In the afternoon of Friday, 3 April, the high point of the papal visit to Chile was reached when the Holy Father celebrated Mass for reconciliation at O'Higgins Park, Santiago. During the Mass he beatified the young Chilean Carmelite, Sister Teresa of Jes us of Los Andes, and preached the following homily.
1. "There are three things that last: faith, hope, and love; and the greatest of these is love" ( 1 Cor 12:13). These words of St. Paul, with which he culminates his "Hymn to Charity", resound with new tones in this Eucharistic Celebration.
Yes, "the greatest of these is love".
Such are the words brought to life by Sister Teresa of Los Andes, whom today I have the grace and joy to proclaim Blessed. Today, my dear brothers and sisters of Santiago and of all Chile, is a great day in the life of your Church and nation.
A most beloved daughter of the Chilean Church, Sr. Teresa is raised to the glory of the altar in the country that gave her birth. In her, God's pilgrim people find a guide in their journey towards the heavenly Jerusalem.
I wish to extend my cordial greeting to my brother bishops present here, particularly to His Eminence, the Cardinal Archbishop of this dear archdiocese. I wish also to greet the civil authorities, the Superior General of the Discalced Carmelites, the men and women religious, and the beloved faithful of this pilgrim Church in Chile who today rejoice over a young girl, a Carmelite religious, a model of virtue.
Moved by faith, hope and love, we walk as pilgrims towards God who is Love, and our souls are filled with joy as we discover that this spiritual pilgrimage has its crown in glory, to which Christ Our Lord wants to lead all of us.
At the beginning we heard a brief biographical profile of Sister Teresa of Los Andes, a young Chilean girl, symbol of the faith and goodness of this people; a Discalced Carmelite, captivated by the heavenly Kingdom in the springtime of her life; the first fruits of the holiness of the Teresian Carmelites in Latin America.
In her brief autobiographical writings, she has left us the witness of a simple and attainable holiness, centered on the core of the Gospel: love, suffer, pray and serve.
The secret of her life completely directed towards holiness is summarized in familiarity with Christ, as a friend who is constantly present, and with the Virgin Mary, a close and loving Mother.
2. Ever since she was a child, Teresa of Los Andes experienced the grace of communion with Christ, which developed within her with the charm of her youth, full of vitality and cheerfulness, never lacking a sense of healthy amusement and play, and contact with nature, just as a true daughter of her time. She was a happy and dynamic young girl, open to God. And God made Christian love blossom in her, an open love, profoundly sensitive to the problems of her country and the aspirations of the Church.
The secret of her perfection could be none other than love: a great love for Christ, who fascinates her and moves her to consecrate herself to him forever, and to participate in the mystery of his passion and resurrection. At the same time she feels a filial love for the Virgin Mary, who draws her to imitate her virtues.
For her,God is infinite joy. This is the new hymn of Christian love which rises spontaneously from the soul of this young Chilean girl, in whose glorified face we can sense the grace of her transformation in Christ, in virtue of an understanding, serving, humble and patient love, a love which does not destroy human values, but rather elevates and transfigures them.
Yes, as Teresa of Los Andes says: "Jesus is our infinite happiness". at is why this new Blessed is a model of the Gospel life for the young people of Chile. Teresa, who heroically practiced the Christian virtues, spent the years of her adolescence and youth in the normal environment of a young girl of her time: in her daily life, she showed her piety in collaborating with the Church as a catechist, at school, with her friends, in the works of mercy, and in the times of rest and recreation. Her exemplary life evidenced a Christian humanism with the unmistakable seal of a lively intelligence, an agile delicacy, and the creative capacity typical of the Chilean people. In her we see an expression of the soul and character of your country as well as the perennial youth of Christ's Gospel which enthused and attracted Sister Teresa of Los Andes.
3. Today, the Church proclaims Sister Teresa of Los Andes Blessed, and from this day on, venerates and invokes her with this title.
Blessed, joyful, happy is the person who has made the evangelical beatitudes the centre of his life, arid who has lived them with heroic intensity.
In this way our new Blessed, having put the beatitudes into practice, incarnated in her life the perfect example of holiness, which is Christ himself.
In effect, Teresa of Los Andes irradiates the joy of those who are poor in spirit, meek and humble of heart, of those who suffer in silence, for this is how God purifies and sanctifies his chosen ones. She hungers and thirsts for justice, she loves God intensely and wants him to be loved and known by all. In her complete immolation, God made her have compassion for priests and for the conversion of sinners; peaceful and reconciling, she sows under-standing and dialogue all around her. Above all, her life reflects the beatitude of purity of heart. In effect, she surrendered her life totally to Christ and Jesus opened her eyes to the contemplation of his mysteries.
What is more, God allowed her here on earth to experience the joy and happiness of union with God in the service of our neighbour.
