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The resurrection, symbolizing the hope of eternal life, can emerge as a message to all of humanity as a result of the conclave, said Cardinal Péter Erdő, Primate of Hungary and Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, in a video message on Tuesday.
Péter Erdő was interviewed by the staff of the Archdiocese of Esztergom-Budapest one day before the conclave, prior to the cardinal moving into St. Martha’s House.
The cardinal, who is participating in a conclave for the third time, said that this time, during the discussions preceding the conclave, he felt most strongly that many people, including many of the cardinals, want the Holy Spirit to work through them.
Perhaps we will feel the Holy Spirit at work in the Sistine Chapel,”
he said.
He recalled that in one of his writings, Pope John Paul II described a fictional papal election as a battle between evil spirits and the Holy Spirit, in which the latter would prevail.
It is important that people allow the Holy Spirit to guide them and not listen to other spirits,”
he said, emphasizing that if this happens, it could be a very beautiful papal election that would send a message of hope to the world. According to the cardinal, the Church is currently “proclaiming hope to a world without hope.” In his view, the world is hopeless because it is pagan.
Those who believe that there is nothing more than earthly life will pursue earthly things with heightened intensity and adopt a more combative and selfish attitude toward other people. Those who hope, however, in the Christian sense of the word, know that Jesus’ resurrection is not unique, but “calls people to resurrection and eternal life.”
Cardinal Erdő expressed his hope that the conclave would produce a message that would speak not only to the Church but to all of humanity and clearly represent the hope of Christ.
Because “it is not enough that we try to encourage people to provide humanitarian aid with worldly arguments,” but “in the light of ultimate hope (…) our lives can become generous,” added the cardinal.
As of Thursday midday, black smoke once again rose from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, signaling that the second round of voting in the conclave had ended without a decision.
Via MTI; Featured photo: MTI/Lakatos Péter