February 14, 2011.
Like every Sunday at the
Vatican, pilgrims arrived in St. Peter's Square to pray with Benedict
XVI. The Pope addressed the 30 thousand people filling the
square on Christ's commandments of love that he reinterpreted from
the Torah.
“Jesus explains it by a series of antitheses between the ancient commandments and His way of re-presenting them. He begins each phase with: 'You have heard that it was said ...', then affirms: 'But I say to you.'”
The
Pope explained that the words of Jesus “I say to you,” were
parallel to claiming himself as the same authority of God, and as the
source of the law.
Benedict XVI made these
remarks to help ease some of the pain felt by families after a recent
fire in Rome that took the lives of four children.
He said that “through
faith in Christ we open ourselves to the action of the Holy Spirit,
which enables us to live God's love.”
Benedict XVI
“
Thus
each precept becomes true as a requirement of love, and they all come
together in one single commandment: love God with all your heart and
love your neighbor as yourself. 'Love is the fulfilling of the law.'”
The
Pope is currently working on finishing the second volume of his book
“Jesus of Nazareth,” which will be presented on March 10. It
covers the Passion and Resurrection of Christ.
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