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Pauline Year
Nachrichten - News - Noticias
 published: 2007-06-28

"Paul, apostle of Jesus the Christ, by the plan and the calling of God"

The Pauline Year, " commemorating the 2,000th anniversary of the birth of the one who would take the Gospel "to the ends of the earth."

 

In allen Schönstatt-Heiligtümern flankieren die Apostel Petrus und Paulus Tabernakel und MTA-Bild

Flanqueando el Tabernáculo y a María, las estatuas de San Pedro y San Pablo, en los Santuarios de Schoenstatt

Flanking the tabernacle and Mary,  in the Schoenstatt Shrines: St. Peter, and St. Paul

In allen Schönstatt-Heiligtümern flankieren die Apostel Petrus und Paulus Tabernakel und MTA-Bild

Foto: Aleida Montalvo © 2007

 

St. Paulus – der, der das Evangelium bis an die Grenzen der Erde brachte (Statue im Sionsheiligtum, Argentinien)

San Pablo – el que llevo el evangelio hasta los confines del mundo (Estatua del Santuario de Sión, Argentina)

St. Paul – the one who brought the gospel to the ende of the earth (Statue in the Sion Shrine, Argentina)

St. Paulus – der, der das Evangelium bis an die Grenzen der Erde brachte (Statue im Sionsheiligtum, Argentinien)

Foto: Crivelli © 2007

 

 

 

CHURCH, Fr. Alberto Eronti. The notice simply says that "on June 28th at 5:30 P.M., Pope Benedict XVI will preside at First Vespers for the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul at the Basilica of St. Paul’s Outside-the-Walls in Rome." What is so special about this announcement? Of itself, nothing, since it is customary for this Solemnity that the Popes do something special for the "Apostle of the Gentiles." Nevertheless, the Pope will proclaim on that afternoon the beginning of the "Pauline Year" commemorating the 2,000th anniversary of the birth of the one who would take the Gospel "to the ends of the earth."

Recalling expressions of Father Kentenich regarding St. Paul, of whom he spoke on numerous opportunities, there is one in particular which is enlightening: "…..St. Paul was chosen in the womb of his mother to announce the mystery of Christ to the world." If we take the letters attributed to St. Paul in the New Testament and we read the first lines of each one of them, we will confirm that the expression I have just quoted touches the center of what the Apostle lived and felt in his following of Christ. All the letters begin with a reference to the Messiah (Christ). The beginning of the Letter to the Romans is the summary most used: "Paul, servant of Jesus Christ, apostle by divine call, chosen to announce the good news of God."

The impact of St. Paul is his awareness of his election and his belonging to Christ.

In him can be seen what is true and essential in the calling to be a disciple of the Son of God made man. There is no doubt that Paul possessed a passionate temperament, that he followed and served Christ, and that he lived for Him with absolute radicalism. It is so much this way that he would write to the Church of Galatia: "…yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me; insofar as I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who has loved me and given himself up for me" (Gal 2, 20). In a pagan world he was able to live Christ and to announce Him with his life and his word. To highlight the faith he was proposing, he knew he had to search for a total coherence between his proclaiming and his acting. He does not show timidity as he manifests his most intimate and personal decision as he faces the world and what this world offers him. He does not show disdain for the world, instead he shows total appreciation for Him who changed his life and filled it with fullness. He would say to the Church of the Philippians: "[But] whatever gains I had, these I have come to consider a loss because of Christ. More than that, I even consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." (Phil 3, 7-8) Exaggerated?.....could be, but there are moments in which those "exaggerated" in love, surrender and loyalty, become a light for the world and an option of life for many.

Only those who radically live their convictions stand out from the mediocrity

In a time of indifference toward Christianity…..in an epoch in which is produced a secular change in civilization which has generated an aggressive neopaganism…..in such a time, only those who radically live their convictions stand out from the mediocrity and boredom in which the human masses have fallen." Jesus had said to His own "you are the light of the world" (Mt 5, 14). Paul became a light, a light of Christ for many. He passionately spoke of Him whom he loved and to whom he had surrendered his life. He put so much love in what he did through and for Christ that the hard and fighting man, daring unto audacity, became the mother of many as he put them on fire for the Gospel, as he shows in a remarkable way at the same time showing the essence of the disciple: "My children, again you cause me labor pains until Christ takes form in you."

With marvelous interior freedom, which is proper for him who knows himself as a disciple of Jesus Christ, he will say to those to whom he has taken the Gospel that they should be like him. He has no problem in placing himself as a model disciple of his Lord: "Follow my example as I follow that of Christ" (1Cor 11,1). Knowledgeable of his world, he knew there were many false "offerings" for those who had embraced the faith. Therefore, he also understood that it was not enough to just talk, one must embody what is preached. It is all about living in such a way what is preached and that there be no doubts about which path to follow. "Join with others in being imitators of me, brothers, and observe those who thus conduct themselves according to the model you have in us." (Phil 3,17)

Few knew how to announce with the practicality of Paul the mandate of Jesus, "I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you should love one another." (Jn 13,34) In his urgency that all would understand that following Jesus supposes the novelty of being known by love ("This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" Jn 13,35) he would impart beautiful and concrete teachings to the churches he would establish. To the community of Corinth he would leave as a testament the so called "Hymn to love" (1 Cor 13,1-8) where he teaches them "an exceptional way" because only "love never fails." To the Church of the Colossians he would tell them that to love as Jesus mandates, one must "shed" or take off the vestment of not loving: cholera, fits of anger, insults, rudeness….., and "dress" with the new vestment of greatest love: "…..put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience….."(Col 3,8 and 12).

Chosen, called, and sent

In our Shrines, flanking the Tabernacle and Mary, we have the statues of the two apostles. One has "the key" and the other "the sword." The symbols distinguish one from the other and at the same time proclaim their identity and mission. Peter as Paul was, was "chosen, called and sent" by Jesus Christ. It deals with uniting each of these verbs to the graces of the Shrine: being at home, transformation and apostolic fruitfulness. Our Father Founder defines his mission on the life of the Apostle to the Gentiles: "As Paul was chosen in the womb of his mother to announce to the world the mystery of Christ, I was chosen in the womb of my mother to announce to the world the mystery of Mary." They are not two parallel "mysteries," but one: Mary lived for Jesus. Her mystery is His mystery since She lived for Him, struggled for Him and surrendered to Him.

May this Pauline Year find us united and reunited in our Shrines, allowing love to shelter us, transform us, and send us so that the horizon of the mission of Schoenstatt may open up more and more to the many challenges of the times and that with the Father of the Family we may pray:

Mother, " let Schoenstatt remain your favorite place,
a stronghold of apostolic spirit,
a leader on the way to holy battle,
a source of everyday sanctity,
a firebrand glowing for Christ,
scattering sparks of searing brightness
until the world, a sea of flames,
burns to the glory of the Trinity. Amen."

(HEAVENWARDS, American Edition, 1992, p. 131 [Hold the Scepter in Your Hand])

Translation: Carlos Cantú Family Federation La Feria, Texas USA 062607

 

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