Skip to main content
Along with the rest of the Roman Curia, Pope Benedict XVI began his second day of spiritual exercises by reflecting on Psalm 119 and the “light that breaks the darkness, especially in today's culture. The comparison with the Word is essential, it shows us the true scale of values, often calculated only in things, in money, power,” Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi told the Pope Feb. 18 at the Apostolic Palace. The Italian cardinal focused his meditations for today on Psalms 119, 23 and 19, under the title “At the sources of the Jordan River of the Spirit: God of Grace and the Word. In Psalm 23, there is the sharing of the road – God is the shepherd leading the flock, and at the same time a traveling companion – elements which refer to the value of grace, truth and love,” said the cardinal. And during this morning’s third meditation, the cardinal poetically described Creation as “a different word of God” that contains “a silent theological music and is a message that knows no sound or echoes words but rather runs through the universe.” The annual Lenten spiritual exercises began on Sunday evening and will run until Feb. 23, when the Pope will give a short speech. The week’s theme is titled “The art of praying, the art of believing. The face of God and of man in the prayers of Psalms.” The retreat schedule involves two meditations in the morning and one in the early evening, followed by the celebration of vespers and Eucharistic benediction. The reflections are preached to the Pope and members of his administrative offices, known as the Roman Curia, in the Vatican’s Redemptoris Mater Chapel. Pope Benedict chose Cardinal Ravasi, president for the Pontifical Council for Culture, to head this year’s Lenten spiritual exercises. The cardinal, who is frequently named as a potential candidate for being selected as the next Pope, has chosen the Psalms as the subject of his reflections. Just days before starting the retreat, he shared how he felt about leading it. “On the one hand, I’m excited about this experience because it is the first time that the head of a dicastery speaks to his colleagues as well as to the Pope,” Cardinal Ravasi said Jan. 31. “On the other hand, I also believe that there is a sort of familiar atmosphere, not just because of the relationship I already had with the Pope before he even became Pope and came to Rome,” he said. “But I also think that I would like to propose again the big founding topic through a single book, the Book of Psalms. Because in the end, prayer reveals the true face of God and the true face of man,” he added.

Popular posts from this blog

Praying With The Five Wounds Of Jesus

I am just beginning to dive into the beautiful, ancient devotion to the Five Wounds of Jesus, and I wanted to share a bit of the journey with you. It can feel a little overwhelming at first to look at the Crucifix this closely, but I’ve found such a gentle guide in St. Bernard of Clairvaux . In his Jubilee Rhythm on the Passion, Bernard doesn't treat the wounds of Jesus as distant historical facts or sights to be avoided. Instead, he approaches them with the tenderness of a friend, speaking directly to the feet, hands, side, and face of our Lord. For someone like me who is just starting out, his rhythm teaches that prayer isn't just about reciting words; it’s a holy hide-and-seek. Bernard invites us to literally hide ourselves within these wounds, seeing them as clefts in the rock where we can find shelter when our own lives feel turbulent or heavy. As I start this process, I’ve been practicing what I call gazing and greeting. Following Bernard’s lead, I look at the Crucifix an...
Post a Comment
Read more

From Fisherman to Foremen: Peter’s First Act as Shepherd

In the immediate aftermath of the Ascension, we see a profound transformation in Peter, moving from the impulsive fisherman who once fled in the garden to the courageous shepherd of the early Church. By standing up in the heart of Jerusalem to deliver his first great "sermon" at Pentecost, Peter is not merely offering an inspired speech; he is stepping into the primordial role of the Papacy. He was specifically commissioned by Christ on the shores of Galilee to "feed my sheep," and here we see that nourishment take the form of the Word. He takes control of a frightened and confused community, providing the definitive interpretation of the Resurrection and anchoring the fledgling Church in the truth of the Gospel. This moment in the Acts of the Apostles reminds us that the authority of Peter was never about personal power, but about the sacred duty of unity and guidance. By taking the lead in the upper room and before the crowds, Peter demonstrates that the "key...
Post a Comment
Read more

Just War and the Gospel: How Christ and the Catholic Church Define Moral Conflict

The Catholic understanding of a just war begins not with violence, but with the teachings of Jesus Christ, who calls His followers to love their enemies, seek peace, and act with mercy. In passages such as the Sermon on the Mount, Christ elevates forgiveness and reconciliation as the highest ideals of Christian life. At first glance, this seems to stand in tension with the idea that war could ever be morally justified. Yet the Church, drawing from both Scripture and reason, acknowledges that in a fallen world marked by sin, evil can threaten the innocent in ways that demand a response. Rooted in Christ’s command to love one’s neighbor, the just war tradition insists that any use of force must ultimately serve the protection of human life and the restoration of peace. Over centuries, theologians such as St. Augustine of Hippo and St. Thomas Aquinas helped articulate the moral framework that guides Catholic teaching on war. Their insights, later developed in the Catechism of the Cathol...
Post a Comment
Read more