Pope Benedict Talks St Paul to Rome's University Students

The University students of Rome today, at their annual meeting with the Bishop of Rome before they go on their Christmas vacation. I had no idea the Pope did this which is sorta of cool. He talked Saint Paul. Via the Ratzinger Forum here is a translation and some pics.

Eminent Cardinals,

Madame Minister

and distinguished authorities,

Venerated brothers,

Illustrious rectors and professors,

Dear students!

The approach of the Holy Feast of the Nativity offers me the occasion, always a happy one, to meet the Roman university world. I cordially greet Cardinal Agostino Vallini, my Vicar for the Diocese of Rome, and Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney, whose presence brings back to my mind and heart the unforgettable experience of World Youth Day last July. The handover of the icon of Mary Sedes Sapientiae (Seat of Wisdom) from the Romanian delegation to the Australians reminds us that this great 'network' of young people around the world is always active and in movement.

I thank the Rector of La Sapienza University of Rome and the student who addressed me in the name of everyone here. I am grateful for the presence of the Minister for the University and Research, and wish every good to this sector, so important to the life of the nation. I address a special greeting to the Israeli and Palestinian students who are studying in Rome, thanks to subsidies from the Lazio region and the Roman universities, and I also greet the three Rectors who took part yesterday bin the meeting on the topic, "From Jerusalem to Rome to construct a new humanism".

Dear friends, this year, the itinerary prepared for you by the Diocese of Rome ties in opportunely with the Pauline Year. The bimillenial anniversary of the birth of the Apostle of the Gentiles is helping the entire church to rediscover its own fundamental missionary vocation, and at the same time, to draw fully from the inexhaustible theological and spiritual treasures of the Pauline Letters. I myself, as you know, have been developing, week after week, a cycle of catecheses on this subject.

I am convinced that even for you - on the personal level as well as in your community experience and apostolate in the university - the encounter with the figure and message of St. Paul will constitute a very enriching opportunity. For this reason, I will be consigning to you shortly the Letter to the Romans, maximum expression of Pauline thought and a sign of his special consideration for the Church of Rome, or - to use the words of greeting of the Epistle itself - "to all the beloved of God in Rome, called to be holy" (Rom 1,7).

The Letter to the Romans - as some of the professors present know very well - is without doubt one of the most important cultural texts of all time. But it is and remains principally a living message for the living Church, and as such, I place it in your hands this evening. May this writing, which gushed forth from the heart of the Apostle, become substantial nutriment for your faith, bringing you to believe more and better, and even to reflect on yourselves, in order to arrive at a 'thought out' faith, and at the same time, to live this faith, putting it into practice according to the truth of Christ's commandment.

Only thus can the faith that one professes become 'credible' even to to others, who are conquered by the eloquent testimony of facts. Let Paul speak to you, Christian professors and students of Rome today, and make you participants in the experience that he had at first hand: that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is "the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes" (Rom 2,16).

The Christian announcement, which was revolutionary in the historical and cultural context of Paul, had the power to bring down the 'wall of separation' that there was between Jews and pagans (cfr Eph 2,14; Rom 10,12). It conserves the power of a novelty that is always actual, able to bring down other walls that come back to be erected in every context in every age.

The spring of this power is in the Spirit of Christ, to whom Paul consciously appeals. He said to the Christians of Corinth that, in his preaching, they should not count on "persuasive (words of) wisdom, but on a demonstration of spirit and power" (1 Cor 2,4). And what was the kernel of his proclamation?
It was the novelty of the salvation brought by Christ to mankind: in his death and resurrection, salvation is offered to all men without distinction. Offered, not imposed. Salvation is a gift which always requires to be accepted personally.

It is this, dear young people, that is the essential content of Baptism which this year is proposed to you as a Sacrament to rediscover, and for for some of you, to receive and to confirm as a free and fully conscious choice. In the Letter of the Romans itself, we find a brilliant formulation of the meaning of Christian Baptism. "Are you unaware", Paul writes, "that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?" (Rom 6,3) As you can well gather, this is a very profound idea which contains all the theology of the Paschal mystery: the death of Christ, through the power of God, is the source of life, inexhaustible spring of renewal in the Holy Spirit.

To be 'baptized in Christ' means to be spiritually immersed in that death which is God's infinite and universal act of love, able to rescue every person and every creature from any slavery of sin and from death. St. Paul, in fact, proceeds thus: "We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life" (Rom 6,4).

The apostle, in the Letter to the Romans, communicates to us all his joy in this mystery when he writes: "What will separate us from the love of Christ?... I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom 8, 35.38-39).

It is this same love of which the new life of Christians consists. Even here, St. Paul works an impressive synthesis, again a fruit of his personal experience: "The one who loves another has fulfilled the law," he writes. "Love is the fulfillment of the law" (Rom 13,8.10).

This, dear friends, is what I hand over to you this evening. It is a message of faith, certainly, but at the same time, it is a truth that illuminates the mind, expanding it according to the horizons of God. It is a truth that orients real life, because the Gospel is the way to reach the fullness of life. This is the way that Jesus already traced out - indeed, he is the Way himself, who has come from the Father to us, so that we may, through him, reach the Father.

This is the mystery of Advent and of Christmas. May the Virgin Mary and St. Paul help you to adore him and to make him your own with profound faith and intimate joy.

Thank you all for your presence. In view of the coming Christmas festivities, I extend heartfelt wishes to all of you, to your families and others dear to you. Have a good Christmas!