At 11:30am today in Rome, at the Altar of the Chair in the Vatican Basilica, the Holy Father, Pope Francis presided over a Eucharistic Celebration for the repose of the souls of Cardinals and Bishops who have died during the past year.
Today, we remember our brother Cardinals and Bishops who have died during the past year. On this earth, they loved the Church, their spouse, and we pray that in God, they will know the fullness of joy in the communion of the saints.
We look back with gratitude at the vocation of these sacred Ministers: as the word indicates, they were above all, ministers of service. While we ask that they be granted the reward befitting good and faithful servants (cf Mt 25: 14-30), we are called to renew our choice to serve in the Church. As servants, the Lord asks us to wash the feet of the closest disciples, because this is what he has done also to us (cf Jn 13:14-15). God was the first to serve. Jesus the minister, who came to serve and not to be served (cf Mk 10:45), cannot himself be anything other than a shepherd who is ready to give his life for his sheep. Those who serve and give in this way might appear to be losers in the eyes of the world, but in reality, all those who lose their lives will find it because a life that gives of itself, loses itself out of love, imitates Christ: conquers death and gives life to the world. They who serve, save. On the contrary, those who do not live to serve, do not serve life.
The gospel reminds us of this. God so loved the world, says Jesus (Jn 3:16). It is really a love that is concrete, so real that he took our death upon himself. In order to save us, he went to a place where we ourselves had gone, distanced from God, the giver of life: in death, in a tomb with no way out. This is the extent to which the Son of Man lowered himself, bending himself like a servant toward us in order to take upon himself everything that is ours, so that he could throw the doors of life wide open.
In the gospel, Christ compares himself to the serpent who was lifted high. The image refers to the venomous snakes in the desert that attacked the people who were on their way (cf Num 21:4-9). The Israelites who had been bitten by the serpents, would not die but continued to live if they looked at the serpent of bronze that Moses, by the order of God, had raised on a pole. A serpent saved them from the serpents. The same logic is present in the cross, to which Christ referred when he spoke with Nicodemus. His death saves us from our death.
In the desert, serpents inflict a painful death, preceded by fear and caused by poisonous bites. So it is in our eyes that death seems dark and distressing. So it is that we experience it, for it has entered into the world through the envy of the devil, as the scriptures say (cf Wis 2:24). However, Jesus did not run away from it; he took it upon himself fully with all its contradictions. Now, we look to Him, believe in Him, are saved by Him: Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Jesus repeats these words twice in today's brief passage from the gospel (cf Jn 3:15-16).
God's style, which is to save us by serving us and annihilating them, has much to teach us. We would expect that a divine victory should be triumphant: Jesus however demonstrates a humble victory. Raised upon the cross, he allows evil and death to overcome him even has he continues to love. For us, it is difficult to accept this reality. It is a mystery, but the secret to this mystery, to this extraordinary humility is all about the power of love. In Jesus' death and resurrection, we see both death and the remedy for death, and this is possible through the great love with which God has loved us, through the humble love that abases us, for the service that leads us to assume the condition of servants. Not only did Jesus take away evil, he transformed it into good. He did not change this in word only but also in fact; not in appearance but in substance; not in a superficial way but at its root. He made the cross a bridge leading to life. We too can triumph with him, if we choose a serving and humble love, which remains victorious for all eternity. This love does not cry out and does not impose itself, but waits with trust and patience, for - as the Book of Lamentations says - it is good to wait in silence for the Lord to save (Lam 3:26).
God so loved the world. We are led to love that for which we feel the need and the desire. However, God loves until the end of the world, loves us, just as we are. Even in this Eucharist, he comes to serve us, to give us life that saves us from death and fills us with hope. While we offer this Mass for our beloved brother Cardinals and Bishops, we also ask for ourselves that which the Apostle Paul exhorts: to turn our thoughts to things that are above, not to those that are earthly (Col 3:2); to the love of God and of our neighbour, rather than focusing on our own needs. We need not be concerned about what we need in this place, but rather the treasure that is above: not for that which is self-serving, but for that which truly serves. The Passover of the Lord is sufficient for us to be free of the worries of ephemeral things which are passing and vanish into thin air. We only need Him, in whom we find life, salvation, resurrection and joy. Then we will be servants according to his heart: not employees who exercise service but beloved children who give their lives for others.
