"A meeting around the Cross, a celebration of God’s mercy that in the Sacrament of Confession each of you can personally experience". With these words, Benedict XVI introduced the penitential liturgy officiated this evening in Saint Peter’s basilica before the cardinal vicar Camillo Ruini and the auxiliary bishops and attended by the young of the diocese of Rome in preparation to the XXII World Youth Day, which will be celebrated within the dioceses on April 1st (Palm Sunday), and to Easter. "In every man’s heart", there is "a thirst for love", said the Pope to the young, mentioning the theme of the WYD, "As I loved you, you must love one another", and "a Christian can even less live without love. Actually, if a Christian does not find true love, he cannot even say he is really a Christian". "God’s love for us" became "visible in the mystery of the Cross", explained the Pope; a "crucified love" that "has its height in the joy of Resurrection and Ascension" and "in the gift of the Holy Spirit", through which, even tonight, sins will be remitted and forgiveness and peace will be granted". (to be continued)
