Reflections on the week that has been

The Holy Father and members of the Vatican Curia completed their annual retreat on Saturday, and the very next day, Benedict XVI shared some of the fruits of this retreat during his weekly Angelus address.

Every year, a priest from somewhere in the world is invited to preach the retreat (quite an imposing task I would think).  In fact, before he was elected Pontiff, Karol Cardinal Wojtyla (later Pope John Paul II) was one of those invited to preach this retreat.

This year, the honor fell to Father François-Marie Lethel, O.C.D., a Discalced Carmelite priest who is presently serving as Secretary of the Pontifical Academy of Theology.  This morning, Zenit published English language translations of the Holy Father's words of gratitude, expressed to Fr. Lethel at the conclusion of the Exercises on Saturday.  Since this text is not available in their online index, here is the printed copy:

Reverend Father
François-Marie Lethel, O.C.D.
Secretary of the Pontifical Academy of Theology

From my very heart I would like to express to you my sincere gratitude for the precious service that you have offered me and my coworkers in the Roman Curia preaching this retreat over these past several days. Thanks also to the work that you have done during this time we have been able to enter into the Lenten season as Mother Church, following the divine Word, asks us: making ourselves more attentive to the voice of the Lord.

The itinerary that you, Reverend Father, have helped us to follow through your meditations is a reason for special gratitude: a spiritual journey inspired by the witness of my Venerable Predecessor John Paul II, whose upcoming beatification has suggested the theme of holiness, reflected upon through an encounter with the living figures of the saints, who are like luminous stars that circle about the Sun that is Christ, Light of the World. The content of this retreat corresponds quite well with the program of catechesis that I have undertaken in these years of my Pontificate in the general audiences with the aim of making the Church known and loved better as it manifests itself in the life and teachings of the saints: beginning with the Apostles and through the great host of the Fathers and other ancient writers, the theologians and mystics of the medieval period, with particular attention to a large number of women, to the series of Doctors of the Church, which I am about to finish. This line of reflection and contemplation on the mystery of Christ reflected, so to speak, in this existence of his most faithful imitators is something fundamental that I inherited from Pope John Paul II and that I carry forward with complete conviction and great joy.

I know well, Dear Brother, that you understand my gratitude as also addressed to the Carmelite Order of which you are a part. I appreciate and share this sentiment and I extend it to the widest ecclesial dimension, because with this retreat you have more than ever made us sense the Church as communion of saints. May our acknowledgement be to the Church animated by the Holy Spirit, and to the Mother of the Church, the Blessed Virgin Mary. May Our Lady and St. Joseph, Husband and Patron of the universal Church, whose feast we celebrate today, and to whom you dedicated this morning's meditation, obtain for you the abundance of heavenly gifts in pledge of which I bestow from my heart a special apostolic blessing, which I extend also to those whom you hold dear.

At the Vatican, March 19, 2011
BENEDICTUS PP XVI
[Translation by Joseph G. Trabbic]

In addition, the Holy Father addressed the members of the Curia at the conclusion of the Exercises.  Here then is a copy of the text he addressed to them:

Dear Brothers,
Dear Father Léthel,

In the light of this journey of reflection, of meditation, of prayer in the company of the holy friends of John Paul II, I would like to say with my whole heart: thank you, Father Léthel, for your sure guidance, for the spiritual riches that you have bestowed upon us. You presented them to us as "stars" in the firmament of history and, with your enthusiasm and your joy, you situated us in the circle of these saints and you showed us that it is precisely the "little" saints who are the "great" saints. You showed us that the "scientia fidei" (science of faith) and the "scientia amoris" (science of love) go together and complete each other, that the greatness of reason and the greatness of love go together, indeed, that great love sees more than reason alone.

Providence has willed that this retreat conclude with the Feast of St. Joseph, my personal patron and the patron of the Holy Church: a humble saint, a humble worker, who was made worthy to be the guardian of the Redeemer.

St. Matthew characterizes St. Joseph with one word: "He was a just man," "dikaios," [in Greek], from "dike," and in the Old Testament, as we find it for example in Psalm 1, "just" is the man who is immersed in the Word of God, who lives in the Word of God, who lives the Law not as a "yoke" (giogo), but as a "joy" (gioia), who lives -- we could say -- the Law as "Gospel." St. Joseph was just, he was immersed in the Word of God, written, transmitted in the wisdom of his people, and precisely in this way was prepared and called to know the Incarnate Word -- the Word who came among us as a man -- and predestined to care for, to protect this Incarnate Word; this remains his mission forever: to care for the Holy Church and Our Lord.
We entrust ourselves in this moment to his care, we pray that he help us in our humble service. We go forward in courage under this protection. We are grateful for the humble saints; we pray to the Lord that he also make us humble in our service and therefore saints in the company of saints.

Once again we thank you, Father Léthel, for your inspiration. Thank you!
[Translation by Joseph G. Trabbic]