LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL

REGINA CAELI 10 MAY 2015

Unknown Thursday, May 21, 2015

REGINA CÆLI POPE FRANCIS

Saint Peter's Square
Sixth Sunday of Easter, 10 May 2015

Dear Brothers and Sisters, Good morning!

Today’s Gospel — John Chapter 15 — brings us back to the Last Supper, when we hear Jesus’ new commandment. He says: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (v. 12). Thinking of his imminent sacrifice on the cross, He adds: “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends, if you do what I command you” (v. 13-14). These words, said at the Last Supper, summarize Jesus’ full message. Actually they summarize all that He did: Jesus gave His life for His friends. Friends who did not understand Him, in fact they abandoned, betrayed and denied Him at the crucial moment. This tells us that He loves us, even though we don’t deserve His love. Jesus loves us in this way!

Thus Jesus shows us the path to follow Him: the path of love. His commandment is not a simple teaching which is always abstract or foreign to life. Christ’s commandment is new because He realized it first, He gave His flesh and thus the law of love is written upon the heart of man (cf. Jer 31:33). And how is it written? It is written with the fire of the Holy Spirit. With this Spirit that Jesus gives us, we too can take this path!

It is a real path, a path that leads us to come out of ourselves and go towards others. Jesus showed us that the love of Godis realized in love for our neighbour. Both go hand-in-hand. The pages of the Gospel are full of this love: adults and children, educated and uneducated, rich and poor, just and sinners all were welcomed into the heart of Christ.

Therefore, this Word of God calls us to love one another, even if we do not always understand each other, and do not always get along... it is then that Christian love is seen. A love which manifests even if there are differences of opinion or character. Love is greater than these differences! This is the love that Jesus taught us. It is a new love because Jesus and his Spirit renewed it. It is a redeeming love, free from selfishness. A love which gives our hearts joy, as Jesus himself said: “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full” (Jn 15:11).

It is precisely Christ’s love that the Holy Spirit pours into our hearts to make everyday wonders in the Church and in the world. There are many small and great actions which obey the Lord’s commandment: “Love one another as I have loved you” (cf. Jn 15:12). Small everyday actions, actions of closeness to an elderly person, to a child, to a sick person, to a lonely person, those in difficulty, without a home, without work, an immigrant, a refugee.... Thanks to the strength of the Word of Christ, each one of us can make ourselves the brother or sister of those whom we encounter. Actions of closeness, actions which manifest the love that Christ taught us.

May our Most Holy Mother help us in this, so that in each of our daily lives love of God and love of neighbour may be ever united.

After the Regina Caeli:

Dear brothers and sisters, I greet all of you, families, parish groups, associations and pilgrims from Italy and many parts of the world, especially Madrid, Puerto Rico and Croatia.

Today Mother’s Day is celebrated in many countries. Let us recall with gratitude and affection all of our moms. Now I will address the moms that are here in the square: are there any? Yes? Are there any mothers? A round of applause for them, for the mothers in the square ... May this applause embrace all mothers, all of our dear mothers, those who live with us and those who are with us in spirit. May the Lord bless them all, and may Our Lady, to whom this month is dedicated, protect them.

I wish everyone a happy Sunday — it’s a bit warm.... And please, do not forget to pray for me. Have a good lunch andarrivederci!

ANGELUS

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GENERAL AUDIENCE 13 MAY 2015

Unknown Thursday, May 21, 2015

GENERAL AUDIENCE POPE FRANCIS

Saint Peter's Square

Wednesday, 13 May 2015

The family - 14. The three expressions

Dear Brothers and Sisters, Good morning!

Today’s catechesis will serve as a doorway to a series of reflections on family life and what it’s really like to live in a family, day in and day out. Imagine three expressions written above the doorway; expressions I’ve already mentioned here in St Peter’s Square several times before. The expressions are: “may I?”, “thank you”, and “pardon me”. Indeed, these expressions open up the way to living well in your family, to living in peace. They are simple expressions, but not so simple to put into practice! They hold much power: the power to keep home life intact even when tested with a thousand problems. But if they are absent, little holes can start to crack open and the whole thing may even collapse.