This is her message: only in God can one find happiness; God alone is infinite joy. Young ladies of Chile, girls of Latin America, discover in Sister Teresa the joy of living the Christian faith to its ultimate consequences! Take her as your model!
4. In our Mass today, in which we elevate one of the beloved daughters of Chile to the honors of the altar, we pray especially for reconciliation. In the responsorial psalm, we invoked God with these words:
"Show us, Lord, your mercy, and grant us your salvation. Mercy and fidelity will meet, justice and peace shall kiss"( Ps 84 [83]:8-11 ).
The action of reconciliation, which in the Holy Mass is expressed in the initial penitential rite as well as in the sign of peace,continues like a cry of all individuals and peoples to the God of the Covenant, to this very God who has reconciled all mankind to himself in Christ, his Only Son, who died on the Cross. This same God has handed over the ministry of reconciliation to the Apostles and to the Church (cf. 2 Cor 5:18 ff.).
As I mentioned in my Apostolic Exhortation Reconciliatio et Paenitentia: "The message of reconciliationhas also been entrusted to the whole community of believers, to the whole fabric of the Church, that is to say, the task of doing every-thing possible to witness to reconciliation and to bring it about in the world . . . In intimate connection with Christ's mission, one can therefore sum up the Church's mission, rich and complex as it is, as being her central task of reconciling people: with God, with themselves, with their neighbour, with the whole of creation" (n. 8). Yet we must not forget that reconciliation is a gift from God and fruit of the grace "of Christ the Redeemer, the Reconcilor and the Liberator of man from sin in all its forms" ( ibid., 7 ).
The Church on her part lives most intensely and expressively in the Eucharistic Celebration her condition of being a reconciled community and sacrament of man's communion with God and with all mankind, (cf. Lumen Gentium, 1). In effect, the celebration of the Eucharist requires the firm resolve of reconciliation and forgiveness. That is why in our prayers we ask the heavenly Father to forgive our offenses, and we show the sincerity of our petition by forgiving those who have offended us (cf. Mt 6:12 ).
The new spirit of the Kingdom of God which Jesus reveals to us is also expressed in this exhortation which the Christian community will always view in a Eucharistic context: "If, then, you are bringing your offering to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, go and be reconciled with your brother first, and then come back and present your offering" ( Mt 5:23-24 ).
We can therefore see, dear brothers and sisters, how demanding the Lord's call to fraternal reconciliation is. In a humanity afflicted by so many divisions which have their ultimate cause in sin, reconciliation is not only a necessity, but also a condition for survival: if peace and harmony do not exist among individuals and nations, then conflicts may take on truly tragic proportions.
5. In this ceremony of the beatification of Sister Teresa of Los Andes, I wish to give thanks to the Lord with all my soul, because through a spirit of dialogue and reconciliation, peace between two sister nations, Chile and Argentina, was preserved, with the solution of the dispute over the southern area. Let us thank the merciful God for having sustained the strength of the Successor of Peter and his collaborators during the mediation. let us thank the God of history for having inspired sentiments of peace and understanding among the rulers and peoples of these neighboring countries, thereby avoiding so much suffering and unforeseeable con-sequences for the entire American continent.
6. Permit me to speak now, as I did in my meeting with the Chilean Episcopate, about internal reconciliation, that is to say, reconciliation within your country.
Certainly, all are convinced of the need for an atmosphere of dialogue and agreement, which on the other hand, is not alien to the well-known democratic tradition of the noble Chilean people. In agreement with the path your country has followed is the conviction, deeply rooted in the Chilean conscience, that this reconciliation is expressed in the convergence of wills towards obtaining the common good,towards that high goal which confers a proper meaning and raison d'etre upon the functions of the political community, as the Second Vatican Council teaches us: "The common good embraces the sum of those conditions of social life by which individuals, families, and groups can achieve their own fulfillment in a relatively thorough and ready way" ( Gaudium et Spes. 74 ).
We must admit that man's active participation in public life in order to promote the common good and foster all that will assure proper conditions of justice, peace and reconciliation, corresponds to his social and community dimension, as the very same Council indicates: "It is in full accord with human nature that juridical-political structures should, with ever better success and without any discrimination. afford all their citizens the chance to participate freely and actively in establishing the constitutional bases of a political community, governing the state, determining the scope and purpose of various institutions and choosing leaders" ( Gaudium et Spes 75 ).
7. The Church, in conformity with her inalienable mission, has been and will continue to be "a sign and safeguard of the transcendence of the human person" ( Gaudium et Spes , 76), of man, who is the image of God. As the same pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes points out: "The Church, founded on the Redeemer's love, contributes to the wider application of justice and charity. within and between nations. By.. preaching the truth of the Gospel and shedding light on all areas of human activity through the teaching and the example of the faithful, she shows respect for the political freedom and responsibility of citizens and fosters these values" ( Gaudium et Spes ).
