Remembering Pope Benedict
Friday, Jan. 13, 2023
By Marie Mischel
Intermountain Catholic
My introduction to Pope Benedict XVI, other than as a name in a news story, came about when I was required to read one of his encyclicals for a class.
The assignment caused me to panic, because Benedict was renowned as a theologian and I was certain I wouldn’t be able to comprehend anything he wrote. But I didn’t have a choice in the matter, so I took a deep breath and dove in.
What I found was a welcome surprise. Despite his formidable reputation and undeniable intellect, Benedict wrote his encyclicals in a style understandable by an ordinary person.
As proof, here is the opening of his 2009 encyclical Caritas in veritate (Charity in truth): “Charity in truth, to which Jesus Christ bore witness by his earthly life and especially by his death and resurrection, is the principal driving force behind the authentic development of every person and of all humanity. Love – caritas – is an extraordinary force which leads people to opt for courageous and generous engagement in the field of justice and peace.”
Love, hope, charity – these were the topics of the three encyclicals Benedict wrote during his eight years as pope, and he made his message clear with words everyone can understand: “Seeing with the eyes of Christ, I can give to others much more than their outward necessities; I can give them the look of love which they crave,” he wrote in Deus caritas est (God is Love).
“A first essential setting for learning hope is prayer. When no one listens to me any more, God still listens to me. When I can no longer talk to anyone or call upon anyone, I can always talk to God,” he wrote in Spe salvi (Saved in Hope).
And, again from Caritas in veritate: “Charity is at the heart of the Church’s social doctrine. Every responsibility and every commitment spelt out by that doctrine is derived from charity which, according to the teaching of Jesus, is the synthesis of the entire Law (cf. Mt 22:36- 40). It gives real substance to the personal relationship with God and with neighbour; it is the principle not only of micro-relationships (with friends, with family members or within small groups) but also of macro-relationships (social, economic and political ones).”
Despite the accessible language of Benedict’s encyclicals, I wouldn’t recommend them for casual reading. He wrote them as theological teaching, and they’re scholarly in their approach.
On the other hand, I highly recommend his “Jesus of Nazareth” trilogy. Interestingly enough, the three books are published under the name Joseph Ratzinger, even though he was pope when he wrote them. They are perfect for reflection during the seasons of Lent and Advent: The first in the series covers Holy Week and the third delves into the Infancy Narratives.
I came to these books accidently. I’d asked a friend to lend me some books on salvation history for a paper I was writing. He offered more scholarly works, but put the Ratzinger book on top. It’s a slender volume, so I took it up to leaf through it and was immediately captivated. On the first page, Ratzinger points out that Jesus’ answer to Pilate’s questioning “must have seemed like madness to the Roman judge.”
That engaging style kept me reading, one chapter a week for Advent. This year, I plan to do the same with “Holy Week” during Lent. I think it will be an appropriate way to honor Benedict’s legacy.
Marie Mischel is editor of the Intermountain Catholic. Reach her at marie@icatholic.org.
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