Following the established tradition for the celebration of the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, the Holy Father, Pope Francis, who is the Bishop of Rome, celebrated Mass today in the Cathedral of Rome, the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran.
Dear brothers and sisters,
In the gospel that we have just heard, there is one of Jesus' expressions that always captivates me: You give them something to eat (Lk 9:13). Inspired by this phrase, I am guided in this meditation by three words: discipleship, fellowship and sharing.
1. First of all, who are those who must be fed? The response can be found at the beginning of the gospel passage: the crowd, the multitude. Jesus is in the midst of the people, he welcomes them, he speaks to them, he cares for them, he shows them the mercy of God; from their midst, he chooses the Twelve Apostles and invites them to follow him, to immerse themselves as He does in the concrete situations of the world. And the people follow him, listen to him, because Jesus speaks and acts in a new way, with the authority of someone who is authentic and concrete, who speaks and acts with conviction, who gives the hope that comes from God, who is the revelation of the Face of God who is love. And the people joyfully bless the Lord.
This evening, we are the crowd spoken of in the Gospel, we too want to follow Jesus, to listen to him, to enter into communion with Him in the Eucharist, to accompany him. Why do we do this? Let us ask ourselves: how do I follow Jesus? Jesus speaks in silence, in the Mystery of the Eucharist and every time he does, he reminds us that to follow him means that we must come out of ourselves and make of our lives not our own procession, but a gift offered to Him and to others.
2. Let's take another step forward: where does the invitation that Jesus gives to the disciples come from - his invitation to feed the multitude? It is based on two elements: first, it is motivated by the crowd who, following Jesus, finds itself in a deserted place, far way from inhabited spaces, and it is evening; and it is based on the preoccupation of the disciples who ask Jesus to send the crowd away so that they might go into the surrounding countryside to find food and lodging (cf Lk 9:12). Faced with the needs of the croud, this is the solution proposed by the disciples: each person should take care of his or her own need; send the crowd away! Everyone for himself; send the crowd away! How often we Christians are tempted in this way! Don't be bothered with the needs of others, send them away with a pious phrase: May God help you!, or with a not so pious word: Good luck, and we hope we don't see them any more. But the solution proposed by Jesus goes in a different direction, a direction that surprises the disciples: You give them something to eat. But how is it possible that we can feed a crowd? We only have five loaves of bread and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people (Lk 9:13). But Jesus is not discouraged: he asks the disciples to seat the people in communities of fifty people, raises his eyes to heaven, says the blessing, breaks the bread and gives it to the disciples so that they can distribute it (cf Lk 9:16). This is a moment of profound communion: the crowd whose thirst is quenched by the Word of God, and whose hunger is fed on his bread of life. And they were all satisfied, writes the Evangelist (cf Lk 9:17).
This evening, we are gathered around the table of the Lord, around the table of the Eucharistic sacrifice, in which he gives us once again his Body, making present the sacrifice of the Cross. It is by listening to his Word, by feeding on his Body and his Blood, that He gathers us, a multitude, and makes of us a community - from anonymity to community. The Eucharist is the Sacrament of community, which draws us out of our individualism to live together as his followers, to discover and strengthen our faith in Him. Therefore, we must all ask ourselves before the Lord: how do I live the Eucharist? Do I live it anonymously or as a moment of true communion with the Lord, and also with all my brothers and sisters who share the same table? What are our Eucharistic celebrations like?
3. One last element: where does the multiplication of the loaves come from? The answer lies in Jesus' invitation to the disciples: You give ..., give, share. What do the disciples share? The little that they have: five loaves of bread and two fish. But these are the very loaves of bread and fish which in the hands of the Lord feed the entire crowd. And it is the disciples, bewildered by the inability of their means, by their poverty, who learn to put themselves at the service of others, to accomodate the crowd and to distribute - trusting the word of Jesus - the bread and fish which satisfies the crowd. This means that in the Church, but also in society, one key word which we shouldn't fear is solidarity, knowing how to make available to God that which we have, our humble abilities, because only in the sharing, in the gift, will our lives be fruitful, bearing fruit. Solidarity: a word that is frowned upon by the spirit of the world!
