I don't know if this has been posted before but I myself have never seen this side of Pope Benedict, I presume it is because the media did not like Benedict and so we seen very little of him, for me I fell in love with his smile and I was also sent an email from a good priest friend of mine it was an extract from a conversation that Pope Benedict had,, it really touched my soul.. “Peter Seewald: Have you also experienced any of those ‘dark nights’ of which many saints speak? Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI: Such powerful experiences, no. Perhaps I am not holy enough to have plumbed the depths of that obscurity. However sometimes, things happen to the persons around us that push us to ask ourselves how the good God can permit it. And these are already important questions. Then one must stay firm in the faith, and believe that He knows more than we do.” more here....http://insidethevatican.com/news/newsflash/letter-56-2016-dark-night-last-conversations-3
Here's the extract that touched me most, perhaps because of my love of Scripture: Seewald asks him: “How do you face such problems of faith?” Benedict replies: “I face them first of all by not abandoning the underlying certainty of the faith and remaining, one might say, immersed in it. And knowing that if I do not understand something, it is not because it is wrong but because I am too small to understand it. Sometimes it has happened that I arrived bit by bit at understanding. And it is always a gift when, unexpectedly, one sees something that one did not see before. One understands that one must be humble, that is one does not understand the words of the Scripture one must wait until the Lord discloses them to our comprehension.” Thank you so much for this link! In certain ways Pope Benedict touched my heart more than even St. John Paul II. I must pray for mercy in my view of Pope Francis. The confusion that has persisted since the days following the first synod has hardened my heart toward him, I think. The weight of the Papacy is a terrible burden. May the Lord draw him into the depths of His merciful Heart. Before I consider any of his shortcomings, may I first bring to mind my own inadequacies and failures. Remember, O man, that you are dust; to dust I shall return. Safe in the Flames of the Sacred Heart!
Yes very beautiful. When we were young we used to get very hard chunks of toffee would last you for ages to chew. The Mysteries of the Rosary always remind me of this. The point of them being that you chew them, not that you ever get to swallow them.
Yes, and my favorite mystery is the Crucifixion because hopefully I am able to be there for both Jesus and Mary, bringing them what little comfort I can offer. Safe in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary!
My favourite Mystery is the Passion in the Garden. I have a funny reason why I centred on this. When I was a young child at school out teachers were very , very strict on homework and give us lots. Sometimes, summer evenings being summer evenings I never got mine done then at nights I used to sweat thinking of the next day and the punishments to come. So it started me relating to Jesus the night before He died. Facing the music, so to speak.
Mine too Padraig. I always envision myself there trying to comfort Our Lord and then also envision all those times we find ourselves in the garden and in those times it is us being comforted.
I am curious Andy, why do you think He actually suffered? Tradition has it that all the sins of the world passed before His eyes?
This is my favorite picture of Christ. I believe His death began in the Garden as He saw all who would reject His gift of Love and suffering.....unrequited love.....the worst pain for many.
Yes I agree with that but I also believe it was a huge lesson for us to accept God's will, so Jesus the man was very much present in all his emotions.. My reflections are always based on the sorrowful mysteries and my own personal favourite is the fourth Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry his cross View attachment 6149
Yes Simon is so interesting. In the Passion of the Christ ,as far as I remember, he is shown as unwilling at the start but later becomes Christ's Defender. I like that because in way he represents all men of good will. I'd love to see Morgan Freeman playing him.
I think Jesus may have been shown the bottom account line for all men. The final bill if you like. I don't know really. All I do at nights is sit and keep Him company.
Yes I think that is the reason why it's so special to me,,when I had lapsed from my faith and had returned I was at a meeting where we were asked to pick someone from the bible?? who we would like to be ?? I picked Simon as I would have loved to help Jesus with his heavy load the priest who was running the meeting was overjoyed for me because he knew that I did not know that Simon didn't want to help.. Wow that memory brought a lump in my throat just now..special moments ??
You know Padraig it always amazes me here on this forum, how the original topic on most threads move in the direction that they do,they can move totally away from the original topic,it's like the wind of the Holy Spirit blows the conversation in the direction in which pleases God..
Wow! Andy this is an absolutely striking painting. Thank you for posting it. I have never seen it before.
As to the Rosary, I always liked the Visitation best. Jesus is safe in his mother's womb, for now, and there is friendship and fellowship between the two women. How happy Mary must have been! The deep connection between the two must have made for the most wonderful silence and peace, with a happy household, and a warm kitchen smelling of fresh bread... I know it was for the best, but my least favourite mystery is the Ascension - he is leaving us! I know he had to go in order for the Church to be founded with and by the Spirit, but even so..... I have a friend whose favourite decade is the Sorrowful, she would be pleased she is not alone in this. I find it so terrible, having to think of all he went through.... I will try to imagine myself comforting Jesus and Mary, that is a good idea, Andy.
