Holy Mass for Blessed Maria Clementina Anuarite

On Friday, 16 August 1985, the Holy Father celebrated the Eucharistic Liturgy for the newly Blessed Maria Clementina Anuarite in Lubumbashi, Zaire. In his homily, the Pope reflected on the words of Saint Paul, “Who will separate us from the love of Christ?” ( Rom 8:35).

1. “Who will separate us from the love of Christ?” ( Rom 8:35).

Saint Paul posed this question to the recipients of his letter, the Christians of the city of Rome, at the time of Nero.

Developing, then, the ideas contained in this question, he recalls all that threatened , humanly speaking, those who affirmed their faith in Christ in the pagan world of that time, hostile to the Gospel: "tribulation, anguish, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, the sword?"

Even though all this threatens us, even though “for Christ’s sake” they take our lives away – St. Paul says: “For your sake we are being killed all day long” – and yet “in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us”!

Therefore, “nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” ( Rom 8:35-39).

2. These words were written in Roman times, when those who proclaimed themselves disciples of Christ found themselves subjected to a great test of their faith and their love for the Savior.

Today, when we reread the same words in Lubumbashi, the day after the beatification of Blessed Anuarite , they have a different meaning than in the time of Nero, but there are similarities.

Faced with the threat of death, Anuarite had to ask herself the same question :

“Who will separate us from the love of Christ?”

“Death?” .

“Neither death nor life . . . nor any other creature, nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

With so many men and women who have offered the divine Spouse the definitive testimony, in all times, on all continents, Anuarite could say: “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

Today, she is a young daughter of Upper Zaire who bears witness to her faith in Jesus Christ. She has consecrated her life to her divine Spouse and remained faithful until death.

His testimony, a bearer of fidelity unto martyrdom, with a purely, explicitly religious motivation, has meant that the attention of the Church and the Zairian people has been focused especially on the analysis of his case, with a view to beatification, in order to propose his example to the faithful.

We cannot forget: there have been many other victims of unjust violence and war in this country and elsewhere, whose merits are well known to God. I think especially of the priests, men and women religious, and lay people who have shown great courage in their self-giving and in their service to others, in their devotion to their faith or to the demands of their Christian life, even at the risk of their lives. The light emanating from Blessed Anuarite also shines on their sacrifice; we carry them in our grateful memory and in the prayers we raise for their friends and their community.

Anuarite is close to us , having been born 44 years ago. Her family and sisters have always lived in this country. The child's faith, drawn to religious life at an early age, continued to deepen, while she simultaneously discovered the demands of apostolic service and religious life. We admire her especially because nothing distinguishes her except her simple fidelity, inspired by faith and the love of Christ, in the total gift of herself. Isn't it moving that the last words written in her notebook on the day of her martyrdom were: "Our testimony of purity of heart"?

3. As the liturgy proposes, with Anuarite and through her, we give thanks , taking up the prayer of Ben Sirach the Wise:

“O God, my Savior, I will glorify your name, / because you were my protector and my helper . . . / I remembered your mercies, O Lord . . . / and I raised my supplication from the earth. / You have delivered me from the depths of Sheol, / from an unclean tongue and from lying words. / Therefore I will thank you and praise you, / and I will bless the name of the Lord” (cf. Sir 51:1-2. 8-9. 5. 12).

Yes, we repeat this confident prayer and give thanks, because death did not have the last word. Anuarite, without fearing those who kill the body, is welcomed by the Lord, who says to her: “You have recognized me before men, I too will recognize you before my Father who is in heaven” (cf. Mt 10:32).

In Anuarite we recognize the witness of a Church that was then passing a great stage in its history . It was like the culmination of the first evangelization, when a daughter of this land fertilized it with her virginal blood.

In this event, now celebrated with the beatification of Anuarite, we see a starting point . The Church of Zaire, now led by bishops who are sons of her people, is advancing towards the maturity of in-depth evangelization. It will not be spared difficulties, fidelity may cost much pain, but we ask the Lord to support you with the greatness of his mercy and for the glory of his name (cf. Sir 51:2-3), so that together you too can say: "Nothing will ever be able to separate us from the love of God, in Christ Jesus, our Lord" ( Rom 8:39).

