Be Surprised by the Gospel
In his very first homily as Pope, Benedict XVI shared a truth that resonates deeply with us even today: “Only when we meet the living God in Christ do we know what life is. There is nothing more beautiful than to be surprised by the Gospel, by the encounter with Christ. There is nothing more beautiful than to know Him and to speak to others of our friendship with Him.”
This is the heart of our faith. Like the song Zimangele proclaims with joy, there is nothing more wonderful than to meet Jesus. The Gospel is not just words; it is an invitation to friendship. It begins when one heart speaks to another about the love they have found in Christ.
Pope Benedict understood the reality of our world—a society growing distant from God, faith fading in many hearts. Yet, he also knew that God has not abandoned us. Jesus still calls. He still knocks at the door of every human heart.
The mission of the Church is Christ’s own mission: to seek and to save the lost. This mission is not only for popes, priests, or bishops. It belongs to every one of us who has been baptized. Each of us, wherever we are, is called to share the joy of knowing Jesus, just as the Umlazi Gospel Choir sings with vibrant faith: Zimangele—be amazed, be surprised by His love.
To be surprised by the Gospel is to rediscover why we are here and where we are going. It is to see that life itself has meaning only in Him. When the love of Christ fills our hearts, heaven is no longer distant—it is open before us. Every small act of kindness, every prayer, every moment of faith becomes like a step on the ladder leading us to eternity.
Pope Benedict XVI will surely be remembered as a great teacher and theologian, a brilliant mind of the Church. Yet his greatest legacy is not in books or words, but in the countless souls who discovered friendship with Jesus because he gently reminded us: be surprised by the Gospel.
And that is exactly what Zimangele invites us to do—to marvel at God’s love, to be amazed by His grace, and to carry that joy into the world. For there is nothing more beautiful, nothing more life-giving, than walking with Christ and sharing His friendship with others.
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