His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith:

Journey in the footsteps of Jesus Christ

By Commodore. Shemal FERNANDO

His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith began his journey in the footsteps of Jesus Christ on June 29, 1975, with his ordination to priesthood at the Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican by His Holiness Pope Paul VI.

After 35 years of dedicated service in the vineyard of the Lord he was anointed a Cardinal on November 20, 2010 at the Consistory held at the same Basilica by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI.

His Eminence Cardinal Ranjith is the only Asian among the 24 prelates drawn into to the much prestigious Sacred College of Cardinals which is the highest ecclesiastical body of the Roman Catholic Church. As part of the consistory during which the Holy Father ordained 24 new cardinals, the College of Cardinals met on November 19, 2010 in the Vatican’s New Synod Hall for a day of reflection and prayer.

A function of a Cardinal is to advice the Pope about church matters when he summons them. It also convenes on the death or abdication of a Pope as a ‘Papal Conclave’ to elect a successor.

The Roman Catholic Church is the world’s largest church with nearly one billion adherents. At present, the College of Cardinals consist of 203 members, of whom 121 are under the age of 80 and entitled to elect the Pope. The members of the College, by continent of origin, are divided as follows: 111 from Europe, 31 from South America, 21 from North America, 19 from Asia, 17 from Africa and four from Oceania.

Electors of Popes

Scholars differ on the history of the office of Cardinal, but since 1059 A.D., they have been the electors of Popes. The new “red hats” will join the College of Cardinals, 20 of whom are under 80 years of age will be eligible to vote in future Conclaves to elect new Pontiffs and as such they wield tremendous authority within the church. I have had the rare blessing and privilege to grace all the events of his 20 years episcopate from 1991 to 2010 and wish to share the highlights of the breathtaking religious events that took place in the Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican from 20th to 23rd November in the following commentary.

The Ordinary Public Consistory, Cardinal Ranjith gets the ‘Red Hat’ from Pope Benedict XVI On November 20, 2010 in St. Peter’s Basilica, the Holy Father held the Ordinary Public Consistory, the third of his Pontificate for the creation new Cardinals. The Pontiff entered the Basilica with the Cardinals at 10.30. The ceremony followed a new rite established in 1991. After greeting the assembly, the Pope read out the formula for the creation of new Cardinals and solemnly proclaimed the names of the new cardinals.

The first of the new cardinals then made a cordial tribute to the Holy Father on behalf of them all. The Liturgy of the Word and the Pope’s homily followed. Then the imposition of the biretta [quadrangular red hat] on the new Cardinals took place. The Pope whilst placing the biretta pronounced the words of induction: “(This is) red as a sign of the dignity of the office of a cardinal, signifying that you are ready to act with fortitude, even to the point of spilling your blood for the increase of the Christian faith, for peace and harmony among the people of God, for freedom and the spread of the Holy Roman Catholic Church”.

The Holy Father also handed over the Bull of Creation as Cardinal, assigning the Title or Deaconry and exchanged a kiss of peace with the new members of the College of Cardinals. The cardinals also exchange such a sign among themselves.

In his Homily the Holy Father said, “Once again the Lord has granted me the joy of carrying out this solemn act by which the College of Cardinals is enriched with new members chosen from every part of the world. They are Pastors who zealously govern important Diocesan communities and Prelates who head Dicasteries of the Roman Curia or who have served the Church and the Holy See with exemplary faithfulness”.

The special communion and affection that bonds these new Cardinals to the Pope makes them his unique and precious cooperators in the lofty mandate to tend his sheep, which Christ entrusted to Peter (cf. Jn 21:15-17) in order to unite peoples with the solicitude of Christ’s love. From this same love the Church was born, called to live and to journey on in accordance with the Lord’s commandment which sums up the whole of the law and the prophets. Being united with Christ in faith and in communion with him means being “rooted and grounded in love” (Eph 3:17), the fabric that unites all the members of Christ’s Body.

