ANGELUS POPE FRANCIS 31 JANUARY 2016
ANGELUS POPE
FRANCIS
Saint Peter's Square Sunday, 31 January 2016
Dear
Brothers and Sisters, Good morning!
Today’s Gospel account once
again, like last Sunday, brings us to the synagogue of Nazareth, the village in
Galilee where Jesus was brought up in a family and was known by everyone. He,
who left not long before to begin his public life, now returns and for the
first time presents himself to the community, gathered in the synagogue on the
Sabbath. He reads the passage of the Prophet Isaiah, who speaks of the future
Messiah, and he declares at the end: “Today this scripture has been fulfilled
in your hearing” (Lk 4:21). Jesus’ compatriots, who were at first astonished
and admired him, now begin to look sideways, to murmur among themselves and
ask: why does he, who claims to be the Lord’s Consecrated, not repeat here in
his homeland the wonders they say he worked in Capernaum and in nearby
villages? Thus Jesus affirms: “no prophet is acceptable in his own country”,
and he refers to the great prophets of the past, Elijah and Elisha, who had
worked miracles in favour of the pagans in order to denounce the incredulity of
their people. At this point those present are offended, rise up, indignant, and
cast Jesus out and want to throw him down from the precipice. But he, with the
strength of his peace, “passed through the midst of them and went away” (cf. v.
30). His time has not yet come.
This passage of Luke the
Evangelist is not simply the account of an argument between compatriots, as
sometimes happens even in our neighbourhoods, arising from envy and jealousy,
but it highlights a temptation to which a religious man is always exposed — all
of us are exposed — and from which it is important to keep his distance. What
is this temptation? It is the temptation to consider religion as a human
investment and, consequently, “negotiate” with God, seeking one’s own interest.
Instead, true religion entails accepting the revelation of a God who is Father
and who cares for each of his creatures, even the smallest and most
insignificant in the eyes of man. Jesus’ prophetic ministry consists precisely
in this: in declaring that no human condition can constitute a reason for
exclusion — no human condition can constitute a reason for exclusion! — from
the Father’s heart, and that the only privilege in the eyes of God is that of
not having privileges, of not having godparents, of being abandoned in his
hands.
“Today this scripture has been
fulfilled in your hearing” (Lk 4:21). The ‘today’, proclaimed by Christ that
day, applies to every age; it echoes for us too in this Square, reminding us of
the relevance and necessity of the salvation Jesus brought to humanity. God
comes to meet the men and women of all times and places, in their real life
situations. He also comes to meet us. It is always he who takes the first step:
he comes to visit us with his mercy, to lift us up from the dust of our sins;
he comes to extend a hand to us in order to enable us to return from the abyss
into which our pride made us fall, and he invites us to receive the comforting
truth of the Gospel and to walk on the paths of good. He always comes to find
us, to look for us.
Let us return to the
synagogue. Surely that day, in the synagogue of Nazareth, Mary, his Mother, was
also there. We can imagine her heart beating, a small foreboding of what she
will suffer under the Cross, seeing Jesus, there in the synagogue, first
admired, then challenged, then insulted, threatened with death. In her heart,
filled with faith, she kept every thing. May she help us to convert from a god
of miracles to the miracle of God, who is Jesus Christ.
After
the Angelus:
Dear brothers and sisters,
today we celebrate World Leprosy Day. This disease, although in regression,
unfortunately continues to afflict especially people who are the poorest and
most marginalized. It is important to keep solidarity alive with these brothers
and sisters, disabled as a result of this disease. Let us assure them of our
prayers and let us assure our support to those who assist them. Good lay
people, good sisters, good priests.
I affectionately greet all of
you, dear pilgrims from various parishes in Italy and other countries, as well
as associations and groups.
Now I greet the young people
of Catholic Action of the Diocese of Rome! Now I understand why there was such
a clamour in the Square! Dear young people, again this year, accompanied by the
Cardinal Vicar and by your leaders, you have come in great numbers at the end
of your “Caravan of Peace”.
This year your witness of
peace, enlivened by faith in Jesus, shall be even more joyful and aware,
because it is enriched by the gesture you have just made by passing through the
Holy Door. I encourage you to be instruments of peace and mercy among your
peers! Now let us listen to the message that your friends, here beside me, will
read to us...
And now the young people in
the Square will let loose the balloons, a sign of peace.
I wish to all a good Sunday
and a good lunch. Please do not forget to pray for me. Arrivederci!
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