Guest Opinion: Ecce Homo, Behold the Man! The Humble Act of Pope Benedict XVI

By Paul Kokoski
2/17/2013
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

May the Lord of all graces and giver of every gift bless Pope Benedict XVI.

Pope Benedict XVI's decision to abdicate the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter, comes at a time when there is a ferocious battle going on within the Catholic Church and a rising tide of hatred towards authentic Christianity from outside. The pope has had to endure much in his heroic efforts to steer the Barque of Peter away from the errors and influence of the progressives, atheists, and other dissidents.

Pope Benedict reverencing the cross

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HAMILTON, ONTARIO, CANADA (Catholic Online) - "Ecce homo," "Behold the man!" These were the words spoken by Pontius Pilate when he presented a scourged Jesus Christ to a hostile mob shortly before his crucifixion. The same words aptly apply today to Pope Benedict XVI, as he is being held up to unprecedented ridicule and scorn by some members of a hateful press and misunderstood in a world out of touch with its spiritual nature and moral being. One can almost hear Jesus saying to the peaceful and benevolent pope: "If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first" (John 15:18).

For strategic reasons, due to "deteriorating strength of mind and body", the pope has chosen to humble himself in an act self-sacrifice to pave the way for an urgently needed stronger pope and stronger Church. He has chosen to engage in an act of supreme charity not only for the good of the Catholic Church, but for the whole world. And he has done it at the very beginning of Lent, the Catholic season of special prayer, fasting and almsgiving that culminates in the full remembrance of the suffering and resurrection of Jesus Christ at Easter.

The world wants to see the death of the church because it knows the church is the mother of all saints. It knows that the Catholic Church is the last bastion of hope against a materialistic world that craves immorality at every step including homosexuality, same-sex marriage, easy divorce, abortion, radical feminism, contraception, embryonic stem-cell research and cloning. Contrary to his critics, Pope Benedict will be remembered not for the scandals of a few priests but for his intense suffering in protecting the faith from wolves in sheep's clothing. He will be known as one of the greatest of Catholic martyrs.

The Holy Father was an inspiration and a model witness to the life of Christ; a shepherd of truth constantly guarding his flock so that Christ might find faith on earth when He returns. Immersed in profound humility and immense love for both God and man he has always been a source of strength, encouragement, confidence, optimism and enlightenment not only to Catholics but to all men of good will.

A champion of the poor and ardent exponent of Christian unity, the German Pontiff was, in many and such capacities as teaching, governing and sanctifying, both a beacon of light and salt of the earth. He has never ceased to offer fresh hope for defeating the forces of tyranny, cynicism and moral relativism hovering like a dark cloud on the horizon.

Successor of Peter and Vicar of Christ, he was the world\'s most influential and uncompromising defender of the dignity of human life. His tenacious pleas for the development of a \"culture of life\" and parallel denunciations of the \"culture of death\" have been instrumental in rallying opposition to the immorality of war, terrorism, abortion, euthanasia, divorce, contraception, homosexuality and embryonic-tissue research.

Pope Benedict XVI lived the Christian virtues in a heroic way. He was slow to condemn and quick to forgive, applying the medicine of mercy to all sinners.

He has a brilliant philosophical and, in particular, theological mind that has endearingly embraced a vision of broad spiritual and ecclesial horizons: personal holiness extended to the supreme sacrifice, missionary outreach combined with constant concern for unity, the necessary integration of spiritual charism and institutional ministry.

His episcopal motto \"Co-worker of the Truth\" has guided him in his tireless and uncompromising efforts aimed at defending and promoting the Catholic faith and its morals against modern errors in an age in which the Catholic Church has suffered unprecedented persecutions and martyrdom.

Pope Benedict XVI has also worked to encourage studies aimed at increasing knowledge of the faith so that the new problems arising from the progress of science and civilization can be answered in the light of the Word of God.

The aim for which he has always striven has been to serve the truth, seek to know it ever more thoroughly and make it ever more widely known.

May the Lord of all graces and giver of every gift bless Pope Benedict XVI.

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Mr. Paul Kokoski is a freelance writer who holds a BA in philosophy from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. His articles have been published in several journals including, Homiletic and Pastoral Review, New Oxford Review and Catholic Insight.

- - -

Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: Paul Kokoski, Pope Benedict XVI, Papal resignation, humility, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Virtue, papacy, Ecce Homo, Behold the Man, anti-Catholic, anti-Christian

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1 - 6 of 6 Comments

Rita Biesemans
2 months ago
THE CHURCH IN GETHSEMANE
-----------------------------------------------
The Ship of Peter is torn apart
Martyred in its Holy Teaching
It sinks and sinks, no work of art
The bottom though never reaching

Dissidents are screaming loud
Leaving behind an awful niff
Pretending to be proudly stout
Gearing the Ship into a cliff

Jesus shows His wounded Heart
Smitten with a deadly dart
Peter the Rock in desolation
Deploring severe desecration

Wake up, you Christian Brother
Show now your truthful face
With Mary our Heavenly Mother
We'll reach that Peaceful Place

In allegiance to the Holy Father
United in prayer and fasting
No victory will claim, but rather
Satan's defeat be everlasting.

Rita Biesemans, 01-02-2011
rafaelmarie
2 months ago
I was watching EWTN in which mean of faith were gathered stating that how courageous and humble was Benedict in resigning.

While hearing their conversation, I couldn't help but watch, video clips of Cardinal Ratzinger assisting St. John Paul II during services, bent over and barely able to speak, carrying out his duties courageously, even though he was criticized for being too weak to carry out his duties.