The word of God proclaimed helps us to meditate exactly on this most fundamental aspect. The Gospel passage (Mk 10:32-45) sets before our eyes the icon of Jesus as the Messiah - foretold by Isaiah (cf. Isaiah 53) - who came not to be served but to serve. His lifestyle becomes the basis of new relationships within the Christian community and of a new way of exercising authority. So what is the way that any one who wishes to be a disciple must take? It is the way of the Teacher, it is the way of total obedience to God.

Baptism of death

For this reason Jesus asks James and John: are you prepared to share my decision to carry out the Father’s will to the very end? Are you prepared to take this way that passes through humiliation, suffering and death for love? The two disciples, with their confident answer, “We can”, show that once again they have not understood the real meaning of what the Teacher is outlining for them. And again Jesus patiently helps them take a further step: not even experiencing the cup of suffering and the baptism of death entitles a person to the first place, because the first place is “for those for whom it has been prepared”, it is in the hands of the Heavenly Father. Human beings must not calculate; they must simply abandon themselves to God without making any claims, conforming themselves to his will.

Calling

The indignation of the other disciples became an opportunity to extend the teaching to the entire community. Jesus first “called them to him”: this was the act of the original vocation to which he invited them to return. His reference to the constitutive moment of the calling of the Twelve, to “being with Jesus” in order to be sent out is very significant, because it clearly recalls that every ministry in the Church is always a response to a call of God, never the result of one’s own project or personal ambition but, rather, means conforming one’s will to the will of the Father who is in Heaven, as Christ did in Gethsemane (cf. Lk 22:42). No one is master in the Church but all are called, all are sent out, all are reached and guided by divine grace. And this is also our security! Only by listening anew to the word of Jesus who asks, “Come, follow me”, only by returning to our original vocation, is it possible to understand our own presence and mission in the Church as authentic disciples.

Jesus points out to the disciples a completely different conduct. “But it shall not be so among you”. His community follows another rule, logic and another model: “Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all”. It is a message that applies for the Apostles, for the whole Church, and especially for those who have leadership roles in the People of God. It is not the logic of domination, of power according to human criteria but rather the logic of bending down to wash feet, the logic of service, the logic of the Cross that is the root of all exercise of authority. The Church in every period is committed to conforming to this logic and to testifying to it to make the true “Lordship of God” shine out, that of love.

Addressing the new Cardinals, “The mission to which God calls you today and which qualifies you for an even more responsible ecclesial service, requires an ever greater willingness to adopt the style of the Son of God who came among us as one who serves (cf. Lk 22:25-27).

It is a question of following him in his humble and total gift of himself to the Church, his Bride, on the Cross. It is on this wood that the grain of wheat - which the Father let fall into the earth of the world - dies, in order to become a ripe fruit. This is why it is necessary to be even more deeply and firmly rooted in Christ. The intimate relationship with him that transforms life increasingly in such a way that it is possible to say with St Paul, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Gal 2:20), constitutes the primary requirement if our service is to be serene and joyful and to bear the fruit that the Lord expects of us.

He concluded, “May his Spirit support the new Cardinals in their commitment of service to the Church, following Christ on the Cross and also, if necessary, ever ready to respond to whoever may ask us to account for the hope that is in us, as St. Peter said in the Reading (cf. 1 Pt 3:15). I entrust the new Cardinals and their ecclesial service to Mary, Mother of the Church, so that they may proclaim to all the peoples, with apostolic zeal, the merciful love of God. Amen”.

And the rite concluded with the Prayer of the Faithful, the recitation of the Lord’s Prayer and the final blessing. Concelebrated Mass with New Cardinals, Cardinal Ranjith receives his ring from the Holy Father on Sunday, November 21, 2010 on the feast day of Solemnity of Christ the King, the Holy Father presided at a Concelebrated Mass along with the new cardinals, during which they received the special ring from him to symbolise their bond with the successor of Peter, “The sign of dignity, pastoral care and the most solid communion with the See of Peter.” As he placed rings on the new cardinal’s fingers, the Pope said: “Take this ring from the hand of Peter and know that, with the love of the Prince of the Apostles, your love for the Church is strengthened.” The Pope delivered an inspiring homily. “The primary service of the Successor of Peter is to faith - which, however, is not a vague sentiment or just any kind of faith. In fact, like Mary and like the Good Thief, the Pope and the Cardinals too must recognize this unique kingship of the Crucified Jesus. And, like them, they must stand by the Cross of the One who was raised upon it to save the world rather than ask him to come down from the scaffold, failing to recognize his divinity, disfigured by being stripped of its visible glory. “They mock him, but this is also a way of excusing themselves from blame”, Benedict XVI explained with subtle finesse.

