144 Acta Apostolicae Sedis - Commentarium Officiale

in the joy which our Lord has promised to those who trust in his words:

« Blessed are you who mourn, for you will be comforted ».5

We have also come together this morning to give thanks to God for his

help in time of need. God has been your strength in these very difficult

months. There has been great loss of life, suffering, and destruction. Yet

we are still able to gather and to thank him. We know that he cares for

us, that in Jesus his Son, we have a high priest who is able to sympathize

with us,6 who suffers with us. God's compassion, his suffering with us, gives

eternal meaning and value to our struggles. Your desire to thank him for

every grace and blessing, even when you have lost so much, is not only

a triumph of the resilience and strength of the Filipino people; it is also

a sign of God's goodness, his closeness, his tenderness, his saving power.

We also give thanks to Almighty God for so much that has been done to

help, to rebuild, to assist in these months of unprecedented need. I think

in the first place of those who welcomed and housed the great number of

displaced families, elderly, and youth. How hard it is to flee one's home

and livelihood! We thank those who have taken care of the homeless, the

orphaned and the destitute. Priests, and men and women religious, gave

as much as they could. To those of you who housed and fed people seeking

safety, in churches, convents, rectories, and who continue to assist those

still struggling, I thank you. You are a credit to the Church. You are the

pride of your nation. I personally thank each one of you. For whatever you

did for the least of Christ's brothers and sisters, you did for him.7

At this Mass we wish also to thank God for the good men and wom-

en who served as rescue and relief workers. We thank him for the many

people around the world who generously gave of their time, money and

goods. Countries, organizations and individuals across the globe put the

needy first; it is an example that should be followed. I ask government

leaders, international agencies, benefactors and people of goodwill not to

give up. There is much that remains to be done. Though the headlines have

changed, the needs continue.

Today's first reading, from the Letter to the Hebrews, urges us to hold

fast in our confession, to persevere in our faith, to draw near with confi-

5 Cf. Mt 5:4. 6 Cf. Heb 4:15. 7 Cf. Mt 25:41.