The true love that comes from God, the love experienced by your first blessed, is necessary in this world where many men and women experience anguish, poverty, hunger, and, in too many parts of the world, persecution or torture. This world is changing. In this world, many children are cut off from their fathers' roots. In this world, the pleasure of material goods, selfishness, and self-absorption cause the pain of living. May Anuarite, who so well knew how to make others happy, help you restore to each and every one the joy of living!

4. Brothers and sisters of Lubumbashi, of Shaba, of the entire vast Zaire, the Successor of Peter wishes to strengthen his brothers as the Lord has commissioned him, giving thanks with you for God's gifts, praying that all may be ever more faithful to Christ's calls. I am happy to celebrate the Eucharist with you, who warmly welcome the Bishop of Rome. And among you, I greet the bishops present around the Archbishop of Lubumbashi, Archbishop Kabanga Songasonga, whom I thank for the words he addressed to me. You constitute a numerous and dynamic Church. Its true strength and profound cohesion come "from the love of God poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us" (cf. Rom 5:5). Know how to welcome this fundamental gift. Let yourselves be guided by the Spirit of love in all the activities that constitute the life of the Church and shape her face! Fraternal unity is an essential basis for understanding the good news. It is the quality of what is experienced together that gives testimony its credibility. Always remember that, on the eve of his death, Jesus said: "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" ( Jn 13:35). The community of Christ's disciples is recognized by the mutual support of its members, by their reciprocal benevolence, by the generosity of their mutual help, by the good collaboration between lay people, religious, and priests, by the understanding between generations and between people of different origins. For what the Spirit enables you to accomplish in this regard, we give thanks. And we will pray that this fraternal love throughout the community will inspire generous action.

The maturity of a united Church is recognized by the fruits it produces. Fully appreciating their value depends on God's judgment. But we can recognize some signs. I'll mention a few to help you take stock.

The most visible of these signs are the assemblies of a Church celebrating the liturgy . The participation of all members of the People of God, the listening to the Word of God, the unity around the celebrant who presides at prayer and offers the Lord's sacrifice, the welcoming of the Body of Christ, truly present, in the joy of communion, the clear solidarity with the entire Church throughout the world—all this expresses the interior life of a united community. The authenticity of the celebration is a prerequisite for a greater number of brothers and sisters to join Christ's disciples today. At this moment, the International Eucharistic Congress manifests the full scope of the presence and action of Christ the Savior in his Church. In a few hours, I will be in Nairobi. I invite you to unite in thought with all those gathered there and with all the families of the earth.

There might be a temptation to retreat into the community. But if it were limited to one's own group, it would evidently lose its raison d'être. Because a love that is not shared remains sterile. The vinedresser of the Gospel prunes the branches, and if they do not bear fruit, he cuts them away (cf. Jn 15:1-9). Everyone must jointly question their share of responsibility in bearing witness to the Gospel outside, among their brothers and sisters who do not know them or who have distanced themselves from it. A living Church is missionary. You know this, you who are committed to carrying out a deep evangelization in your society.

Another sign of maturity is the local Church's lively relationship with the communities of other countries that belong to the same body of Christ. Saint Paul speaks of branches grafted onto the olive tree, whose root is holy (cf. Rom 11:16-24). Each branch brings its own qualities to the tree: those you can contribute to the universal Church are considerable. But the branch truly flourishes when it allows itself to be permeated by the sap that comes from the Lord and when it integrates into the one plant. Brothers and sisters of Zaire, I know the strength of your branch; you bring benefits from it to the sister Churches on this continent and far beyond. Do so starting from the one sap , that of the Gospel transmitted by the apostles and their successors: they have received the task of discerning in every age what faithfully expresses it. The Bishop of Rome has the particular role of ensuring the unity of the entire Church , following Peter.

5. Dear brothers and sisters, I have recalled these aspects of the community that celebrates, that assumes the evangelical mission and that remains in solidarity with the whole Church. Now I would like to join you in asking the Lord to strengthen and enlighten each of you personally in the different actions of your Christian life .