This evening, once again, the Lord distributes for us the bread which is his Body, He presents a gift. And we experience the solidarity of God with man, a solidarity that can never be exhausted, a solidarity that never ceases to amaze us: God draws close to us, in the sacrifice of the Cross he comes down to us and enters into the darkness of death in order to give us his life, that triumphs over evil, egotism and death. Tonight, Jesus gives us himself in the Eucharist, sharing in our pilgrimage; he provides food, real food that sustains our life even in moments when the road may be difficult, when obstacles slow our progress. In the Eucharist, the Lord makes us follow his path, the path of service, of sharing, of giving, even the little that we have, the little that we are - if it is shared, it becomes wealth, because the power of God which is the power of love, enters into our poverty and transforms it.
Let us ask ourselves this eveing, adoring the Lord, truly present in the Eucharist: Do I allow myself to be transformed by Him? Do I allow Him to give Himself to me, to guide me and invite me to always move outside of myself, to go out and not to be afraid of giving, to share, to love Him and to love others?
Brothers and sisters: discipleship, communion, sharing. Let us pray that our participation in the Eucharist may always prompt us: to follow the Lord every day, to be instruments of communion, to share with Him and with our neighbour that which we are. Then our lives will truly be fruitful. Amen.
At the conclusion of the Mass, a procession took place, led by the Blessed Sacrament, then the Pope, then Cardinals, Bishops, priests and parishioners from various parishes of Rome and members of various confraternities. This procession was so long that it reached its destination in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major before the last participants had even left the Lateran Archbasilica!
While the procession continued to assemble at the Lateran Archbasilica, the Holy Father spent the time in silent prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, while the crowds chanted and sang various songs and hymns. The Holy Father concluded the gathering with Benediction.
Homily of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
for the Solemnity of Corpus Christi
Basilica of Saint John Lateran
Dear brothers and sisters,
In the gospel that we have just heard, there is one of Jesus' expressions that always captivates me: You give them something to eat (Lk 9:13). Inspired by this phrase, I am guided in this meditation by three words: discipleship, fellowship and sharing.
1. First of all, who are those who must be fed? The response can be found at the beginning of the gospel passage: the crowd, the multitude. Jesus is in the midst of the people, he welcomes them, he speaks to them, he cares for them, he shows them the mercy of God; from their midst, he chooses the Twelve Apostles and invites them to follow him, to immerse themselves as He does in the concrete situations of the world. And the people follow him, listen to him, because Jesus speaks and acts in a new way, with the authority of someone who is authentic and concrete, who speaks and acts with conviction, who gives the hope that comes from God, who is the revelation of the Face of God who is love. And the people joyfully bless the Lord.
This evening, we are the crowd spoken of in the Gospel, we too want to follow Jesus, to listen to him, to enter into communion with Him in the Eucharist, to accompany him. Why do we do this? Let us ask ourselves: how do I follow Jesus? Jesus speaks in silence, in the Mystery of the Eucharist and every time he does, he reminds us that to follow him means that we must come out of ourselves and make of our lives not our own procession, but a gift offered to Him and to others.
