April 2013
Pope's Intentions
Liturgy, Source of Life. That the public, prayerful celebration of faith may give life to the faithful.
Mission Churches. That mission churches may be signs and instruments of hope and resurrection.
"Whoever has seen me has seen the Father"
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Mt 5,8). True, since the Father cannot be grasped, “no man can see God and live” (Ex 33,20) in his majesty and inexpressible glory. But in his love, his goodness to us and almighty power, he does go so far as to give to those who love him the privilege of seeing God..., for “what is impossible to man is possible to God” (Lk 18,27). Of himself man will not see God; but God, if he wishes, will be seen by men, by those he wants, when he wants and as he wants, for God can do all things. In former times he was seen according to prophecy thanks to the Spirit, then he was seen according to adoption thanks to the Son, and he will be seen in the Kingdom of heaven according to his fatherhood. For the Spirit makes us ready beforehand for the Son of God; the Son leads us to the Father; and the Father gives us an immortal nature and the eternal life that follows from this sight of God for all who see it.
For those who see the light are in the light and share in its splendor, and so those who see God are in God and share in his splendor. And God's splendor gives life: therefore, those who see God share in his life.