HOMILIAE

I

In Eucharistica celebratione apud internationale Stadium urbis Ammanae.*

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I rejoice that we are able to celebrate this Eucharist together at the

beginning of my Pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Yesterday, from the heights

of Mount Nebo, I stood and looked out upon this great land, the land of

Moses, Elijah, and John the Baptist, the land where God's ancient promises

were fulfilled in the coming of the Messiah, Jesus our Lord. This land wit-

nessed his preaching and miracles, his death and resurrection, and the out-

pouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Church, the sacrament of a reconciled

and renewed humanity. As I pondered the mystery of God's fidelity, I prayed

that the Church in these lands would be confirmed in hope and strengthened

in her witness to the Risen Christ, the Savior of mankind. Truly, as Saint

Peter tells us in today's first reading, "there is no other name under heaven

given among men by which we are to be saved".1

Today's joyful celebration of the Eucharistic sacrifice expresses the rich

diversity of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land. I greet all of you with

affection in the Lord. I thank His Beatitude Fouad Twal, Latin Patriarch of

Jerusalem, for his kind words of welcome. My greeting goes also to the many

young people from Catholic schools who today bring their enthusiasm to this

Eucharistic celebration.

In the Gospel we have just heard, Jesus proclaims: "I am the good she-

pherd... who lays down his life for the sheep".2 As the Successor of Saint

Peter, to whom the Lord entrusted the care of his flock,3 I have long awaited

this opportunity to stand before you as a witness to the Risen Savior, and to

encourage you to persevere in faith, hope and love, in fidelity to the ancient

traditions and the distinguished history of Christian witness which you trace

back to the age of the Apostles. The Catholic community here is deeply

touched by the difficulties and uncertainties which affect all the people of

the Middle East. May you never forget the great dignity which derives from

9 Dicembre 2009 -11 :13 pagina 469 e : /0693_9 /Lavoro /Acta_Giugno_9.3d GRECCO

Acta Benedicti Pp. XVI 469

* Die 10 Maii 2009. 1 Acts 4:12. 2 Jn 10:11. 3 Cfr. Jn 21:15-17.