Universal drama

“The drama that takes place under the cross of Christ is a universal drama”, he said. “It involves all mankind before God, Who reveals himself for what He is: Love. In the crucified Christ divinity is disfigured and stripped off all its visible glory, yet it is present and real. Only faith can recognise it; the faith of Mary who, though she could not yet see everything, still continued to confide in God, repeating once again with the same abandonment: ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord’”.

Hence the Pope’s ministry and that of Cardinals is a difficult one, “because it is not in line with the human way of thinking”, the Bishop of Rome emphasised. He returned to speaking - for the second time in 24 hours - of the need to think and act in accordance with the “logic of the Cross”, which is never easy or predictable and must never look at ideologies or fuss over insignificant details: “In this we must be united and we are, because it is not an idea or a strategy that unites us but love of Christ and his Holy Spirit”, expressed in the spousal sign of the ring.

Attentive as always to symbols, Benedict XVI linked the image of the Crucifixion engraved on the cardinalitial ring to the blood red of the purple robe. In fact, both converge in implying the need to stay with Mary beside Jesus, who dies on the Cross and from it rules over the universe: stat crux dum volvitur orbis. With the one aim of proclaiming his kingship: “The primacy of Peter and of his Successors”, he said, articulating his words clearly, “is totally at the service of this primacy of Jesus Christ” so that his love may come and transform the earth.

“This ministry is difficult because it is not aligned with the way mankind thinks, with that natural logic which, nevertheless, also remains active in us. And we must bear witness to and announce this paradoxical regality just as He, the King, did; in other words, by following His path and struggling to adopt His logic, the logic of humility and service, the logic of the seed of grain which dies to bringforth fruit”.

The Holy Father then went on to explain how “the effectiveness of our service to the Church, the Bride of Christ, essentially depends on this, on our faithfulness to the divine regality of crucified Love. For this reason, on the ring I give you today, the seal of your nuptial pact with the Church, is a depiction of the crucifixion. And for the same reason the colour of your robes alludes to blood, symbol of life and love, the Blood of Christ which according to ancient iconography was gathered by Mary from the pierced side of her Son, dead on the cross, and which the Apostle John saw as it flowed out mixed with water, in accordance with prophetic Scripture”.

“The primacy of Peter and his Successors”, Benedict XVI concluded, “remains entirely at the service of this primacy of Jesus Christ, the one Lord; at the service of His Kingdom, His Lordship of love, in order that it may come and spread, renewing mankind and creation, transforming the earth and bringing peace and justice”.

The Pope’s Angelus on Sunday noon at the end of the Eucharistic Concelebration with the new cardinals, the Holy Father appeared at the window of his study to pray the Angelus with faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square. In his remarks the Pope spoke of the day’s Solemnity of Christ the King, noting how it was established by Pope Pius XI in 1925 and later, following Vatican Council II, placed in its current position at the end of the liturgical year.

“The Gospel of St. Luke”, said Pope Benedict, “presents the regality of Jesus at the moment of the crucifixion. The leaders of the people and the soldiers deride ‘the first born of all creations’ and put Him to the test to see if He has the power to save Himself from death. Yet it is precisely on the Cross that Jesus is ‘at the height’ of God, Who is Love. There He can be recognised”.

“In fact, while the Lord seems indistinguishable between two criminals, one of them, aware of his sins, ... turns to the ‘king of the Jews’ saying ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom’. ... The so-called ‘good thief’ immediately receives forgiveness and the joy of entering the Kingdom of heaven. ... Jesus, from His throne of the Cross, welcomes all men with infinite mercy”.

“The path of love, which the Lord reveals to us and invites us to follow, may also be seen in Christian art. Indeed from earliest times, ‘in the arrangement of Christian sacred buildings, ... it became customary to depict the Lord returning as a king - the symbol of hope - ... while the west wall normally portrayed the Last Judgment as a symbol of our responsibility for our lives’: hope in the infinite love of God and commitment to ordering our lives in accordance with the love of God”, the Pope explained.

