At noon today, the Holy Father, Pope Francis appeared at the window of his study in the Vatican Apostolic Palace to recite the Angelus with the faithful and with pilgrims who had come to Saint Peter's Square for the weekly Sunday gathering.
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
In the weekly itinerary presented to us in the Gospel of Matthew, today we reach a crucial point in which Jesus, after having verified the fact that Peter and the other eleven truly believed in him as the Messiah and the Son of God, began to explain to them that he had to go to Jerusalem and there he would undergo much suffering ... that he would be put to death and that he would rise again on the third day (Mt 16:21). This is a critical moment in which we see the contrast between Jesus' way of thinking and that of his disciples. Peter even feels obligated to chastise the Master because he could not even conceive of such ignoble things happening to a Messiah. So Jesus in turn severely reprimands Peter, putting him in his place, because he was not thinking as God thinks, but as man thinks (Mt 16:23) and without realizing it, was playing the part of Satan, the tempter.
The apostle Paul also focuses on this point in today's liturgy; writing to the Christians in Rome, he says: Do not conform yourselves to this world - don't enter into the scheming of this world - but let yourselves be transformed and renew your way of thinking, so that you might be able to discern the will of God (Rom 12:2).
It's a fact that we Christians live in the world, fully functioning as part of the social and cultural reality of our time, and it should be this way; but there is a risk that we can become worldly, that the salt can lose its taste as Jesus would say (cf Mt 5:13), that is, that Christians might water down or lose the freshness that comes from the Lord and from the Holy Spirit. Instead, it should be the opposite: when the strength of the Gospel is alive among Christians, the criteria for judgement, the determining values, the points of interest, the lines of thinking, the fonts of inspiration and the models for life are all increasingly transformed (cf. Paul VI, Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii muntiandi, 19). It makes me sad to discover watered down Christians, who are like weakened wine, who don't even know the difference between being worldly or being a Christian, like wine that has been watered down to the point where we don't even know whether it's still wine or whether it's just coloured water! This is truly sad. It's a sad situation when we find Christians who are no longer the salt of the earth - we know that when salt loses its taste, it is no longer good for anything. Their salt loses its saltiness because they have allowed themselves to be invaded by the spirit of the world: they have become worldly.
Therefore, we must continually renew ourselves by drawing nourishment from the gospel. And how can we do this in a practical way? First, by properly reading and meditating upon the gospel every day, so that Jesus' words can always be present in our lives. Remember, it will always be helpful to carry the gospel with you: a small copy of the gospel, in your pocket, in your purse, reading a passage of the scriptures every day. If we always in the presence of the gospel, carrying Jesus' words with us, it will be an easy task. Also, attending Sunday Mass, where we meet the Lord in the community, listen to his Word and receive the Eucharist which unites us to Him and to one another; and days of spiritual renewal and retreat are also important. The gospel, the Eucharist and prayer. Don't forget: the gospel, the Eucharist, prayer. Thanks to these gifts which the Lord has given us, we can be more conformed not to the world, but to Christ, and follow his way, the way of losing our own lives in order to find true life (Mt 16:25). Losing it in the sense of giving it away, offering it for love and as an act of love - this will lead us to the true meaning of sacrifice, even the cross - in order to receive renewed purification, freedom from selfishness and the price of death paid so that we can enjoy the fullness of eternity.
The Virgin Mary always leads us along this road; let us ask her always to lead us and accompany us along the way.
After the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
Tomorrow, Italy will celebrate the Day of caring for creation, promoted by the Episcopal Conference. The theme for this year is very important: Educating for the custody of creation, for the good of our country and of our city. I hope that it will strengthen the commitment of all peoples: institutions, associations and all citizens, so that life may be protected and people's health be promoted while respecting the environment and all of nature.
I greet all pilgrims who have come from various parts of Italy and other countries, particularly those who have come from Santiago (Chile), Pistoia, San Giovanni Bianco and Albano Sant'Alessandro (Bergamo); the young people from Modena, Bassano del Grappa and Ravenna; the large group of police motorcyclists and the police band. It would be good to hear a song when we are finished ....
A special greeting is offered to Catholic parliamentarians, meeting for their fifth international gathering. I encourage you to live the delicate rule of representing the people in conformity with gospel values.
Yesterday, I met a large family from Mirabella Imbaccari, who brought me greetings from all their fellow citizens. I thank you all for your affection. I greet all of those who are participating in the Scholas meeting: continue your work with children and youth, educating them, availing them of the possibility of sports and culture; I wish you all a good meeting tomorrow at the Olympic Stadium!
From here, I see the young people who belong to the model union. Be faithful to your motto: it is very dangerous to walk alone through life. Continue the path, always walking together.