2. Let's take another step forward: where does the invitation that Jesus gives to the disciples come from - his invitation to feed the multitude? It is based on two elements: first, it is motivated by the crowd who, following Jesus, finds itself in a deserted place, far way from inhabited spaces, and it is evening; and it is based on the preoccupation of the disciples who ask Jesus to send the crowd away so that they might go into the surrounding countryside to find food and lodging (cf Lk 9:12). Faced with the needs of the croud, this is the solution proposed by the disciples: each person should take care of his or her own need; send the crowd away! Everyone for himself; send the crowd away! How often we Christians are tempted in this way! Don't be bothered with the needs of others, send them away with a pious phrase: May God help you!, or with a not so pious word: Good luck, and we hope we don't see them any more. But the solution proposed by Jesus goes in a different direction, a direction that surprises the disciples: You give them something to eat. But how is it possible that we can feed a crowd? We only have five loaves of bread and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people (Lk 9:13). But Jesus is not discouraged: he asks the disciples to seat the people in communities of fifty people, raises his eyes to heaven, says the blessing, breaks the bread and gives it to the disciples so that they can distribute it (cf Lk 9:16). This is a moment of profound communion: the crowd whose thirst is quenched by the Word of God, and whose hunger is fed on his bread of life. And they were all satisfied, writes the Evangelist (cf Lk 9:17).
This evening, we are gathered around the table of the Lord, around the table of the Eucharistic sacrifice, in which he gives us once again his Body, making present the sacrifice of the Cross. It is by listening to his Word, by feeding on his Body and his Blood, that He gathers us, a multitude, and makes of us a community - from anonymity to community. The Eucharist is the Sacrament of community, which draws us out of our individualism to live together as his followers, to discover and strengthen our faith in Him. Therefore, we must all ask ourselves before the Lord: how do I live the Eucharist? Do I live it anonymously or as a moment of true communion with the Lord, and also with all my brothers and sisters who share the same table? What are our Eucharistic celebrations like?
3. One last element: where does the multiplication of the loaves come from? The answer lies in Jesus' invitation to the disciples: You give ..., give, share. What do the disciples share? The little that they have: five loaves of bread and two fish. But these are the very loaves of bread and fish which in the hands of the Lord feed the entire crowd. And it is the disciples, bewildered by the inability of their means, by their poverty, who learn to put themselves at the service of others, to accomodate the crowd and to distribute - trusting the word of Jesus - the bread and fish which satisfies the crowd. This means that in the Church, but also in society, one key word which we shouldn't fear is solidarity, knowing how to make available to God that which we have, our humble abilities, because only in the sharing, in the gift, will our lives be fruitful, bearing fruit. Solidarity: a word that is frowned upon by the spirit of the world!
This evening, once again, the Lord distributes for us the bread which is his Body, He presents a gift. And we experience the solidarity of God with man, a solidarity that can never be exhausted, a solidarity that never ceases to amaze us: God draws close to us, in the sacrifice of the Cross he comes down to us and enters into the darkness of death in order to give us his life, that triumphs over evil, egotism and death. Tonight, Jesus gives us himself in the Eucharist, sharing in our pilgrimage; he provides food, real food that sustains our life even in moments when the road may be difficult, when obstacles slow our progress. In the Eucharist, the Lord makes us follow his path, the path of service, of sharing, of giving, even the little that we have, the little that we are - if it is shared, it becomes wealth, because the power of God which is the power of love, enters into our poverty and transforms it.
Let us ask ourselves this eveing, adoring the Lord, truly present in the Eucharist: Do I allow myself to be transformed by Him? Do I allow Him to give Himself to me, to guide me and invite me to always move outside of myself, to go out and not to be afraid of giving, to share, to love Him and to love others?
Brothers and sisters: discipleship, communion, sharing. Let us pray that our participation in the Eucharist may always prompt us: to follow the Lord every day, to be instruments of communion, to share with Him and with our neighbour that which we are. Then our lives will truly be fruitful. Amen.
At the conclusion of the Mass, a procession took place, led by the Blessed Sacrament, then the Pope, then Cardinals, Bishops, priests and parishioners from various parishes of Rome and members of various confraternities. This procession was so long that it reached its destination in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major before the last participants had even left the Lateran Archbasilica!
While the procession continued to assemble at the Lateran Archbasilica, the Holy Father spent the time in silent prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, while the crowds chanted and sang various songs and hymns. The Holy Father concluded the gathering with Benediction.
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