Mike Aquilina - Take Five: Meditations with Pope Benedict XVI

TAKE FIVE

MEDITATIONS WITH POPE BENEDICT XVI

TAKE FIVE

MEDITATIONS WITH POPE BENEDICT XVI

MIKE AQUILINA & FR. KRIS D. STUBNA

Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division
Our Sunday Visitor, Inc.
Huntington, Indiana 46750

The Scripture citations used in this work are taken from the Second Catholic Edition of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible (RSV), copyright 1965, 1966, and 2006 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Unless otherwise noted, all quotations from Pope Benedict XVI copyright 2009 Libreria Editrice Vaticana.

English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for the United States of America copyright 1994, United States Catholic Conference, Inc. Libreria Editrice Vaticana. English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church: Modifications from the Editio Typica copyright 1997, United States Catholic Conference, Inc. Libreria Editrice Vaticana.

Copyright 2009 by Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division,
Our Sunday Visitor, Inc. Published 2009.

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All rights reserved. With the exception of short excerpts for critical reviews, no part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means whatsoever without permission in writing
from the publisher. Write:

Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division
Our Sunday Visitor, Inc.
200 Noll Plaza
Huntington, IN 46750

1-800-348-2440

ISBN: 978-1-59276-554-6 (Inventory No. T836)
LCCN: 2009924942

Cover design: Lindsey Luken
Cover art: Shutterstock photo with papal coat of arms by Agnus Images
Page 2 photo: copyright Agnus Images

Interior design: Sherri L. Hoffman

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Contents

by Daniel Cardinal DiNardo

Pope Benedict XVI: Selected Bibliography

The Meditations

Foreword

On October 6, 2008, the first working day of the 12th Synod of Bishops, dedicated to The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church, Pope Benedict XVI spoke off the cuff to the assembled bishops and delegates and commented on Psalm 118, assigned for the Midday Office that morning. All things serve you was the verse that he targeted for his reflection. And he went right to the essentials, to the Word that gives birth to Creation: All is created from the Word and all is called to serve the Word. He then marvelously unpacked the meaning of the Word in the history of salvation and in teaching, the Torah! He reached the highlight of his reflections by underlining the Word that became Flesh, the mystery of Christ the Word. When the Word became Flesh, Christ in effect said, I am yours, to all creatures so that we can say with our whole being: Lord, I am yours!

Pope Benedict gets to the essentials. His thinking on our Catholic faith is always succinct. He has great clarity of mind. Simultaneously, he manifests a deep respect for the mystery of God, the mystery of faith, that is quite remarkable.

Last year, Father Kris Stubna and Mike Aquilina published a volume called Take Five, a book of meditations and practical spiritual guidance based on the writings of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Its success has prompted Our Sunday Visitor to publish a second volume of Take Five. This new book is based on the writings and teachings of our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI.

The book opens with a brief synopsis of the life of Pope Benedict. It is then divided into a number of topics of everyday spirituality. Each topic begins with an excerpt from one of the popes writings. This is followed by a Think About It section outlining some points for thought or questions to be pondered, then by an imaginative re-creation of background for a verse or text from Holy Scripture. Finally, each topic has a Remember section and includes a practical write-down line to use all during the day. (These two men have to be teachers; they are fond of mnemonic devices!)

As a book of practical spirituality, this volume has every measure of success. The topics are useful, and the authors wisely let the pope have the greater word, while they act as coaches looking over our shoulders as we read, to offer a point for reflection and an always beautiful and relevant biblical text for prayer and reflection.

The final topic of the volume is the Rosary. The final words of the Remember section tell us to bring the prayers of the Rosary with us as a help to enter the silence of our hearts where Gods Spirit dwells. This little volume, pared to essentials, is just that. It is a guide to enter into silence with God, and there to discover Gods Holy Spirit beckoning us to meet the Lord Jesus. Amen!

Daniel Cardinal DiNardo
Archbishop of Galveston-Houston

Introduction

Most Christians spend a large part of their waking hours in activity related to their professional work. They put in long shifts on the shop floor, in the classroom, in the office and they spend additional time commuting to and from their labors. Thus, when they pass from this life, they will likely be judged to a great extent on what they did for a living.

Yet so many sermons and books on the spiritual life seem to ignore these everyday realities and focus instead on matters that are important methods of meditation, volunteer work, almsgiving but that hold a marginal place in the ordinary days of ordinary people.

In this book, we bring the rich teachings of Pope Benedict XVI to bear on the everyday circumstances of working life. Pope Benedict XVI has worked prodigiously through his life, and he has urged all the Church to do the same. He has written so many books and articles that his full bibliography can itself fill a book! And he produced these important works even as he held prestigious and responsible administrative and teaching positions.

He has been as busy a professional as youre likely to meet (or likely to become). Yet he has always been able to see the supernatural dimension of his tasks, even when they are mundane, difficult, or demanding of his entire attention.

How is he able to stay focused? He finds very practical ways to bring Christ into the workday, and he shares some of his methods with us through his books, sermons, letters, and his interviews. He writes about the dignity of work; about getting along with co-workers; about competitiveness; about the wise use of money and resources; and about the challenge of keeping your eye on the goal, which is not worldly success, but godly glory. These spiritual counsels make up the bulk of this books meditations.

Even if we never reach the popes level of prestige or proficiency, we can still achieve the (more important) spiritual goals that God has set for our work. This is what God wants; and God is all-powerful; so he will give us all we need to succeed.

The best way to learn from Pope Benedict is to get to know him first as a person and a teacher. Please begin by reading the story of his life, which is followed by a brief sketch of his spirituality.

The meditations may be read in any sequence that suits you. They do follow a certain logic, moving from elementary to ultimate matters. But you may find it occasionally useful to jump around in search of the subject that occupies your mind.

Each meditation begins with an excerpt from Pope Benedicts writings or teachings.

The meditation proceeds to a section titled Think About It. There are a few points listed for you to consider in your prayer. You may refer them to yourself in Gods presence, or refer them to God for answers, or both. Take time with each point. Dont rush. Wait quietly and patiently for Gods response in your soul. He will not fail you though his response may not be immediately sensible to you. Sometimes many years go by before we can see how God worked in our soul in prayer at a given moment.