We usually include these expressions under the general category of being “well-mannered”. Okay, a well-mannered person asks permission, says thanks, and asks forgiveness after making a mistake. Very well. But good manners really are that important. A great Bishop, Francis de Sales, used to say that “good manners are are already half the way to holiness”. But be careful: history has shown that good manners also can become a kind of formalism that masks a dryness of soul and indifference toward the other person. It is often said, “behind a lot of good manners lurk a lot of bad habits”. Not even religion is immune from the risk of having formal observance sink into spiritual worldliness. The Devil, tempting Jesus, boasts of good manners. Indeed, he presents himself as a gentleman, a knight in shining armor. He even presents himself as a theologian by quoting Holy Scripture. He appears to have everything right and neat on the outside, but his intent is always to lead others astray from the truth of God’s love. We, however, mean “good manners” only in the most authentic way, according to which the habit of cultivating good relations is firmly rooted in a love for the good and a respect for the other person. The family lives according to this refined sense of loving.

Let’s look at these expressions: the first expression is, “may I?” When we take care to ask for something kindly — even something we think we have a rightful claim to — we help to strengthen the common life that undergirds marriage and the family. Entering into the life of another, even when that person already has a part to play in our life, demands the sensitivity of a non-invasive attitude which renews trust and respect. Indeed, the deeper and more intimate love is, the more it calls for respect for the other’s freedom and the ability to wait until the other open’s the door to his or her heart. At this point, we can remember the words of Jesus in the Book of Revelation: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me” (3:20). Even the Lord asks permission to enter! Let us not forget that. Before doing anything in your family, ask: “Do you mind if I do this? Would you like me to do this?” This way of asking is well-mannered indeed, but it is also full of love. This does so much good for families.

The second expression is “thank you”. Sometimes we have to wonder if we are turning into a civilization of bad manners and bad words, as if this were a sign of self-liberation. It’s not uncommon to hear these bad words publicly. Kindness and the ability to say “thank you” are often considered a sign of weakness and raise the suspicion of others. This tendency is encountered even within the nucleus of the family. We must become firmly determined to educate others to be grateful and appreciative: the dignity of the person and social justice must both pass through the portal of the family. If family life neglects this style of living, social life will also reject it. Gratitude, however, stands at the very core of the faith of the believer. A Christian who does not know how to thank has lost the very “language” of God. This is terrible! Let’s not forget Jesus’ question after he heals the ten lepers and only one of them returns to thank him (Luke 17:18). I remember once listening to a very wise, old person; very simple, but with that uncommon wisdom of life and piety: “Gratitude is a plant that grows only in the soil of noble souls”. That nobility of soul, that grace of God in the soul compels us to say “thank you” with gratitude. It is the flower of a noble soul. This really is something beautiful.

The third expression is “pardon me”. Granted, it’s not always easy to say, but it is so necessary. Whenever it is lacking, the little cracks begin to open up — even when we don’t want them to — and they can even become enormous sinkholes. It’s hardly insignificant that in the “Our Father” that Jesus teaches us — a prayer that sums up all of life’s essential questions — we find this expression: “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us” (Matt 6:16). To acknowledge that we have fallen short, to be desirous of returning that which has been taken away — respect, sincerity, love — these make us worthy of pardon. This is how we heal the infection. If we are not able to forgive ourselves, then we are no longer able to forgive period. A house in which the words “I’m sorry” are never uttered begins to lack air, and the flood waters begin to choke those who live inside. So many wounds, so many scrapes and bruises are the result of a lack of these precious words: “I am sorry”. Marital life is so often torn apart by fights … the “plates will even start flying”, but let me give you a word of advice: never finish the day without making peace with one another. Listen to me carefully: did you fight with your wife or husband? Kids — did you fight with your parents? Did you seriously argue? That’s not a good thing, but it’s not really that which is the problem: the problem arises only if this feeling hangs over into the next day. So if you’ve fought, do not let the day end without making peace with your family. And how am I going to make peace? By getting down on my knees? No! Just by a small gesture, a little something, and harmony within your family will be restored. Just a little caress, no words necessary. But don’t let the sun go down on your family without having made your peace. Do you understand me? It’s not easy, but you have to do it. It will help to make life so much more beautiful.

