The Oil of Mercy

"In the lamp of our lives, the oil of mercy should never run dry."
Pope Benedict XVI, Chrism Mass Homily (April 1, 2010)

Earlier today the Chrism Mass was celebrated in Saint Peter's Basilica for the Diocese of Rome. In his homily, the Holy Father spoke very eloquently about the sacramental signs of the Church and the special symbolism of oil. The phrase above is certainly one that will remain with me for awhile (I hope!).

But more impressive (to me at least) was his discourse on love, joy and suffering.

In the early Church, the consecrated oil was considered a special sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit, who communicates himself to us as a gift from Christ. He is the oil of gladness. This gladness is different from entertainment and from the outward happiness that modern society seeks for itself. Entertainment, in its proper place, is certainly good and enjoyable. It is good to be able to laugh. But entertainment is not everything. It is only a small part of our lives, and when it tries to be the whole, it becomes a mask behind which despair lurks, or at least doubt over whether life is really good, or whether non-existence might perhaps be better than existence. The gladness that comes to us from Christ is different. It does indeed make us happy, but it can also perfectly well coexist with suffering. It gives us the capacity to suffer and, in suffering, to remain nevertheless profoundly glad. It gives us the capacity to share the suffering of others and thus by placing ourselves at one another’s disposal, to express tangibly the light and the goodness of God. I am always struck by the passage in the Acts of the Apostles which recounts that after the Apostles had been whipped by order of the Sanhedrin, they “rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonour for the name of Jesus” (Acts 5:41). Anyone who loves is ready to suffer for the beloved and for the sake of his love, and in this way he experiences a deeper joy. The joy of the martyrs was stronger than the torments inflicted on them. This joy was ultimately victorious and opened the gates of history for Christ.

I have always been impressed by Pope Benedict's homilies and writings on love. We often say that it is misunderstood by "the world." I would argue that it also is misunderstood by many in the Church. I hope that a careful reading of, and deep reflection on, Pope Benedict's wise words will help remedy this.