Acta Apostolicae Sedis - Commentarium Officiale612

HOMILIAE

I

Iter Apostolicum Summi Pontificis in Regnum Unitum: In eucharistica celebra-

tione apud Glasguensem aream vulgo "Bellahouston Park".*

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

"The Kingdom of God is very near to you!".1 With these words of the

Gospel we have just heard, I greet all of you with great affection in the Lord.

Truly the Lord's Kingdom is already in our midst! At this Eucharistic cele-

bration in which the Church in Scotland gathers around the altar in union

with the Successor of Peter, let us reaffirm our faith in Christ's word and our

hope - a hope which never disappoints - in his promises! I warmly greet

Cardinal O'Brien and the Scottish Bishops; I thank in particular Archbishop

Conti for his kind words of welcome on your behalf; and I express my deep

gratitude for the work that the British and Scottish Governments and the

Glasgow city fathers have done to make this occasion possible.

Today's Gospel reminds us that Christ continues to send his disciples into

the world in order to proclaim the coming of his Kingdom and to bring his

peace into the world, beginning house by house, family by family, town by

town. I have come as a herald of that peace to you, the spiritual children of

Saint Andrew and to confirm you in the faith of Peter.2 It is with some

emotion that I address you, not far from the spot where my beloved pre-

decessor Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass nearly thirty years ago with you

and was welcomed by the largest crowd ever gathered in Scottish history.

Much has happened in Scotland and in the Church in this country since

that historic visit. I note with great satisfaction how Pope John Paul's call to

you to walk hand in hand with your fellow Christians has led to greater trust

and friendship with the members of the Church of Scotland, the Scottish

Episcopal Church and others. Let me encourage you to continue to pray

and work with them in building a brighter future for Scotland based upon

our common Christian heritage. In today's first reading we heard Saint Paul

* Die 16 Septembris 2010. 1 Lk 10:9. 2 Cfr. Lk 22:32.