With this same evangelical freedom and with my heart set upon the good of this beloved nation, I pray to the Lord that be graciously grant you this reconciliation, which entails greater awareness of human dignity for everyone.
The search for the common good also demands the rejection of all forms of violence and terrorism, whatever their origin may be, which thrust people headlong into chaos. Reconciliation, as the Church proposes it, is the authentic path of Christian liberation, without recourse to hatred, class struggle, retaliation, or an inhuman dialectic which does not look upon others as brothers and sisters, children of a common Father, but rather as enemies to be combated. We will never tire of repeating everywhere that violence is neither Christian nor evangelical, nor does it lead to the solution of the real problems of individuals or nations.
In this park which bears the name of one of the most illustrious fathers of this country, I wish to manifest my encouragement and support of the efforts made towards peace by the Chilean episcopate. particularly by the pastor of this archdiocese in his pressing calls to peace and understanding, and his energetic condemnation of violence and terrorism.
8. Working for reconciliation supposes a universal, patient and generous love, firm in the proclamation of the truth and unbending in resisting all forms of violence.
It has as its foundation the very mission of the Church which proclaims the communion of the children of God in a single family, respect for one's neighbour, especially for the most needy, and working for the common good.
In this perspective, the Church in Chile cannot renounce the task of convincing and uniting all Chileans in a joint pledge of solidarity and participation to attain the good of the nation.
As your bishops have proclaimed: "Chile has a vocation to under-standing and not to confrontation". There can be no progress by deepening the divisions; it is the hour of pardon and reconciliation.
St. Paul exhorts us: "Let yourselves be reconciled with God" ( 2 Cor 5:20 ). This search for peace with God, on which the Apostle insists, is a task that does not allow for rest; it is a program of life which must take ever deeper root in the consciences of all persons until the end of time.
To reach this goal, our path is illuminated by the life-style of the beatitudes.
There is agreement in truth when we fearlessly confess that the Kingdom of God belongs to the poor in spirit, when the sorrowing are comforted, when the peacemakers rule the destiny of the world, and when compassion and mercy are practiced.
There is true reconciliation among the sons and daughters of a single nation when, with tile contribution towards an open and sincere dialogue, prejudices and envies disappear, when the pure of heart try to feel, talk, and act as builders of peace; then God will call them his sons and daughters and bless them with happiness.
There is union of minds and wills when, out of love for justice and truth, the dignity of each person is respected and the wisdom of the cross is learnt, experiencing the cost and profound meaning of love and forgiveness in communion with Christ.
Suffering for the sake of love, truth and justice is the sign of fidelity to the God of life and of hope. It is the blessedness of those who suffer for Christ, who fall to the ground like grains of wheat and are promised life and resurrection.
This is how the future is built, through a patient and understanding love that always believes and hopes, because it entrusts itself to God who the rein's of history in his hands.
Dear brothers and sisters of the Chilean nation! Together with all of you today, I address my prayer to the Lord, asking for the inestimable good of reconciliation, for the gift of peace and justice for your society. "The fruit of justice is peace" (Is 32 17).
The Gospel of the Beatitudes is the Magna Charta of the Kingdom of God. The words of Jesus ring out an invitation and a challenge to choose the Gospel way of peace, which is the fruit of justice, against every temptation to violence, with the patience and effectiveness of one who knows how to build peace by creating the necessary conditions to renew hearts and reform unjust structures. This is the style and the talent of the disciples of the Master of Peace and Love. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God" ( Mt 5:9).
In this Eucharist we have asked the Lord for his light and grace, "so that we may perpetually build peace, based on justice, love, and freedom".
Peace is a gift of God, which the Pope implores with all of you through the intercession of Teresa of Los Andes, from him who is Lord of all, the God of life, the Prince of Peace.
10. "He is our Peace" ( Eph 2:14 ).
In Christ, God the Father has reconciled the whole of humanity to himself, all the sons and daughters of the "first Adam".
"God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son,so that all who believe in him may not perish, but have life everlasting" ( Jn 3:16). The saints and the chosen souls are exceptional witnesses of this love of the Father. Blessed Teresa of Los Andes is one of these witnesses!
Today, as we give thanks to the Lord for inspiring the desire for peace and reconciliation among individuals and social groups, let us ardently ask for the mature fruit of this reconciliation for your nation. Let us never forget that Christ hasreconciled us with God in the perspective of eternal life!
Let us never forget it!
This is a joyous day for the Chilean nation, for Sister Teresa of Los Andes has been raised to the honors of the altar; it seems as if she is giving us a message of life, the words she learned from her father and teacher, St. John of the Cross: "Where there is no love, put love, and you find love".
Here on earth there are three things that last-faith, hope and love.
They lead us towards eternity, to eternal salvation in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. To union with God who is love.
That is why: the greatest of these is love.