So these three key expressions for family life are really simple words; so simple that perhaps they even bring a smile to our face. But when we forget them, it’s no laughing matter, right? Perhaps we overlook our good manners too often. May the Lord help us to put them back where they belong: in our hearts, in our homes, and in our civic life. These are the words that truly enter into the love of a family.

Special greetings:

I offer an affectionate greeting to all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present at today’s Audience, including those from England, Sweden, Taiwan, Cameroon and the United States. May Jesus Christ strengthen you and your families in faith, so that you may be a sign to the world of his love and mercy. May God bless you all!

I address a special thought to young people, to the sick and to newlyweds. Today is the liturgical memory of the Blessed Virgin of Fatima. Dear young people, learn to cultivate a devotion to the Mother of God with the daily recitation of the Rosary; dear sick people, feel Mary present at the hour of the Cross and you, dear newlyweds, pray to her that love and mutual respect never be lacking in your home.

GENERAL AUDIENCE

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AKU PINGIN HIDUP BAHAGIA SEPERTI MEREKA (8)

Unknown Wednesday, May 20, 2015

FOTO, sologiardino.it

Suatu sore, bosku memanggilku ke kantornya. Dia tanya jika saya siap untuk menerima tawaran kerja. Bekerja sebagai tukang kebun. Hatiku melonjak-lonjak kala mendengar penjelasannya. Aku berkhayal, aku dulu ingin jadi tukang kebun. Lebih-lebih ketika mendengar tukang kebun itu membagikan pengalamannya. Dan, rupanya khayalan ini jadi nyata. Aku ditawari bekerja di rumah itu. Rumahku selama tiga bulan. Rumah tempat teman-temanku hidup teratur dan bahagia.

Aku pun pamit sama teman-temanku. Aku pergi ke rumah ini dan bekerja di sana. Dari hari ke hari, aku menikmati pekerjaanku. Awalnya sulit sekali. Banyak perintah untuk buat ini dan itu. Belum lagi mengoperasikan banyak mesin yang sama sekali aku tidak tahu. Tapi, hidup memang mesti dijalani. Dalam perjalanannya aku mesti belajar. Dan, aku belajar mengoperasikan mesin-mesin itu. Ganti mesin ganti cara operasinya. Dan, aku harus belajar semuanya. Dari kerja ini, tiap akhir bulan, aku menerima gaji. Aku tidak melihat uangnya. Uangnya langsung dikirim ke nomor rekeningku. Aku bisa mengeceknya kapan saja. Dan, setelah uangnya cukup, aku ingin sekali kembali ke negeriku. Namun, aku pikiri tidak ada gunanya. Lebih baik aku bekerja di sini saja. Bahagia. Kalau aku kembali, aku membuang pekerjaan ini. Dan, ini merugikan aku sendiri.

Hidup memang adalah perubahan. Aku yang imigran ini kini menjadi pekerja tetap di Eropa ini. Negeri ini cocok bagiku untuk menikmati hidup bahagia. Impianku dulu, kini jadi nyata. Aku mau mengisi hidup ini dengan kebahagiaan. Aku tak mau jadi pembunuh lagi. Aku tak mau tergoda nafsu membunuh lagi. Aku mau bantu sesama sekarang. Banyak temanku yang datang ke Eropa hanya menganggur saja. Sebagiannya tidak bisa bekerja. Mereka tidak seperti aku yang punya pekerjaan ini. Aku kini berusaha untuk mencari tempat bagi mereka. Semoga aku dapat. Semoga seperti aku, mereka kelak bekerja dan bisa menikmati hidup bahagia. (habis)

PRM, 12/5/15

Gordi

*Didedikasikan untuk imigran dari negara-negara Afrika yang mencari kehidupan yang lebih baik, di Benua Eropa.

Dari postingan di kompasiana, AKU PINGIN HIDUP BAHAGIA SEPERTI MEREKA (2)

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REGINA CAELI 10 MAY 2015

GENERAL AUDIENCE 13 MAY 2015

AKU PINGIN HIDUP BAHAGIA SEPERTI MEREKA (8)