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I've found a link to the full text (on the linked page, scroll to the second entry) of Pope Benedict's homily at Vespers on July 24th in Aosta. (See reference to this homily in an earlier post.) Here's the section of the homily where the pope refers to what he calls the "great vision" of Teilhard de Chardin and builds on the imagery in Teilhard's "Mass on the world."
This is precisely the content of the first part of the prayer that follows: "Let Your Church offer herself to You as a living and holy sacrifice". This request, addressed to God, is made also to ourselves. It is a reference to two passages from the Letter to the Romans. We ourselves, with our whole being, must be adoration and sacrifice, and by transforming our world, give it back to God. The role of the priesthood is to consecrate the world so that it may become a living host, a liturgy: so that the liturgy may not be something alongside the reality of the world, but that the world itself shall become a living host, a liturgy. This is also the great vision of Teilhard de Chardin: in the end we shall achieve a true cosmic liturgy, where the cosmos becomes a living host. And let us pray the Lord to help us become priests in this sense, to aid in the transformation of the world, in adoration of God, beginning with ourselves. That our lives may speak of God, that our lives may be a true liturgy, an announcement of God, a door through which the distant God may become the present God, and a true giving of ourselves to God.-ConcordPastor
(Read the whole homily here, in the linked page's second entry)
I have no problem with publishing comments disagreeing with what I write or with material I post.
ReplyDeleteBut do not expect to find anonymous, critical comments of a more personal nature published here.
-ConcordPastor
The discussion about Teilhard - along with so many other discussions here and elsewhere is essential. That is one of the reasons I truly appreciate how you present so many viewpoints. I can think of times when you and I did not agree and they were valuable learning moments... for me anyway!
ReplyDeleteThis is not to say that I changed my mind, but it is to say that it was opened in a new way.
And is that not the dynamism of our Catholic tradition?
Sadly, when it becomes personal, the conversation seems not to really be Catholic, large and small c, at all.
All of which has its own Teilhard-ian influence, in my opinion anyway.
Fran