The Holy See has released Lumen Fidei (The Light of Faith), the first encyclical letter of Pope Francis. Begun by Pope Benedict, the encyclical is intended to complete his trilogy on the theological virtues and provide spiritual reflection and focus for the official Year of Faith. In his introduction, Pope Francis states that Pope Benedict:
"had almost
completed a first draft of
an encyclical on faith. For
this I am deeply grateful to him, and as his
brother in Christ I have
taken up his fine work and
added a few contributions of
my own. The Successor of
Peter, yesterday, today and
tomorrow, is always called
to strengthen his brothers
and sisters in the priceless
treasure of that faith
which God has given as a
light for humanity’s path."
The full text follows:
ENCYCLICAL LETTER
LUMEN FIDEI
OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF
FRANCIS
TO THE BISHOPS PRIESTS AND
DEACONS
CONSECRATED
PERSONS
AND THE LAY
FAITHFUL
ON FAITH
1. The light of Faith:
this is how the Church’s
tradition speaks of the
great gift brought by Jesus.
In John’s Gospel, Christ
says of himself: "I have
come as light into the
world, that whoever believes
in me may not remain in
darkness" (Jn 12:46).
Saint Paul uses the same
image: "God who said ‘Let
light shine out of
darkness,’ has shone in our
hearts" (2 Cor 4:6).
The pagan world, which
hungered for light, had seen
the growth of the cult of
the sun god, Sol Invictus,
invoked each day at sunrise.
Yet though the sun was born
anew each morning, it was
clearly incapable of casting
its light on all of human
existence. The sun does not
illumine all reality; its
rays cannot penetrate to the
shadow of death, the place
where men’s eyes are closed
to its light. "No one —
Saint Justin Martyr writes —
has ever been ready to die
for his faith in the sun".[1]
Conscious of the immense
horizon which their faith
opened before them,
Christians invoked Jesus as
the true sun "whose rays
bestow life".[2]
To
Martha, weeping for the
death of her brother
Lazarus, Jesus said: "Did I
not tell you that if you
believed, you would see the
glory of God?" (Jn
11:40). Those who believe,
see; they see with a light
that illumines their entire
journey, for it comes from
the risen Christ, the
morning star which never
sets.
