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 gathered in Saint Peter's Square.
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Today's gospel passage (cf Mt 16:21-27) is the continuation of last Sunday's gospel, in which we hear the profession of faith uttered by Peter, the rock on which Jesus wants to build his Church. Today, in marked contrast, Matthew shows us the reaction that Peter has when Jesus tells the disciples that he has to go to Jerusalem where he will be killed and that he will rise (cf Mt 16:21). Peter takes the Master aside and reproves him because this - Peter says - cannot happen to Jesus, to the Christ. But Jesus in turn rebukes Peter with harsh words: Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, for you are thinking not as God does but as humans do! (Mt 16:23). Just prior to this, Peter had been blessed by the Father for having received a revelation from him, for being a solid rock on which Jesus can build his community; and suddenly, he becomes an obstacle, a stone but not suitable for construction, a stone that can cause the Messiah to stumble on his way. Jesus is well aware of the fact that Peter and the others have a long way to go in order to become his apostles!
At this point, the Master turns to all those who are following after him and clearly presents them with the path they must follow: If you want to follow me, you must renounce yourself, take up your cross and follow me (Mt 16:24). At all times, even today, we are tempted to follow Christ without carrying our cross, but rather for us to teach God where the right path lies, just like Peter: No, no Lord, don't do it, this can never happen. Jesus reminds us that his way is the path of love, and there is no true love without sacrificing ourselves. We are called not to be caught up with the vision of this world, but to be increasingly aware of the need for Christians to continually make an effort to continue their uphill journey, even if it should lead them against the current.
Jesus completes his proposition with words that express great wisdom, wisdom that is always valid because they challenge our mentality and our self-centred behaviour. He says: Whoever wants to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it (Mt 16:25). Contained within this paradox is the golden rule which Jesus inscribed into human nature which was created in Christ: the rule that only love gives meaning and happiness to life. Expending ones own talents, energies and time merely to save him or herself, being concerned only with self-preservation ultimately leads us to lose everything, to a sad and sterile existence. If however, we live for the Lord and base our lives on love like Jesus did, we will be able to enjoy authentic joy, and our lives will not remain sterile; rather, they will be fruitful.
In the celebration of the Eucharist, we rediscover the mystery of the cross; we not only recall it, but we are drawn into the memory of the redeeming sacrifice in which the Son of God completely abandoned himself in order to receive the fullness of the Father's gift and in so doing to redeem us, who were lost, together with all of creation. Every time that we participate in the celebration of Holy Mass, the love of Christ crucified and risen is given to us in the form of food and drink so that we can follow Him on his daily journey, concretely serving our brothers and sisters.
May Blessed Mary, who followed Jesus even to Calvary, accompany us and help us to not be afraid of the cross, but to always stay with the crucified Jesus, never seeking a cross without Jesus, but always the cross with Jesus, the cross of suffering for love of God and for love of our brothers and sisters. Through the grace of Christ, such suffering bears fruit, the reward of the resurrection.
After the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
While renewing my spiritual closeness to the people of Southeastern Asia, who are still suffering the effects of floods, I also want to express my profound participation in the suffering of the people of Texas and Louisiana who have been struck by a hurricane and by exceptional amounts of rain which has claimed lives, left thousands of displaced persons and extensive material damage. I ask Blessed Mary, consoler of the afflicted, to obtain from the Lord the grace of comfort for those of our brothers and sisters who are being sorely tried by these challenges.
I greet all of you, dear pilgrims who have come from Italy and from various other countries. In particular, the pilgrims from parishes in Sarmede, Anzano and Cappela Maggiore in the dioceses of Vittorio Veneto, the faithful from the Canary Islands, the band from Pontevico, the recently Confirmed young people from Mariano al Brembo, from Padria and from Prevalle, the young people from Chizzola, from Cagliari and from Bellagio ... and I want to thank all of you who have expressed your good wishes for my upcoming trip. Thank you, thank you!
