the devastations of war, I must be
close to them….” He had come, he said,
on behalf of “justice and peace for all
the citizens of this land, without reserve, regardless of their religion,
social standing, ethnic background or color.”
Witness to Hope by George Weigel
JMJ
In the consequences of Original Sin, Man made in the Image of His Creator is drawn towards the
Eternity of Love, the Only Begotten Son incarnated to restore what has been lost by the sin of
our First Parents. In this restoration of Man towards
his Creator, the Omnipotent God of all the Living comes down from the throne of
His Eternal Kingdom to live among the temporal life of this world and illumine
the hearts of Mankind towards the living reality of the sacredness and dignity
of humanity. A humanity made in His Divine Image as heir of a Kingdom that will remain forever in this life
through the ordinary and hidden tasks of daily living, sanctified by grace to
come to flourishin in the Eternity of God’s Kingdom. How great are the depths of God and
unfathomable are His mercies that in restoring to Man his dignity he brings
to Him a Union of the Divine to that which is most ordinary. A justice and peace in the dimension of
eternity passes through time in order that Man may taste of the Heavenly
Glory he has been destined to live.
A voice of the Christ Child spurs from the cry of a baby who speaks for
all who are weak, poor and defenseless to restore to those who are in need of
hope and are in need of God’s Most Merciful Gaze of Redemption.
Eternal Word of the Father, You have bestowed on Man an
eternity of hope for a redemption that lives according to the Spirit of the
Most Awesome and Living God. In this
redemption we encounter the peace that is longed for in every human heart. A justice that makes free the eternity of
love for those who have been enslaved from the brokenness of human weakness and
misery. We stand tall and erect in
the hope we find in the Redemption that is near at hand and know that in this hope
we will encounter a Most Awesome and Generous God; who in the Salvation of Man will redeem us ever more to a deeper intimacy with
the Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three Divine Persons, One
God. O Mother of the Word Incarnate,
despise not our petitions but in your mercy hear and answer me. Amen.