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Saturday, September 17, 2016
EXTRAORDINARY JUBILEE OF MERCY
JUBILEE AUDIENCE POPE FRANCIS
Saint Peter's Square
Saturday, 10 September 2016

PHOTO: www.tourinrome.com 

Mercy and Redemption

Dear Brothers and Sisters, Good morning!
The passage that we have heard speaks of God’s mercy which is implemented in the Redemption, that is, in the salvation which we were given with the Blood of his Son Jesus (cf. 1 Pet 1:18-21). The word “redemption” is not often used, yet it is fundamental because it indicates the most radical liberation that God could fulfil for us, for all of humanity and for all of creation.
It seems that man today no longer likes to think he has been freed and saved through God’s intervention; he deludes himself that his freedom is a force for obtaining everything. But in reality this is not the case. How many illusions are sold on the pretext of freedom, and how many new forms of slavery are created in our times in the name of a false freedom! Many, many slaves. ‘I do this because I want to, I take drugs because I like to, I am free. I do elsewise’. They are slaves! They become slaves in the name of freedom. We have all seen people like this who end up on the ground. We need God to free us from every form of indifference, selfishness and self-sufficiency”.

The words of the Apostle Peter clearly express the meaning of the new life to which we are called. By making Himself one of us, the Lord Jesus not only takes on the human condition, but also raises us up to the possibility of being Children of God. By His death and resurrection, Jesus Christ, the blameless Lamb, conquered death and sin to free us from their dominion. He is the Lamb that was sacrificed for us, so that we can receive a new life made up of forgiveness, love and joy. These three words are beautiful: forgiveness, love and joy. All that He assumed was also redeemed, freed and saved. Certainly, it is true that life puts us to the test, and at times we suffer for this. However, in these moments we are invited to turn our gaze to the crucified Jesus who suffers for us and with us, as sure proof that God does not abandon us. Let us never forget that in anguish and persecution, as in everyday sufferings, we are always freed by the merciful hand of God who raises us up to Him and leads us to a new life.

God’s love is boundless: we can discover ever new signs that show his attention towards us and, above all, his wish to reach us and to await us. All our life, although marked by the fragility of sin, is placed under the gaze of God who loves us. How many pages of Sacred Scripture speak to us of God’s presence, closeness and tenderness for every man, especially for the smallest, the poor and the troubled! God has great tenderness, great love for the small ones, for the weak, for those rejected by society. The greater our need, the more his gaze upon us is filled with mercy. He feels compassion and pity towards us because He knows our weaknesses. He knows our sins and He forgives us. He always forgives us! He is so good, our Father is so good.

Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, let us open up to the Lord, and receive his grace! Because, as the Psalm says, “For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with Him is plentious redemption” (130[129]:7).

Special greetings:
I warmly greet the Italian-speaking pilgrims!
My thought goes first of all to the National Civil Protection Service which was supposed to be present today, and which cancelled its participation in order to continue the precious work of care and assistance to the populations struck by the earthquake on 24 August. I thank them for their dedication and the generous help offered in these days! Thank you brothers and sisters!
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, particularly those from Botswana, South Africa, the Philippines and the United States of America. During your visit to the Eternal City, may your faith in the crucified and risen Christ be renewed and strengthened. May God fill you with his reconciling and tender mercy. God bless you all!

I address a special greeting to the young people of Catholic Action who are gathered for the Youth Festival. I encourage you to continue on the path undertaken, always cultivating the values of love for family and respect for creation, our common home.

I greet those taking part in the Jubilee of Universities and Research Centres, with the hope that the teaching may be rich in values, so as to form people who are able to make their God-given talents bear fruit.

© Copyright - Libreria Editrice Vaticana


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Thursday, September 15, 2016
GENERAL AUDIENCE POPE FRANCIS
Saint Peter's Square
Wednesday, 7 September 2016

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.

© Copyright - Libreria Editrice Vaticana


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Monday, September 12, 2016
ANGELUS POPE FRANCIS
Saint Peter's Square
Sunday, 4 September 2016

PHOTO: slideshare.net

 Dear Brothers and Sisters,

As we prepare to conclude this celebration, I wish to greet and to thank all of you who have participated.

First of all the Missionaries of Charity, who are Mother Teresa’s spiritual family. May your holy Foundress always watch over your path and help you to always be faithful to God, to the Church and to the poor.

With grateful respect I greet the authorities present, in particular those from countries most linked to the figure of the new Saint, as well as the official Delegations and the numerous pilgrims who have come from these countries for this happy occasion. May God bless your nations.

I affectionately greet all of you, dear volunteers and people who carry out works of mercy. I entrust you to the protection of Mother Teresa: may she teach you to contemplate and adore Jesus Crucified every day in order to recognize him and serve him in our brothers in need. We ask this grace also for all those who are united with us by means of the media, in all parts of the world.

At this time I would like to draw attention to those people who place themselves at the service of others in difficult and dangerous environments. I am thinking especially of the many women religious who give their lives without holding back. Let us pray especially for the Spanish missionary nun, Sr Isabel, who was killed two days ago in the capital of Haiti, a country so tried, for which I hope for an end to such violent acts and that there will be greater security for all. Let us also remember other Sisters who recently have suffered violence in other countries.

Let us do so by turning in prayer to the Virgin Mary, Mother and Queen of all the saints.

© Copyright - Libreria Editrice Vaticana


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