At 12:00 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 gathered in Saint Peter's Square for the usual Sunday appointment.
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Today's gospel presents something that happened in Jericho, when Jesus arrived in that city and was welcomed by the crowd (cf Lk 19:1-10). Zachaeus lived in Jericho, the leader among the publicans, which is to say the tax collectors. Zachaeus was a wealthy employee of the hated Roman occupiers, one who used to exploit his own people. Even he, out of curiosity, wanted to see Jesus, but his condition as a public sinner would not permit him to come close to the Master; what's more, he was small in stature, and for this reason, he climbed a sycamore tree along the road where Jesus would be passing by.
When he arrived nearby that tree, Jesus raised his eyes and said to him: Zachaeus, come down at once, for today I have to stop at your house (Lk 19:5). Can we imagine Zachaeus' surprise! Why does Jesus say: I have to stop at your house? What was that all about? We know that his most important duty was to implement the Father's plan for all humanity, the plan that would be accomplished in Jerusalem with his condemnation to death, the crucifixion and, on the third day, the resurrection. This is our merciful Father's plan of salvation. This plan also includes the salvation of Zachaeus, a dishonest man who was hated by everyone, and therefore in need of conversion. In fact, the gospel says that when Jesus called him, they all murmured: He has entered into the house of a sinner! (Lk 19:7). The people see in him a villan who has become rich on the backs of others. If Jesus had said: Come down, you bandit, traitor of the people! Come and speak with me in order to settle your accounts!, surely the people would have applauded. However, they began to murmur: Jesus is going to the house of a sinner, a bandit.
Jesus, guided by mercy, was looking especially for him. And when he entered into Zachaeus' house, he said: Today, salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. The Son of man has come in fact to seek out and to salve those who are lost (Lk 19:9-10). Jesus' regard goes beyond sins and prejudices; it sees the person with the eyes of God, which do not stop at the evil that has occurred, but also the good that is to come; Jesus does not resign himself to be closed in upon himself, instead he is always open, always open to new spaces and paths; he does not stop at appearances, he looks at the heart. In this case, he looked at the wounded heart of this man: wouded by the sin of cupidity, by many terrible things that Zachaeus had done. He looked into that wounded heart and went there.
Sometimes we try to correct or to convert a sinner by scolding him, by pointing out his mistakes and his unjust behaviour. The attitude that Jesus had with Zachaeus indicates another way: the path of pointing out to the one who has done wrong, his value, the value that God continues to see despite everything, despite all his wrong doings. This can bring about a positive surprise, which softens the heart and drives the person to focus on the good that he has within himself. By trusting in the person, he allows him to grow and to change. This is the way God acts with all of us: he is not deterred by our sin, but he overcomes our sin with love and makes us aware of our longing for good. We have all known this nostalgia for good after having made mistakes. This is what our Father God does, this is what Jesus does. There is no such thing as a person who does not have something good within. This is what God looks for in order to draw us out of evil situations.
May the Virgin Mary help us to see the good that exists within each person we meet every day, so that all people may be encouraged to show forth the image of God that is imprinted on our hearts. In this way, we can rejoice in the surprises of God's mercy! Our God, who is the God of surprises!
Following the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
Yesterday in Madrid, José Antón Gómez, Antolín Pablos Villanueva, Juan Rafael Mariano Alcocer Martínez and Luis Vidaurrázaga Gonzáles, martyrs who were killed in Spain in the last century, during the persecution agains the Church, were beatified. They were Benedictine priests. Let us praise the Lord and confide to their intercession our brothers and sisters who unfortunately are still today, in various parts of the world, persecuted for their faith in Christ.
I express my closeness to the people of Central Italy who are suffering because of the earthquake. Even this morning, there have been strong after shocks. I pray for those who have been wounded and for families who have suffered because of major damage, as well as for all those who are committed to helping and assisting them. May the risen Lord give them strength and may the Madonna care for them.
I greet with great affection all the people from Italy and from other countries, especially those who are from Ljubliana (Slovenia) and from Sligo (Ireland). I greet the participants taking part in the world pilgrimage of hairdressers and beauticians, the National Federation of historical Marches and Games, the youth groups from Petosino, Pogliano Milan, Carugate and Padua. I also greet the pilgrims from UNITALSI from Sardenia.
In the coming days, I will make an Apostolic Voyage to Sweden to commemorate the Reformation, which will include Catholics and Lutherans gathered together to remember and to pray. I ask you all to pray that this voyage may be a new step in the journey of fraternity toward full communion.
I wish you all a good Sunday - there is beautiful sunshine ... - and a good celebration of All Saints Day. And, please, don't forget to pray for me. Good bye!
Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
prior to the recitation of the Angelus
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Today's gospel presents something that happened in Jericho, when Jesus arrived in that city and was welcomed by the crowd (cf Lk 19:1-10). Zachaeus lived in Jericho, the leader among the publicans, which is to say the tax collectors. Zachaeus was a wealthy employee of the hated Roman occupiers, one who used to exploit his own people. Even he, out of curiosity, wanted to see Jesus, but his condition as a public sinner would not permit him to come close to the Master; what's more, he was small in stature, and for this reason, he climbed a sycamore tree along the road where Jesus would be passing by.
When he arrived nearby that tree, Jesus raised his eyes and said to him: Zachaeus, come down at once, for today I have to stop at your house (Lk 19:5). Can we imagine Zachaeus' surprise! Why does Jesus say: I have to stop at your house? What was that all about? We know that his most important duty was to implement the Father's plan for all humanity, the plan that would be accomplished in Jerusalem with his condemnation to death, the crucifixion and, on the third day, the resurrection. This is our merciful Father's plan of salvation. This plan also includes the salvation of Zachaeus, a dishonest man who was hated by everyone, and therefore in need of conversion. In fact, the gospel says that when Jesus called him, they all murmured: He has entered into the house of a sinner! (Lk 19:7). The people see in him a villan who has become rich on the backs of others. If Jesus had said: Come down, you bandit, traitor of the people! Come and speak with me in order to settle your accounts!, surely the people would have applauded. However, they began to murmur: Jesus is going to the house of a sinner, a bandit.
Jesus, guided by mercy, was looking especially for him. And when he entered into Zachaeus' house, he said: Today, salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. The Son of man has come in fact to seek out and to salve those who are lost (Lk 19:9-10). Jesus' regard goes beyond sins and prejudices; it sees the person with the eyes of God, which do not stop at the evil that has occurred, but also the good that is to come; Jesus does not resign himself to be closed in upon himself, instead he is always open, always open to new spaces and paths; he does not stop at appearances, he looks at the heart. In this case, he looked at the wounded heart of this man: wouded by the sin of cupidity, by many terrible things that Zachaeus had done. He looked into that wounded heart and went there.
Sometimes we try to correct or to convert a sinner by scolding him, by pointing out his mistakes and his unjust behaviour. The attitude that Jesus had with Zachaeus indicates another way: the path of pointing out to the one who has done wrong, his value, the value that God continues to see despite everything, despite all his wrong doings. This can bring about a positive surprise, which softens the heart and drives the person to focus on the good that he has within himself. By trusting in the person, he allows him to grow and to change. This is the way God acts with all of us: he is not deterred by our sin, but he overcomes our sin with love and makes us aware of our longing for good. We have all known this nostalgia for good after having made mistakes. This is what our Father God does, this is what Jesus does. There is no such thing as a person who does not have something good within. This is what God looks for in order to draw us out of evil situations.
May the Virgin Mary help us to see the good that exists within each person we meet every day, so that all people may be encouraged to show forth the image of God that is imprinted on our hearts. In this way, we can rejoice in the surprises of God's mercy! Our God, who is the God of surprises!
Following the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
Yesterday in Madrid, José Antón Gómez, Antolín Pablos Villanueva, Juan Rafael Mariano Alcocer Martínez and Luis Vidaurrázaga Gonzáles, martyrs who were killed in Spain in the last century, during the persecution agains the Church, were beatified. They were Benedictine priests. Let us praise the Lord and confide to their intercession our brothers and sisters who unfortunately are still today, in various parts of the world, persecuted for their faith in Christ.
I express my closeness to the people of Central Italy who are suffering because of the earthquake. Even this morning, there have been strong after shocks. I pray for those who have been wounded and for families who have suffered because of major damage, as well as for all those who are committed to helping and assisting them. May the risen Lord give them strength and may the Madonna care for them.
I greet with great affection all the people from Italy and from other countries, especially those who are from Ljubliana (Slovenia) and from Sligo (Ireland). I greet the participants taking part in the world pilgrimage of hairdressers and beauticians, the National Federation of historical Marches and Games, the youth groups from Petosino, Pogliano Milan, Carugate and Padua. I also greet the pilgrims from UNITALSI from Sardenia.
In the coming days, I will make an Apostolic Voyage to Sweden to commemorate the Reformation, which will include Catholics and Lutherans gathered together to remember and to pray. I ask you all to pray that this voyage may be a new step in the journey of fraternity toward full communion.
I wish you all a good Sunday - there is beautiful sunshine ... - and a good celebration of All Saints Day. And, please, don't forget to pray for me. Good bye!
No comments:
Post a Comment