I wish you all a good Sunday ... and, please, don't forget to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch and 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 passage (cf Mt 16:21-27) is the continuation of last Sunday's gospel, in which we hear the profession of faith uttered by Peter, the rock on which Jesus wants to build his Church. Today, in marked contrast, Matthew shows us the reaction that Peter has when Jesus tells the disciples that he has to go to Jerusalem where he will be killed and that he will rise (cf Mt 16:21). Peter takes the Master aside and reproves him because this - Peter says - cannot happen to Jesus, to the Christ. But Jesus in turn rebukes Peter with harsh words: Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, for you are thinking not as God does but as humans do! (Mt 16:23). Just prior to this, Peter had been blessed by the Father for having received a revelation from him, for being a solid rock on which Jesus can build his community; and suddenly, he becomes an obstacle, a stone but not suitable for construction, a stone that can cause the Messiah to stumble on his way. Jesus is well aware of the fact that Peter and the others have a long way to go in order to become his apostles!
At this point, the Master turns to all those who are following after him and clearly presents them with the path they must follow: If you want to follow me, you must renounce yourself, take up your cross and follow me (Mt 16:24). At all times, even today, we are tempted to follow Christ without carrying our cross, but rather for us to teach God where the right path lies, just like Peter: No, no Lord, don't do it, this can never happen. Jesus reminds us that his way is the path of love, and there is no true love without sacrificing ourselves. We are called not to be caught up with the vision of this world, but to be increasingly aware of the need for Christians to continually make an effort to continue their uphill journey, even if it should lead them against the current.
Jesus completes his proposition with words that express great wisdom, wisdom that is always valid because they challenge our mentality and our self-centred behaviour. He says: Whoever wants to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it (Mt 16:25). Contained within this paradox is the golden rule which Jesus inscribed into human nature which was created in Christ: the rule that only love gives meaning and happiness to life. Expending ones own talents, energies and time merely to save him or herself, being concerned only with self-preservation ultimately leads us to lose everything, to a sad and sterile existence. If however, we live for the Lord and base our lives on love like Jesus did, we will be able to enjoy authentic joy, and our lives will not remain sterile; rather, they will be fruitful.
In the celebration of the Eucharist, we rediscover the mystery of the cross; we not only recall it, but we are drawn into the memory of the redeeming sacrifice in which the Son of God completely abandoned himself in order to receive the fullness of the Father's gift and in so doing to redeem us, who were lost, together with all of creation. Every time that we participate in the celebration of Holy Mass, the love of Christ crucified and risen is given to us in the form of food and drink so that we can follow Him on his daily journey, concretely serving our brothers and sisters.
May Blessed Mary, who followed Jesus even to Calvary, accompany us and help us to not be afraid of the cross, but to always stay with the crucified Jesus, never seeking a cross without Jesus, but always the cross with Jesus, the cross of suffering for love of God and for love of our brothers and sisters. Through the grace of Christ, such suffering bears fruit, the reward of the resurrection.
After the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
While renewing my spiritual closeness to the people of Southeastern Asia, who are still suffering the effects of floods, I also want to express my profound participation in the suffering of the people of Texas and Louisiana who have been struck by a hurricane and by exceptional amounts of rain which has claimed lives, left thousands of displaced persons and extensive material damage. I ask Blessed Mary, consoler of the afflicted, to obtain from the Lord the grace of comfort for those of our brothers and sisters who are being sorely tried by these challenges.
I greet all of you, dear pilgrims who have come from Italy and from various other countries. In particular, the pilgrims from parishes in Sarmede, Anzano and Cappela Maggiore in the dioceses of Vittorio Veneto, the faithful from the Canary Islands, the band from Pontevico, the recently Confirmed young people from Mariano al Brembo, from Padria and from Prevalle, the young people from Chizzola, from Cagliari and from Bellagio ... and I want to thank all of you who have expressed your good wishes for my upcoming trip. Thank you, thank you!
I wish you all a good Sunday ... and, please, don't forget to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch and good bye!
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