I wish you a good Sunday, I ask you to pray for me, and enjoy your lunch. Good bye!
Greetings of His Holiness, Pope Francis
prior to the recitation of the Angelus
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
In the weekly itinerary presented to us in the Gospel of Matthew, today we reach a crucial point in which Jesus, after having verified the fact that Peter and the other eleven truly believed in him as the Messiah and the Son of God, began to explain to them that he had to go to Jerusalem and there he would undergo much suffering ... that he would be put to death and that he would rise again on the third day (Mt 16:21). This is a critical moment in which we see the contrast between Jesus' way of thinking and that of his disciples. Peter even feels obligated to chastise the Master because he could not even conceive of such ignoble things happening to a Messiah. So Jesus in turn severely reprimands Peter, putting him in his place, because he was not thinking as God thinks, but as man thinks (Mt 16:23) and without realizing it, was playing the part of Satan, the tempter.
The apostle Paul also focuses on this point in today's liturgy; writing to the Christians in Rome, he says: Do not conform yourselves to this world - don't enter into the scheming of this world - but let yourselves be transformed and renew your way of thinking, so that you might be able to discern the will of God (Rom 12:2).
It's a fact that we Christians live in the world, fully functioning as part of the social and cultural reality of our time, and it should be this way; but there is a risk that we can become worldly, that the salt can lose its taste as Jesus would say (cf Mt 5:13), that is, that Christians might water down or lose the freshness that comes from the Lord and from the Holy Spirit. Instead, it should be the opposite: when the strength of the Gospel is alive among Christians, the criteria for judgement, the determining values, the points of interest, the lines of thinking, the fonts of inspiration and the models for life are all increasingly transformed (cf. Paul VI, Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii muntiandi, 19). It makes me sad to discover watered down Christians, who are like weakened wine, who don't even know the difference between being worldly or being a Christian, like wine that has been watered down to the point where we don't even know whether it's still wine or whether it's just coloured water! This is truly sad. It's a sad situation when we find Christians who are no longer the salt of the earth - we know that when salt loses its taste, it is no longer good for anything. Their salt loses its saltiness because they have allowed themselves to be invaded by the spirit of the world: they have become worldly.
Therefore, we must continually renew ourselves by drawing nourishment from the gospel. And how can we do this in a practical way? First, by properly reading and meditating upon the gospel every day, so that Jesus' words can always be present in our lives. Remember, it will always be helpful to carry the gospel with you: a small copy of the gospel, in your pocket, in your purse, reading a passage of the scriptures every day. If we always in the presence of the gospel, carrying Jesus' words with us, it will be an easy task. Also, attending Sunday Mass, where we meet the Lord in the community, listen to his Word and receive the Eucharist which unites us to Him and to one another; and days of spiritual renewal and retreat are also important. The gospel, the Eucharist and prayer. Don't forget: the gospel, the Eucharist, prayer. Thanks to these gifts which the Lord has given us, we can be more conformed not to the world, but to Christ, and follow his way, the way of losing our own lives in order to find true life (Mt 16:25). Losing it in the sense of giving it away, offering it for love and as an act of love - this will lead us to the true meaning of sacrifice, even the cross - in order to receive renewed purification, freedom from selfishness and the price of death paid so that we can enjoy the fullness of eternity.
The Virgin Mary always leads us along this road; let us ask her always to lead us and accompany us along the way.
After the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
Tomorrow, Italy will celebrate the Day of caring for creation, promoted by the Episcopal Conference. The theme for this year is very important: Educating for the custody of creation, for the good of our country and of our city. I hope that it will strengthen the commitment of all peoples: institutions, associations and all citizens, so that life may be protected and people's health be promoted while respecting the environment and all of nature.
I greet all pilgrims who have come from various parts of Italy and other countries, particularly those who have come from Santiago (Chile), Pistoia, San Giovanni Bianco and Albano Sant'Alessandro (Bergamo); the young people from Modena, Bassano del Grappa and Ravenna; the large group of police motorcyclists and the police band. It would be good to hear a song when we are finished ....
A special greeting is offered to Catholic parliamentarians, meeting for their fifth international gathering. I encourage you to live the delicate rule of representing the people in conformity with gospel values.
Yesterday, I met a large family from Mirabella Imbaccari, who brought me greetings from all their fellow citizens. I thank you all for your affection. I greet all of those who are participating in the Scholas meeting: continue your work with children and youth, educating them, availing them of the possibility of sports and culture; I wish you all a good meeting tomorrow at the Olympic Stadium!
From here, I see the young people who belong to the model union. Be faithful to your motto: it is very dangerous to walk alone through life. Continue the path, always walking together.
I wish you a good Sunday, I ask you to pray for me, and enjoy your lunch. Good bye!
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