The Gospel tells us that Jesus himself prayed at length at every stage of his mission. Are you faithful and available to prayer? Does each of you care about extending the common prayer of the liturgy with personal prayer each day? Remember that Blessed Anuarite never failed to end her day in prayer with Mary and that she loved reciting the rosary.

And in what spirit do you pray? Is it about obtaining what each of you has decided for yourself, or about abandoning yourself to God's will? Is it about giving vent to your feelings, or rather about allowing yourself to be invaded by the presence and word of God? Are you also willing, quite simply, to find time to share your spiritual experience with your brothers and sisters and, in different groups, to help one another on God's paths? May the Spirit of God unite with your spirit, to allow you to deepen your experience of prayer (cf. Rom 8:26).

6. Concluding the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus declares: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” ( Mt 7:21). In all fields of Christian action, it must consist in “doing the will of my Father.” Some find this impossible, discouraging . . . The law may seem harsh . . . But, when one has discovered that one is loved by God, how can one not desire to order one's conduct in the light of his word, how can one not consent to the demands of justice and love, to those of a true respect for man who has the dignity of a child of God? And if one is sincere and humble, how can one not admit that the Church has the duty to enunciate moral rules in conformity with the Gospel? If weakness and contrary influences make the observance of a sound morality difficult, one must not be discouraged: mercy and demands are in harmony in the unique love of the Lord ; The support of grace is not lacking to those who invoke it. And if someone falls, breaking with the law of life, let his brothers reach out to him and, above all, let him know that the Lord is ready to forgive those who turn to him. St. Paul forcefully expresses this aspect of the apostolic ministry: "All this comes from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation" ( 2 Cor 5:18).

On the path of goodness, shining examples abound in the Christian community. Let us not forget the faithfulness of Anuarite! May God grant her sisters and brothers the same courage to follow him on the noble paths that lead to his kingdom!

7. Orienting one's life according to God's law leads to generosity rather than the pursuit of self-interest. It means respecting the life and dignity of every human being; it means seeking justice in all circumstances , carrying out one's assigned duties with strict integrity, contributing to good understanding and peace among groups; it means making prudent use of the resources the Creator allows us to dispose of, so that each person receives the just share needed to live properly, care for their body, develop their intelligence, demonstrate their personal abilities, and assume their family responsibilities.

Christian brothers and sisters, may faith and love —which are gifts from God— be reasons for you to work generously in society : fully assume your role in the country's development. Be bearers of hope, be faithful to the great human values when you contribute to the education of young people and to building civilization in peace. Be open to dialogue with those who do not share your faith, and with Christians who do not recognize themselves in the Catholic Church.

"You are the salt of the earth" ( Mt 5:13). With these words, Jesus charges you to help your brothers and sisters discover that when we enter into a covenant with God, human existence has more flavor, that is, greater grandeur and beauty. The Gospel we bring is like salt, or like leaven, in the dough already steeped in all cultures, all generations. Free children of Africa, give thanks for the encounter between the rich heritage of your peoples and the heritage of the Son of God, he who offered his life so that men and women of all continents might become his brothers and sisters together!

8. We see the entire meaning of Christian life , with its demands and its joy, fulfilled in the saints . In them, we glorify the most beautiful work of God's creation, of redemption, of the holiness communicated by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Their presence is a great challenge for us. It is the living expression of the challenge of the Kingdom of God, addressed to those who live in this world where our final home has not yet been built.

Here is your compatriot Anuarite - your compatriot and your contemporary - she stands today before all the people of this African land and repeats to them the words of Christ :

“Whoever acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven” ( Mt 10:32).

With the first daughter of Zaire raised to the altars, we listen with trust to the demanding words of our Redeemer, with her who did not deny the Lord, with her whose faithfulness led to the sacrifice of her own life. Thanks to the testimony given to us, may the conviction that we are saved by Christ grow within us: nothing "will be able to separate us from the love of God, in Christ Jesus"!

Blessed Anuarite, our sister, obtain for us from the Lord the grace to be forever united in him!

Amen.

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