At the end of our earthly lives, our faith tells us there will be four last things: death, judgment, hell and heaven. Reflecting on such ominous topics in the month in November can seem quite appropriate for both the pessimist and the optimist alike.
In some way, the person you loved will be a model. If they were specially kind to strangers, or to awkward people, or to people who made being friends with them difficult, you can do that, too. If they spoke kindly of others in a way that led more critical people to speak kindly, too, you can work at speaking kindly.
To be able to see into the depths of God’s Revelation, we need to have in us the mind of Christ Jesus, so often we consider a scene, in a shallow fashion, taking it at face value.
“Death is a mystery, an unknown. Jesus taught us, despite his fear in the garden, how to die well — with integrity and commitment. But he first taught us how to live, and that is our focus during this Easter season.”
“The war in Ukraine has been a Gethsemane and crucifixion for many,” said Basilian Sister Ann Laszok “but we believe in the Resurrection that will follow.”
After the funeral Mass, the coffin will be taken to St. Peter’s Basilica and then to the Vatican grotto for burial. It was widely reported before his death that his burial site would be in the chapel where St. John Paul II’s body rested until his beatification in 2011.
“To all those whom I have wronged in any way, I ask forgiveness from my heart,” Pope Benedict wrote.
Here is a collection of notable quotes from Pope Benedict XVI from homilies, documents, messages and speeches from 2005 to 2013, the years he served as pope.