Homily of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
for the Mass celebrated in memory
of deceased Cardinals and Bishops
Today, we remember our brother Cardinals and Bishops who have died during the past year. On this earth, they loved the Church, their spouse, and we pray that in God, they will know the fullness of joy in the communion of the saints.
We look back with gratitude at the vocation of these sacred Ministers: as the word indicates, they were above all, ministers of service. While we ask that they be granted the reward befitting good and faithful servants (cf Mt 25: 14-30), we are called to renew our choice to serve in the Church. As servants, the Lord asks us to wash the feet of the closest disciples, because this is what he has done also to us (cf Jn 13:14-15). God was the first to serve. Jesus the minister, who came to serve and not to be served (cf Mk 10:45), cannot himself be anything other than a shepherd who is ready to give his life for his sheep. Those who serve and give in this way might appear to be losers in the eyes of the world, but in reality, all those who lose their lives will find it because a life that gives of itself, loses itself out of love, imitates Christ: conquers death and gives life to the world. They who serve, save. On the contrary, those who do not live to serve, do not serve life.
The gospel reminds us of this. God so loved the world, says Jesus (Jn 3:16). It is really a love that is concrete, so real that he took our death upon himself. In order to save us, he went to a place where we ourselves had gone, distanced from God, the giver of life: in death, in a tomb with no way out. This is the extent to which the Son of Man lowered himself, bending himself like a servant toward us in order to take upon himself everything that is ours, so that he could throw the doors of life wide open.
In the gospel, Christ compares himself to the serpent who was lifted high. The image refers to the venomous snakes in the desert that attacked the people who were on their way (cf Num 21:4-9). The Israelites who had been bitten by the serpents, would not die but continued to live if they looked at the serpent of bronze that Moses, by the order of God, had raised on a pole. A serpent saved them from the serpents. The same logic is present in the cross, to which Christ referred when he spoke with Nicodemus. His death saves us from our death.
In the desert, serpents inflict a painful death, preceded by fear and caused by poisonous bites. So it is in our eyes that death seems dark and distressing. So it is that we experience it, for it has entered into the world through the envy of the devil, as the scriptures say (cf Wis 2:24). However, Jesus did not run away from it; he took it upon himself fully with all its contradictions. Now, we look to Him, believe in Him, are saved by Him: Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Jesus repeats these words twice in today's brief passage from the gospel (cf Jn 3:15-16).
God's style, which is to save us by serving us and annihilating them, has much to teach us. We would expect that a divine victory should be triumphant: Jesus however demonstrates a humble victory. Raised upon the cross, he allows evil and death to overcome him even has he continues to love. For us, it is difficult to accept this reality. It is a mystery, but the secret to this mystery, to this extraordinary humility is all about the power of love. In Jesus' death and resurrection, we see both death and the remedy for death, and this is possible through the great love with which God has loved us, through the humble love that abases us, for the service that leads us to assume the condition of servants. Not only did Jesus take away evil, he transformed it into good. He did not change this in word only but also in fact; not in appearance but in substance; not in a superficial way but at its root. He made the cross a bridge leading to life. We too can triumph with him, if we choose a serving and humble love, which remains victorious for all eternity. This love does not cry out and does not impose itself, but waits with trust and patience, for - as the Book of Lamentations says - it is good to wait in silence for the Lord to save (Lam 3:26).
God so loved the world. We are led to love that for which we feel the need and the desire. However, God loves until the end of the world, loves us, just as we are. Even in this Eucharist, he comes to serve us, to give us life that saves us from death and fills us with hope. While we offer this Mass for our beloved brother Cardinals and Bishops, we also ask for ourselves that which the Apostle Paul exhorts: to turn our thoughts to things that are above, not to those that are earthly (Col 3:2); to the love of God and of our neighbour, rather than focusing on our own needs. We need not be concerned about what we need in this place, but rather the treasure that is above: not for that which is self-serving, but for that which truly serves. The Passover of the Lord is sufficient for us to be free of the worries of ephemeral things which are passing and vanish into thin air. We only need Him, in whom we find life, salvation, resurrection and joy. Then we will be servants according to his heart: not employees who exercise service but beloved children who give their lives for others.
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