Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - By inviting representatives from the cultural, art and economy world not to be afraid of the Gospel, symbolically contained in the coat of arms of San Marco, the patron saint of Venice, because "the Gospel is the greatest force for change in the world, but it is not utopia, nor ideology " and " the first generations of Christians called it the 'path', that is to say the way of life that Christ himself first put into practice and invites us to follow " Benedict XVI concluded his visit to Aquileia and Venice.
During the Mass celebrated on Sunday, May 8 at Parco San Giuliano di Mestre, the Pope recalled: "I have come to share with the Bishops and Priests the anxiety of the missionary proclamation, which we all must engage in a serious and well-coordinated service because of the Kingdom of God ... even today we need to promote and defend the truth with courage and unity of faith. We must become aware of Christian hope for modern man, often overwhelmed by vast and disturbing issues that put into crisis the foundations of man’s being and behaviour. "
Referring to the travelers of Emmaus, who after recognizing Jesus felt the need to return to Jerusalem and to tell the extraordinary experience, the Pope said: "There is great effort to be made so that every Christian, here in the Northeast as in every part of the world, becomes a witness, ready to proclaim with vigor and joy the event of the death and resurrection of Christ ... Around Aquileia people of different languages and cultures joined, brought together not only for political needs but, above all, for the faith in Christ and by civilization inspired by the Gospel teaching , the Civilization of Love. The Churches generated from Aquileia are now called to reinforce that old spiritual unity, particularly in view of the existing immigration and the new geopolitical circumstances. The Christian faith can contribute significantly to the realization of such a program, which covers the full and harmonious development of man and society in which he lives. "
To the Assembly gathered in the Basilica of San Marco, on the afternoon of Sunday 8, for the closing of the diocesan pastoral visit, Benedict XVI urged: "Beloved Church in Venice! Overcome and help today's man to overcome barriers of individualism, relativism; never allow yourself to be drawn down by the failures that may mark the Christian community ... As a successor of the Apostle Peter, by visiting your land these days, I repeat to each of you: do not be afraid to go against the trend to meet Jesus, to point upward to meet his glance... Move forward confidently in the path of the new evangelization, in loving service to the poor and courageous witness in the various social realities. Be aware of being carriers of a message that is for every man and for the whole man, a message of faith, hope and charity. "(SL) (Agenzia Fides 05/09/2011)
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