“When we contemplate the depictions of Jesus inspired by the New Testament”, he concluded, “we are, as the Council of Trent taught, led ‘to understand ... the sublime nature of the humiliation of the Word of God, and ... to remember His life in the flesh, His passion and death, and the redemption of the world which arises therefrom”.

The Pope greets the newly created Cardinals and their families on November 22, 2010 the Holy Father spoke to the new Cardinals, their families and pilgrims who came for the Consistory. The following is a translation of the Pope’s address and greetings, which were given in various languages.

He said, “The feelings and emotions we experience yesterday and the day before, on the occasion of the creation of 24 new Cardinals are still alive in our minds and hearts.

They were moments of fervent prayer and profound communion that we wish to extend today with our hearts filled with gratitude to the Lord who has granted us the joy to live a new page of the history of the Church.

Therefore, I am pleased to welcome you all today to this simple and family meeting and to address a cordial greeting to the new Cardinals, as well as to their relatives, friends and all those who have accompanied them on this solemn and momentous occasion”.

In Italian, he first greeted 10 Italian Cardinals, “Through you the Church in Italy is further enriching the College of Cardinals with pastoral wisdom and Apostolic enthusiasm. I gladly extend my cordial greeting to all those who share with you in the joy of this moment and I urge them to assure the support of their prayer, so that you may faithfully persevere in your respective duties for the benefit of the Gospel and of all Christian people”.

In French, he addressed his cordial greeting to three new French-speaking Cardinals, “I also greet joyfully their loved ones and all the people who have accompanied them during these days of celebration we have just experienced. These celebrations call us to broaden our gaze to the dimensions of the universal Church. I invite you to pray for the new Cardinals so that in communion with the Successor of Peter they may work effectively for the unity and holiness of the entire People of God. And, may you yourselves be ardent witnesses of the Gospel to restore to the world the hope it needs and to contribute to re-establishing peace and brotherhood everywhere”.

Cordial greeting

In English, he extended a cordial greeting to four English-speaking Prelates that included His Eminence Cardinal Ranjith.

The College of Cardinals, whose origin is linked to the ancient clergy of the Roman Church, is charged with electing the Successor of Peter and advising him in matters of greater importance. Whether in the offices of the Roman Curia or their ministry in the local Churches throughout the world, the Cardinals are called to share in a special way in the Pope’s solicitude for the universal Church.

The vivid colour of their robes has traditionally been seen as a sign of their commitment to defending Christ’s flock even to the shedding of their blood. As the new Cardinals accept the burden of this office, I am confident that they will be supported by your constant prayers and your cooperation in their efforts to build up the Body of Christ in unity, holiness and peace.

In German, he addressed a special greeting in particular to the three new German-speaking Cardinals, “ Dear friends, the bright red of the Cardinals’ vestments is a sign, which highlights their duty to protect and defend Christ even to the most extreme consequences, including the gift of their blood. Accompany them in the fulfillment of their duty with your prayers and your work for the Church”.

In Spanish, Portuguese and Polish, he addressed greetings to the rest of four Cardinals. Pope concluded his homily with the words, “Keep your gaze fixed on Christ, drawing on him for every grace and spiritual comfort; on the shining example of the holy Cardinals, intrepid servants of the Church who through in the course of the centuries has given glory to God with heroic practice of virtue and tenacious fidelity to the Gospel. I invoke upon you and upon all those present the maternal protection of the Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, and of the martyr St. Cecilia, whose Memorial we celebrate today.

May the Patroness of music and bell canto accompany you and sustain your commitment to be attentive listeners to the various voices to deepen the unity of hearts.

With these sentiments, I impart with affection to you and to all those present a special Apostolic Blessing”. Special Eucharistic Celebration on November 23, 2010, the feast of St. Clement the first, Pope and Martyr, the newly created Cardinal Ranjith officiated at a special Eucharistic celebration for the Sri Lankan Community.

(The writer is a freelance journalist who has authored many articles on the life and times of His Eminence Cardinal Ranjith).