"Before such a sight of lawns, woods, mountain peaks stretching out to the sky, one naturally feels, rising in one’s soul, the wish to praise God for the wonders of His work, and our admiration for these natural beauties easily turns into prayer". This was said yesterday morning by Benedict XVI, in his introduction to his first Angelus from the Castle of Mirabello, during his holidays at Lorenzago di Cadore, where he arrived on 9th July. After thanking "all those people who somehow or other help offer me serene, fruitful holidays", the Pope mentioned that "every good Christian knows that holidays are the appropriate time to relax one’s body and to nourish one’s soul by giving more space to prayer and meditation to grow in one’s personal relationship with Christ and increasingly abide by His lessons". Then as he commented the parable of the Good Samaritan, illustrated by yesterday’s Gospel, he highlighted that it introduces the "heart of the evangelical message: the love of God and the love of one’s neighbour". "To love, says Jesus, is to behave like the Good Samaritan explained the Holy Father -. After all, we know that He is the epitome of the Good Samaritan: although He is God, He did not hesitate to lower Himself to make Himself a man and give His life for us". (continued)
