Cardinal Koch: ‘Benedict XVI taught us that God is eternal love’

By Lisa Zengarini

A special memorial mass was celebrated early Tuesday morning in St. Peter’s Basilica, marking the second anniversary of the death of Joseph Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI, on December 31, 2022.

Cardinal Kurt Koch, prefect of the Dicastery for Christian Unity, presided over the liturgy.

In his homily, the Swiss prelate offered a reflection on the life and legacy of Pope Benedict XVI, particularly on his theological knowledge and his lifelong dedication to the Word of God.

He began by observing the significance of the dates of Joseph Ratzinger’s birth on Holy Saturday in 1927 and his death during the Christmas period of 2022, situating his life within the Paschal mystery.

Pope Benedict XVI’s tireless efforts to make God present in today’s world

This deep connection was a guiding force in the life and work of Pope Benedict XVI, Cardinal Koch said: “He lived this mystery, proclaimed it with strong faith and made it accessible to us today today with its theological clarity. »

Noting the “beautiful coincidence” between today’s Gospel and St. John’s Prologue, Cardinal Koch noted that the Word of God (“Logos”) was at the heart of Benedict’s theology. “Through his constant attention and orientation toward the truth of God’s Word, Pope Benedict XVI has convincingly shown us the meaning of human life,” which resides in God and his eternal love through Jesus.

God is love

Indeed, Cardinal Koch recalled, “for Benedict, the Word of God is deeply linked to love: God himself is love – ‘Deus Caritas Est’”. His life and teachings reflected this understanding of the divine, where love is at the heart of human existence and its eternity.

Gratitude for the life of Pope Benedict

Pope Benedict XVI’s dedication to making God’s presence central in today’s world “where God is often seen as foreign and superfluous” constitutes his legacy, Cardinal Koch noted, recalling his last words: “Lord, I love you”, which resonate as a testimony to his faith.

Concluding his sermon, Cardinal Koch invited the faithful to unite in gratitude for Benedict’s life, continuing to seek the eternal truth he so faithfully proclaimed: that God, through Christ, is real and that eternal life is the reward of those who love him.

The death of Benedict XVI in 2022

As pope from April 19, 2005 to February 28, 2013, Benedict XVI died at the age of 95 at the Mater Ecclesiae monastery in the Vatican, where he had chosen to reside after leaving his ministry as bishop of Rome announced on 11 February 2013. .

Countless messages of condolence came from around the world from bishops’ conferences, religious leaders and heads of state and government who wished to recall various traits of the “humble worker in the vineyard of the Lord”.

On the afternoon of that day, in his homily delivered during the Te Deum at St. Peter’s, Pope Francis recalled “dear Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI” saying “We are moved when we remember him as such a noble and kind person. And we feel such gratitude in our hearts: gratitude to God for having given it to the Church and to the world; gratitude for all the good he accomplished, and especially for his testimony of faith and prayer, especially during these last years of his collected life. Only God knows the value and power of his intercession, of the sacrifices he offered for the good of the Church. »

One last goodbye

After the announcement of his death, thousands of people wanted to pay a final tribute to the Pope Emeritus, first in the chapel of the Mater Ecclesiae monastery for his loved ones. Then, from January 2 to 4, the tribute moved to Saint Peter’s Basilica, which was visited by more than 200,000 faithful.

The funeral took place on January 5 in Saint-Pierre Square in the presence of 50,000 people. Alongside Pope Francis, some 130 cardinals, 400 bishops and nearly 3,700 priests concelebrated. 1,600 journalists accredited to the Press Office of the Holy See came to report on the funeral, while 200 media broadcast the ceremony.

Pope Benedict XVI’s body was later buried in the Vatican grottoes, the same place where John Paul II was buried until his tomb was moved to the basilica in 2011.