蜜桃交友

By Seán-Patrick Lovett

On the outside, the Cathedral of Santa Maria La Antigua, in Panama City鈥檚 Old Town, looks just like what it is: an 18^th century Spanish colonial-style church. On the inside, a major restoration and restyling blends elements in wood with red, black and white marble, to produce something completely new and contemporary. In the words of Pope Francis: 鈥淚t no longer belongs only to the past, but it is a thing of beauty for the present鈥�.

The Pope was at the Cathedral to celebrate Mass with priests, men and women religious, and members of lay movements, who had come from all over Central America, and beyond.

He was also there to consecrate the new altar, complete with its relics of four of the WYD patron saints: Oscar Romero, Rosa of Lima, Martin de Porres and, naturally, John Paul II. For nearly 1,000 years, altars were built over the tombs of saints and martyrs, so the inclusion of relics in them nowadays, is another sign of continuity.

Jesus beside the well

The Pope鈥檚 homily was based on the Gospel reading that describes Jesus鈥� wearily sitting beside the well and asking the Samaritan woman to give Him a drink of water.

Pope Francis focused on the theme of weariness in the lives of priests, consecrated men and women, and members of lay movements. The causes of this weariness, he said, range from long hours of work, to 鈥渞elationships that lead to exhaustion and disappointment鈥�, 鈥渇rom simple daily commitments, to burdensome routines鈥�, 鈥渇rom predictable little problems, to stressful periods of pressure鈥�.

All these situations, said the Pope, demand 鈥渁 well from which we can set out once more鈥�.  

The weariness of hope

Pope Francis developed this theme into what he called, 鈥渢he weariness of hope鈥�. This is the weariness that 鈥渃alls into question the energy, resources and viability of our mission in this changing and challenging world鈥�, he said. And it paralyzes us. 鈥淲hat was meaningful and important in the past can now no longer seem valid鈥�.

鈥淭he weariness of hope comes from seeing a Church wounded by sin鈥�, he continued. And this, he warned, can open the door to the 鈥渉eresy鈥� of believing that 鈥渢he Lord and our communities have nothing to say to the new world now being born鈥�.

Quenching our thirst

Like Jesus at the well, said the Pope, we must have the courage to ask to quench our thirst. Asking our Lord to 鈥済ive us to drink鈥�, means finding the courage to 鈥渞ecapture the most authentic part of our founding charisms and to see how they can find expression today鈥�.

It means trusting that, as God did yesterday, 鈥淗e will still do tomorrow鈥�.