VATICAN: POPE'S MESSAGE TO RIMINI MEETING

Radio Vaticana report: "Witness in our time that the great things that the human heart longs for are found in God" is Pope Benedict XVI’s message to participants at the Rimini Meeting, which opened Sunday morning in the Italian seaside resort with a Mass celebrated by the diocesan bishop, Mgr. Francesco Lambiasi.
The Meeting, in its 31st edition has drawn thousands of participants from throughout Italy and abroad to discuss the theme: “The nature which pushes us to desire great things is the heart”.
The papal message, read during mass, noted that there is a risk of establishing a purely materialistic concept of life, but that "human nature” is expressed first of all, in the hearts longing for ‘greater things’. “Every man – the Pope states in his message, - intuitively knows that in realizing the deepest desires of his heart, man finds the opportunity for achievement, fulfilment, to become truly himself". "Mankind – the message continues - is often tempted to stop at the little things, those that give 'cheap' satisfaction and pleasure, those that satisfy for a passing moment, things that are as easy to obtain as they are illusory." "God - continues the Pope - came into the world to awaken in us a thirst for 'greater things'." "And we should purify our desires and our hopes to be able to welcome the sweetness of God”. “We can ask God - continued the Pope, "for all that is good. The goodness and power of God, knows no boundary between great and small things, between material and spiritual things, between earthly and heavenly things. In dialogue with him, living our whole life under his gaze, we learn to desire the good things, in the end to desire God Himself.".
In the message, the Pope also recalled the fifth anniversary of the death of Mgr. Giussani, the founder of Communion and Liberation, who organise and host the event. The Rimini Meeting has dedicated a tribute to him through words, images and a short video documenting his passion for life. As Don Giussani was known to say: "I do not want to live in vain, this is my obsession".
http://www.radiovaticana.org/en1/Articolo.asp?c=417224

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