John 13, 18-30 + CSDC and CV

John 13, 18-30 + CSDC and CV   

CV 8c This continual application to contemporary circumstances began with the Encyclical  Sollicitudo Rei Socialis,  with which the Servant of God Pope John Paul II chose to mark the twentieth anniversary of the publication of Populorum Progressio. Until that time, only Rerum Novarum  had been commemorated in this way. Now that a further twenty years have passed, I express my conviction that Populorum Progressio deserves to be considered “the Rerum Novarum of the present age”, shedding light upon humanity's journey towards unity.

Leaders in the information sector have an important task, which must be undertaken with prudence and objectivity

CSDC 480. Leaders in the information sector also have an important task, which must be undertaken with prudence and objectivity. Society expects information that is complete and objective, which helps citizens to form a correct opinion concerning biotechnological products, above all because this is something that directly concerns them as possible consumers. The temptation to fall into superficial information, fuelled by over enthusiasm or unjustified alarmism, must be avoided.

(John 13, 18-30) Whoever receives me receives the one who sent me

[18] I am not speaking of all of you. I know those whom I have chosen. But so that the scripture might be fulfilled, 'The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me.' [19] From now on I am telling you before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe that I AM. [20] Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me." [21] When he had said this, Jesus was deeply troubled and testified, "Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me." [22] The disciples looked at one another, at a loss as to whom he meant. [23] One of his disciples, the one whom Jesus loved, 8 was reclining at Jesus' side. [24] So Simon Peter nodded to him to find out whom he meant. [25] He leaned back against Jesus' chest and said to him, "Master, who is it?" [26] Jesus answered, "It is the one to whom I hand the morsel after I have dipped it." So he dipped the morsel and (took it and) handed it to Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot. [27] After he took the morsel, Satan entered him. So Jesus said to him, "What you are going to do, do quickly." [28] (Now) none of those reclining at table realized why he said this to him. [29] Some thought that since Judas kept the money bag, Jesus had told him, "Buy what we need for the feast," or to give something to the poor. [30] So he took the morsel and left at once. And it was night.

CSDC 28. The benevolence and mercy that inspire God's actions and provide the key for understanding them become so very much closer to man that they take on the traits of the man Jesus, the Word made flesh. In the Gospel of Saint Luke, Jesus describes his messianic ministry with the words of Isaiah which recall the prophetic significance of the jubilee: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord” (Lk 4:18-19; cf. Is 61:1-2). Jesus therefore places himself on the frontline of fulfilment, not only because he fulfils what was promised and what was awaited by Israel, but also in the deeper sense that in him the decisive event of the history of God with mankind is fulfilled. He proclaims: “He who has seen me has seen the Father” (Jn 14:9). Jesus, in other words, is the tangible and definitive manifestation of how God acts towards men and women.

[Initials and Abbreviations.- CSDC: Pontifical Council for Justice And Peace, Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church; -  SDC: Social Doctrine of the Church; - CV: Benedict XVI, Caritas in Veritate (Charity in truth)]