Being poor in spirit is the fundamental condition for becoming blessed and happy. We are blessed when we know our need for God and do His will every day. We are poor in spirit when we surrender our plans to God and ask for His help. We are poor in spirit when we admit our sins, mourn for them repenting, ask His grace and forgiveness for them, and promise to “sin no more and avoid the near occasions of sin.”

'Jesus is the Light’ which the people in darkness are rejoicing to see, but he will soon say to his followers, ‘You are the light of the world.’ This is his purpose in choosing his followers and this is the mission he entrusts to us today, his modern-day disciples.

No doubt, the Lamb of God is the most meaningful title given to Jesus in the Scriptures. It sums up his love, sacrifice and triumph on the Cross - for our sake. This puts upon us the challenge to be like him – to live and die like Jesus, the Lamb of God. To live like a lamb is to lead pure, innocent, humble and selfless lives. To die like a “sacrificial” lamb is to share our blessings of time, talent and treasures to others in the family, church and community. We cannot do this unless we have an intimate relationship with him. We cannot be a disciple of Jesus at a distance. To be like him is to be drawn close to him – to know him, love him and serve him. Amen.

Our Church now enters a period of mourning, so let us receive this moment as time to unite ourselves in prayer and reflection on a great leader of our Universal Church. Further information will be provided in the coming days about our local diocesan observance of the passing of Benedict XVI.