Pope Benedict’s legacy is teaching us the love of God

The decision by Pope Benedict XVI yesterday to resign as head of the Catholic church caught the world by surprise. Now that it has been possible to reflect on this decision, I notice three things.

First, this is a decision of great courage and is characteristic of Pope Benedict’s clarity of mind and action. The Holy Father recognises the challenges facing the Church and that “strength of mind and body are necessary” for his tasks of governing the Church and proclaiming the Gospel. He has recognised that the papacy is a job that requires his whole self.

He has not chosen to reduce his commitments, or to do less work in order to continue. It is sometimes difficult to realise when nothing but our very best will do. The Pope has put the best interests of the Church first. It takes great integrity and courage to do that.

Second, this has been a short papacy compared with the previous one. Pope Benedict was elected in 2005. The previous pope, Blessed John Paul II, was Pope for 26 years. Yet despite its shortness, this has been a papacy characterised by a strong message. The very first encyclical of this Pope, Deus Caritas Est meaning “God is love”, set the tone for the papacy. God isn’t angry or judgmental but loving.

Throughout his eight years Pope Benedict has written a series of books on Jesus of Nazareth which encourage everyone to discover a personal relationship with Christ and also a more personal relationship with God.

His other encyclicals; Spe Salvi (In hope we are saved) and Caritas in Veritate (Charity in Truth), look at hope that God brings and the good works that our love of God should inspire.

Love, hope and charity are the key messages by which we remember Pope Benedict XVI.

Lastly, and closer to home, we saw these things during the Papal Visit to the UK in 2010. This visit, a key feature of the papacy for Catholics, strengthened relations between the UK and the Holy See. During the visit, the Pope seemed at his happiest greeting the crowds and blessing the children that were brought before him.

Key moments were also when he addressed the young adults of Britain calling for them to be the “saints of the 21st century”, and when he visited the elderly at St Peter’s Care Home in Vauxhall. We saw the love, hope and charity in action.

At St Peter’s Care Home, the Pope spoke about old age: “As the normal span of our lives increases, our physical capacities are often diminished; and yet these times may well be among the most spiritually fruitful years of our lives.

“These years are an opportunity to remember in affectionate prayer all those whom we have cherished in this life, and to place all that we have personally been and done before the mercy and tenderness of God.” Now he will be true to those words.