But he did so even unto his death bed. And I ask myself the question, which example is truly courageous, the one in which a Pope is lauded to resign, or the one in which a Saint is criticized and persecuted by not resigning?
Robert
2 months ago
He'll be remembered fondly, we made it snow once, well yesterday
Bill Sr.
2 months ago
An outstanding and a spiritually enlightened factual perspective of our beloved Benedict XVI.
God Bless you Paul Kokoski
John Bosco
2 months ago
God Bless Paul Kokoski!

He had the courage to indicate the current status of Catholic church,

to quote

"Pope Benedict XVI's decision to abdicate the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter, comes at a time when there is a ferocious battle going on within the Catholic Church and a rising tide of hatred towards authentic Christianity from outside."

"Errors and influence of the progressives, atheists, and other dissidents."

"but for his intense suffering in protecting the faith from wolves in sheep's clothing. He will be known as one of the greatest of Catholic martyrs."

Un quote

Deo Gratias!
John Bosco, Chennai, India.
Mathew Thankachen O.Praem
2 months ago
I agree fully the view expressed by Paul in this short article. His every sentence speaks volumes. To supplement his view May I add my title, Pope Benedict, an "Interior Pope",( not Imperial) as the opponents digs out from historical grave.

Pope Benedict XVI, the Interior Pope.
I heard my mobile ringing. On the other side was Abbot Benzes Thomas, asking me for further details as he was on move in the train. I could not believe for some time. Immediately I switiched on the BBC news. The news of the ‘resignation of the Pope’ was confirmed. It took some time for me to recover. A few months back, one of my friends from Vatican met me. He told me how badly his health was deteriorating. In this fast changing world, he can’t ‘catch up’ with his ‘pace maker’ is understandable. However, the media goes on “banging” and “branding” him as a “failure pope” to solve any credible issues of the Church and society like “ending celibacy”, “issues of contraceptives, family planning, and ordination of women and so on”. Critics and some historians paint him with “Imperial” while forgetting blissfully of his “Interior”. The world knows him as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, a “super intellectual” from the worldly point of view. But the “man within is different”. He is the “mystic of the century”. When he became the Pope in 2005, many, even within the Church Circle had premonition that he would be the most “Conservative Pope” the Church ever had, but his reign proved otherwise. His motto was “that all may be one” as his master wished. The declaration of the year of ‘Priesthood, year of Faith and New Evangelization” was an effort to gear towards it. Although his speech at Regenberg was criticized by some of the Muslim scholars, later he has been warmly welcomed by the Arab. He brought back the consertive group who left the Cathoic Church under the leadership of Archbishop Levbre in reaction to Vatican II. The Pope created autonomous Vicariates to those Aglicans in the US and Britains who wished to embrace Catholic Church. Such historical developments in the contemporary church indicate and vindicates that his papacy is an expression of “interiority of the Divine will”. And no wonder, he was eulogized as a great theologian. The sourace of theology is Revelation and it is possible only for a man of “child like nature” or “interiority”. In him met scholarship and insight. In the Bible we see Jesus thanking the Father for “revealing to the little children”. Thre very fact he was a man who could enjoy “music and art” is a sign of such “vibrant heart”, attuned to “reception”. As a matter of fact, “contemplation and interiority” is the very nature of his self. In a way, he is prone more to “prayer and meditation” than “administration of material matters” which his office equally demands. The scandal of ‘Vati-leaks’ could be viewed in this light. The bsic nature of such character is one of “recoiling within without any complains”. Any developments negative or positive are taken to the heart with more “self reflection than other reflection”. Such personalities will be too poor to “withsanad the vices of the world and its tricks and politirics”. The only way left is to “withdraw to the source of contemplation” as Jesus did “to a lonely place, the “interior Castle”, “Porta Fidei”. As an “interior pope”, he was not much interested in “Travelling” or appearing before media. Serene and composed, he grappled any issues of the Church in such a way, even his opponents had to bend their knees. His simplicity sometimes, taken it for granted as his ignorance and his sensitivity to fellow Cardinals his weakness. Had he been “given spiritual boost”, by those around, for every Divine intervention comes through human agents, the symbol of papacy in him could have prolonged while those around could carry out the duty and offices. However, he is too sincere to the root that he cannot put up with any rivalry. It is this sheer sincerety that prompted him to take such decision to entrust the office in the hands of those more capable in body and spirit. When many Rulers even in our Democratic society wanted to still hold on to Power and Position till their last breath is gone, the resignation of the Pope vindicates the modern papacy, unlike in the past and as assumed by the critics is not “ Imperial” and “ Royal” with “ Maximus”, (Supreme), but one of “ Diaconic( service) with humility. The very fact that his “Butler had access to his privy” and “despite his confession and imprinsonment”, he was pardoned by the Pope rings the new bells of papacy in line with Jesus who came to “serve and not to be served, and to pardon sinners”. Just like, human nature is ever in transition and change, so too papacy and Church is ever in change. It is unfair to attribute “stigmas” of the past to the present Church. No doubt, ihe Church is “anchored on Faith and Morals, Word and Tradition”. The moment papacy reconciles with the immoralirty of the world, it loses its credibility and authority. It is proved in the recent British Parliamemnt that passed the Bill on ‘Homo sexual marriage’ despite staunch opposition from the Anglican Church, for a Church that tolerates to the extent of Ordaining homosexual priets and bishops ceases their authority and credibility to advice the socity or parliament. It is this “intrinsic interiority, authority” that he was able to present the Church with a “blend of reason and faith” to the modern man. Seen in this light, his “interiority” made him “more human, natural, rational’ than “imperial and autocrat”. His mysticism was not a “withdrawal from the world”, rather an “involvement” that “enlightened the world” to understand it in the light of faith and reason

Mathew Thankachen O.Praem.

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