3 Oils Express 3 Dimensions of Life, Says Pope [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]

Zenit.org ^ | APRIL 21, 2011 | Zenit.org

[Salvation]

3 Oils Express 3 Dimensions of Life, Says Pope

Calls Faithful to "Always Remain Catechumens"

VATICAN CITY, APRIL 21, 2011 (Zenit.org).- At this morning's Chrism Mass, Benedict XVI reflected on the three dimensions of Christian life expressed in the three oils that are blessed in the liturgy.

The Pope celebrated the Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, blessing the oil of catechumens, the oil for anointing the sick and the sacred chrism.

Speaking of the oil of catechumens, he said it "indicates a first way of being touched by Christ and by his Spirit [...] which takes place even prior to baptism."

"The oil of catechumens tells us that it is not only we who seek God: God himself is searching for us," the Holy Father reflected. "The fact that he himself was made man and came down into the depths of human existence, even into the darkness of death, shows us how much God loves his creature, man. [...]

"Do I want to recognize him? Do I want to be known by him, found by him? God loves us. He comes to meet the unrest of our hearts, the unrest of our questioning and seeking, with the unrest of his own heart, which leads him to accomplish the ultimate for us."

The Pontiff exhorted the faithful to keep alive that "restlessness for God, that journeying towards him."

"In this sense we should always remain catechumens," he said. "Knowledge of God is never exhausted. For all eternity, with ever increasing joy, we can always continue to seek him, so as to know him and love him more and more."

Benedict XVI questioned: "Have we perhaps become resigned to his absence, do we not seek to be self-sufficient? Let us not allow our humanity to be diminished in this way! Let us remain constantly on a journey towards him, longing for him, always open to receive new knowledge and love!"

Newly effective

Reflecting on the oil for anointing the sick, the Bishop of Rome noted how the "proclamation of God’s Kingdom, of God’s unlimited goodness, must first of all bring healing to broken hearts."

"By nature," he said, "man is a being in relation. But if the fundamental relationship, the relationship with God, is disturbed, then all the rest is disturbed as well. If our relationship with God is disturbed, if the fundamental orientation of our being is awry, we cannot truly be healed in body and soul. For this reason, the first and fundamental healing takes place in our encounter with Christ who reconciles us to God and mends our broken hearts."

Finally, regarding chrism, the Holy Father spoke of the priestly mission of the Christian people.

"Christians should make the living God visible to the world, they should bear witness to him and lead people towards him," he said.

The Pope affirmed that this task is no reason to boast, and actually poses a question, which "makes us both joyful and anxious: are we truly God’s shrine in and for the world? Do we open up the pathway to God for others or do we rather conceal it?"

The Holy Father asked if, perhaps especially in the West, people are "tired of their faith, bored by their history and culture, and no longer wish to know faith in Jesus Christ?

"We have reason to cry out at this time to God: 'Do not allow us to become a "non-people!" Make us recognize you again! Truly, you have anointed us with your love, you have poured out your Holy Spirit upon us. Grant that the power of your Spirit may become newly effective in us, so that we may bear joyful witness to your message!"

 

[Salvation]

Never quite thought of the Holy Oils this way before.

[Salvation]

**Calls Faithful to “Always Remain Catechumens”**

Llate Chrism Mass Ping.

[Salvation]

3 Oils Express 3 Dimensions of Life, Says Pope [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
RITES OF THE BLESSING OF OILS [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
THE HOLY OILS [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
Chrism Mass: Sharing in the Anointing of the Christ
Why Only One Chrism Mass and Commemorating Saints in Lent
Official text of Pope Benedict XVI's Homily for the Chrism Mass
Priests: Ordinary Men Made Extraordinary by Grace [Holy Orders/Chrism Mass]
Chrism Mass oils have power, Bishop says
Being Catholic: Sacred Things, Holy Oils
The Chrism Mass

[Salvation]

I wasn’t really stuttering. LOL!

Late Chrism Mass Ping.

[RitaOK]

Calls Faithful to “Always Remain Catechumens” =========

Yes, and I wish the depth of Jesus’ love for us, as we emphasize during Holy Week, were emphasized all year long.
This means we could drop the social messaging in homilies and teach the readings of the Mass. The teaching of the Early Fathers and other Catholics like Newman was so superior to the unaffected examples of today. The move of the Holy Spirit in these men was so obvious.

[Shark24]

“The Holy Father asked if, perhaps especially in the West, people are “tired of their faith, bored by their history and culture, and no longer wish to know faith in Jesus Christ?”

Boy do I see this attitude in 1st year Confirmation class. But....at the end of the second year after Retreat, there can be a new awakening of their Faith

[Shark24]

“The Holy Father asked if, perhaps especially in the West, people are “tired of their faith, bored by their history and culture, and no longer wish to know faith in Jesus Christ?”

Boy do I see this attitude in 1st year Confirmation class. But....at the end of the second year after Retreat, there can be a new awakening of their Faith

[Republic]

Great-thanks for the post.

Today we celebrate His joining totally with His Father, our Father. I cannot even imagine this reunion, always solid in spirit but completed.

I ache for our Lord Jesus when He called out to our Father 'why hast Thou forsaken me?'. Those words, and the temple money changing episode say so much to me. I like to imagine that Christ was a son in everyway, including questioning His Father's, Who was probably in His own greatest pain, imo, of allowing His beloved son to suffer.

It would seem that Jesus Himself , in the immense toil of torture on the cross, felt unsteady and scared ('take this cup from Me...')cried out to His Father, as His earthly body bent with pain . Maybe Jesus had another thought as to how this extreme willingness to suffer for our sins might actually go. Our Father is so great, so full of love, that His own son evidences fear and pain and perhaps, a flash of wavering.

Such absolute freedom.

And I imagine how God's heart must have been bursting in agony, too. Probably the worst experience a loving parent endures. I know our Father suffered right along with His Son. I know this. Don't you?

All for us.

Makes me weep.

What love.

Question: do the oils spoken to by the Pope have specific names?

[Salvation]

They have specific names and specific purposes. Please check out those links above. The info is there.

[Bigg Red]

The Holy Father’s words about us in the West are stirring and need to be taken to heart.

[Judith Anne]

Beaurtiful and touching post...