THE APOSTLE TO GERMANY GAVE US A GERMAN POPE

Memorial of St. Boniface, Bishop and Martyr
Jn 10:11-16

Joseph Ratzinger is Pope Benedict XVI. He is a native of Germany. Perhaps, he would not be pope without the saint whose blessed memory we celebrate today. St. Boniface is the Apostle to Germany. English by birth, Boniface was a Benedictine monk who set out for Germany to evangelize its inhabitants. He was later on consecrated as the first bishop of Germany and organized the church structure there. He is said to be a powerful teacher, outstanding preacher, and zealous missionary. While preaching to the Frisians, Boniface was martyred in the year 754.

The Gospel prescribed by the liturgy for the Mass in honor of St. Boniface presents Jesus as our Good Shepherd. Every bishop is a shepherd. His crosier or pastoral staff reminds both the bishop and the people entrusted to his care of his office as shepherd of the flock. Jesus delineates how every bishop should conduct himself in the pattern of His own Self as the Good Shepherd.

As we honor St. Boniface today, let us whisper a special prayer for Pope Benedict XVI who, in a sense, numbers among the fruits of his missionary zeal. Like Boniface, may Pope Benedict XVI be a pastor according to the heart of the Good Shepherd. Incidentally, while Boniface was a Benedictine, our present Holy Father from Germany chose to be known as Benedict, a saint who gave us the rule Ora et Labora (“Prayer and Work”). Together with Benedict XVI, our Shepherd, Christ’s Vicar on earth, may we pray and work as missionaries of the values of God’s Kingdom in a world threatened, as he himself said on his inauguration, by relativism.