Jesus said to the Pharisees:
“There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen
and dined sumptuously each day.
And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps
that fell from the rich man’s table.
Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.
When the poor man died,
he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.
The rich man also died and was buried,
and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,
he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off
and Lazarus at his side.
And he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me.
Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,
for I am suffering torment in these flames.’
Abraham replied …..
“Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another,
preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God.
Accompanying him were the Twelve
and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities,
Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza,
Susanna, and many others
who provided for them out of their resources.”
“… ‘While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ But his father ordered his servants, ‘Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’
Pope Benedict XVI visited Ground Zero in New York City on April 22, 2008, the site of the terrorist attacks in New York City on Sept. 11, 2001. Videos of his visit follow below, as well as a transcript of the prayer he offered. The videos include an excerpt featuring his prayer of Blessing as well as a longer video.
From the Vatican Information Service:
POPE AT GROUND ZERO: GOD BRING PEACE TO OUR VIOLENT WORLD
VATICAN CITY, 20 APR 2008 (VIS) – In New York at 9.30 a.m. local time today, the Pope visited Ground Zero, the name now used to refer to the site once occupied by the twin towers of the World Trade Centre.
On 11 September 2001 two aircraft crashed into the twin towers, destroying them and a number of neighbouring buildings in a terrorist attack which cost the lives of 2,896 people. The site today is a vast 80-metre deep crater, surrounded by a fence and marked with a cross.
In 2002 the reconstruction of the World Trade Centre was put out for tender in a competition won by the architect Daniel Libensky. Today, Ground Zero is a construction site where work is scheduled to finish in the year 2012. The main building of the new complex will be the “Freedom Tower”, 541 metres high.
Benedict XVI arrived at Ground Zero accompanied by Cardinal Edward Egan, archbishop of New York. Awaiting him there were Michael Bloomberg, mayor of the city; David A. Paterson and John Corzine, respectively governors of New York and of New Jersey; 24 people representing the forces that responded to the attack of 11 September, and a number of injured and relatives of the victims.
The Holy Father kneeled for a few minutes of silent prayer for the victims of the attack, then lit a candle before pronouncing the following prayer:
“O God of Love, Compassion, and Healing,
look on us, people of many different faiths and traditions,
who gather today at this site,
the scene of incredible violence and pain.
“We ask You in Your Goodness
to give Eternal Light and Peace
to all who died here –
the heroic first-responders:
our fire fighters, police officers,
emergency service workers, and Port Authority personnel,
along with all the innocent men and women
who were victims of this tragedy
simply because their work or service
brought them here on 11 September 2001.
“We ask You, in Your Compassion
to bring healing to those
who, because of their presence here that day,
suffer from injuries and illness.
Heal, too, the pain of still-grieving families
and all who lost loved ones in this tragedy.
Give them strength to continue their lives with courage and hope.
“We are mindful as well
of those who suffered death, injury, and loss
on the same day at the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Our hearts are one with theirs
as our prayer embraces their pain and suffering.
“God of Peace, bring Your Peace to our violent world:
peace in the hearts of all men and women
and peace among the nations of the earth.
Turn to Your Way of Love
those whose hearts and minds
are consumed with hatred.
“God of Understanding,
overwhelmed by the magnitude of this tragedy,
we seek Your Light and Guidance
as we confront such terrible events.
Grant that those whose lives were spared
may live so that the lives lost here
may not have been lost in vain.
Comfort and console us,
strengthen us in hope,
and give us the wisdom and courage
to work tirelessly for a world
where true peace and love reign
among nations and in the hearts of all”.
The prayer over, the Pope greeted survivors of the attack, relatives of some of the victims, and members of the rescue squads. Finally, he imparted his blessing to those present.
After the ceremony, the Holy Father returned to his residence where he bid farewell to the staff of the Holy See permanent mission to the United Nations in New York before having lunch in private. PV-U.S.A./PRAYER GROUND ZERO/NEW YORK VIS 20080420 (620)
[VIS release also appeared at visnews-en.blogspot.in/2008/04/pope-at-ground-zero-god-bring-peace-to.html, bearing the following notice:
In accordance with international regulations on Intellectual Property and Author’s Rights, VIS authorises reproduction of news items issued by the Vatican Information Service, partially or in their entirety, on condition that the source (VIS – Vatican Information Service) is quoted.]
Mother Teresa was ‘a generous dispenser of Divine Mercy’ among the ‘abandoned and discarded”. … Pope Francis thus described Mother Teresa during his homily on Sunday, 4 September, in the Canonization Mass for the Foundress of the men and women Missionaries of Charity.
More than a hundred thousand people gathered in St Peter’s Square for the solemn right, one of the central moments of the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy. During his homily for the canonization Mass, the Pontiff defined Mother Teresa as a “tireless worker of mercy”, and held her up as a “model of holiness” for the numerous representatives of the “the whole world of volunteers” present at the celebration. “How many hearts”, the Pontiff said, “have been comforted by volunteers! How many hands they have held; how many tears they have wiped away; how much love has been poured out in hidden, humble and selfless service!”. That service gives voice to the faith”, he added, “and expresses the mercy of the Father, who draws near to those in need ….
