Tuesday, 7 November 2006

Benedict XVI on the meaning of death

Today in St Peter’s Square, Benedict XVI gave an address on the meaning of death:

“Since [Jesus], death is no longer the same: It has been deprived, so to speak, of its ‘venom.’ The love of God, acting in Jesus, has given new meaning to the whole of man’s existence and in this way has also transformed death. If in Christ human life is a departure ‘from this world to the Father’ (John 13:1), the hour of death is the moment in which this departure takes places in a concrete and definite way.”

3 Comments:

byron smith said...

Not sure I agree that human life is a departure from this world to the Father. In the light of Rev 21-22 and elsewhere, isn't it more waiting for the Father to turn up here?

Though I agree that death is now different for the Christian. However, I don't think we can talk about this difference without mentioning resurrection.

byron smith said...

Oops - that second link should be to here...

Michael Westmoreland-White, Ph.D. said...

Only a lifelong celibate who has never lost a child or mate or suffered through a miscarriage could give such a speech. Has death changed since Jesus' death? Yes, and, as Moltmann emphasizes, only Jesus' died God-abandoned. But death is still the "last enemy" and the Pontiff's denial of this shows me that his theology has not improved since he was persecuting Leonardo Boff and others and taken over the See of Rome.

People keep telling me that Pope Benedict will be different than Cardinal Ratzinger. I'm not seeing it.

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