GENERAL
AUDIENCE POPE FRANCIS
Saint Peter's Square
Wednesday, 7 September 2016
Wednesday, 7 September 2016
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| PHOTO: professionalbiblicalreflection.blogspot.com |
28. Mercy saves (cf Mt 11,2-6)
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Good morning!
We have listened to a passage from the Gospel of
Matthew (11:2-6). The evangelist’s intention is that of making us enter more
deeply into the mystery of Jesus, in order to grasp his goodness and his mercy.
The scene is as follows: while John the Baptist was in prison, he sent his
disciples to Jesus to ask him a very clear question: “Are you he who is to
come, or shall we look for another?” (v. 3). He was precisely in a moment of
darkness ... John was anxiously awaiting the Messiah and used colourful language
to describe him in his preaching as a judge who would finally inaugurate the
Kingdom of God and purify his people, rewarding the good and punishing the bad.
John preached in this way: “Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees;
every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into
the fire” (Mt 3:10). Now that Jesus has begun his public mission in a different
manner, John suffers because he is in a two-fold darkness: the darkness of his
prison cell, and the darkness of heart. He does not understand this manner of
Jesus, and he wants to know if He is really the Messiah, or if he must await
someone else.
And at first Jesus’ answer does not seem to correspond
to John’s question. In fact, Jesus says: “Go and tell John what you hear and
see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and
the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached
to them. And blessed is he who takes no offence at me” (vv. 4-6). Here Jesus’
intent becomes clear: He responds by saying that he is the real instrument of
the Father’s mercy, who goes to encounter everyone, bringing consolation and
salvation, and, in doing so, he manifests God’s justice. The blind, the lame,
the lepers, the deaf, regain their dignity and are no longer excluded because
of their disease, the dead return to life, while the Good News is proclaimed to
the poor. And this becomes the summary of Jesus’ action, who in this way makes
God’s own actions visible and tangible.
The message that the Church receives from this account
of Christ’s life is very clear. God did not send his Son into the world to
punish sinners, nor to destroy the wicked. Rather, they were invited to
convert, so that, seeing the signs of divine goodness, they might rediscover
their way back. As the Psalm says: “If thou, O Lord, shouldst mark iniquities,
/ Lord, who could stand? / But there is forgiveness with thee, / that thou
mayest be feared” (130 [129]:3-4).
The justice that John the Baptist places at the heart
of his preaching is manifested in Jesus firstly as mercy. And the Precursor’s
doubts merely anticipate the astonishment that Jesus’ actions and words will
arouse later. The conclusion of Jesus’ answer, therefore, is understandable. He
says: “blessed is he who takes no offence at me” (v. 6). Offence means
“obstacle”. Thus Jesus warns against a particular danger: if one’s obstacle to
believing is above all Jesus’ works of mercy, it means that one has a false
image of the Messiah. But blessed are those who, in view of Jesus’ works and
words, render glory to the Father who is in heaven.
Jesus’ admonition is always pertinent: today too, man
forms an idea of God that prevents him from enjoying His real presence. Some
people carve out a “do-it-yourself” faith that reduces God to the limited space
of one’s own desires and convictions. This faith is not a conversion to the
Lord who reveals himself, but rather, it prevents him from enlivening our life
and consciousness. Others reduce God to a false idol; they use his holy name to
justify their own interests, or actual hatred and violence. For others still
God is only a psychological refuge in which to be reassured in difficult
moments: it is a faith turned in on itself, impervious to the power of the
merciful love of Jesus which reaches out to others. Others still consider
Christ only as a good instructor of ethical teachings, one among the many of
history. Finally, there are those who stifle the faith in a purely intimate
relationship with Jesus, nullifying his missionary thrust that is capable of
transforming the world and history. We Christians believe in the God of Jesus
Christ, and our desire is that of growing in the living experience of his
mystery of love.
Let us therefore commit ourselves not to allow any
obstacle to hinder the Father’s merciful action, and let us ask for the gift of
a great faith so that we too may become signs and instruments of mercy.
Special greetings:
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors
taking part in today’s Audience, particularly those from England, Scotland,
Malta, Sweden, Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines,
Singapore, Sri Lanka, Canada and the United States of America. Entrusting you
to the merciful love of God our Father, I pray that you may be filled with
peace and joy, and become missionaries of Jesus’ mercy to all in your homes and
in your communities. May God bless you!
I extend a particular greeting to young people,
to the sick and to newlyweds. On Sunday we
celebrated the canonization of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Dear young
people, become artisans of mercy, as she was; dear sick people,
feel her compassion and closeness to you, especially in the hour of the cross;
and you, dear newlyweds, be generous: invoke her so that your
families are never lacking care and attention for those who are weakest.
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