At the conclusion of the Mass celebrated in the Vatican Basilica, in thanksgiving for the equivalent canonization of two Canadian Saints, 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 were gathered in Saint Peter's Square for the usual Sunday meeting.
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning.
In the gospel for today, Jesus speaks about the response that is given to God's invitation - God is represented by a king - to take part in a wedding banquet (cf Mt 22:1-14). The invitation has three characteristics: gratitude, it is freely given and it is universal. The invited guests are many, but something surprising happens: no one of those who have been invited accepts the invitation to attend the feast; they all say that they have other things to do; some are even indifferent, alienation, some are even annoyed. God is always good to us, he graciously offers us his friendship, he freely offers us his joy and salvation, but many times we do not accept his gifts. Instead, we choose material concerns, our own interests and even when the Lord calls us, many times it seems that we are annoyed.
Some of the guests even maltreat and kill the servants, refusing the invitation, but despite the refusals from those who had been invited, God's plan continues without interruption. Even though his invitation has been turned down, He doesn't become discouraged, he doesn't cancel the feast; instead he sends out another invitation, this time extending it beyond any reasonable limit: he sends his servants into the squares and crossroads to gather everyone they find. He treats all people equally, the poor, the abandoned, the destitute, he calls everyone - the good and the bad - even the bad ones are invited. He doesn't discriminate. And the wedding hall is filled with the excluded. The gospel, once rejected by some, finds an unexpected welcome in many other hearts.
God's goodness has no limits and doesn't discriminate against anyone: this is the reason why the banquet of God's gifts is universal, offered for all people. All people are offered the possibility to respond to his invitation, to his call: no one has a right to feel as though they have a right or an exclusive claim to these gifts. All of this leads us to overcome the habit of surrounding ourselves with comfort, as the chief priests and the Pharisees used to do. This is wrong: we should open ourselves to the possibility of going even to the peripheries, recognizing that even those who are on the margins, even those who are despised and rejected by society are the object of God's generosity. All people are called to not reduce the Kingdom of God to the confines of the church - our little church - but to enlarge our vision to include within the Church, the dimensions of the Kingdom of God. There is only one condition: clothe yourselves in a wedding garment that witnesses to the love you bear toward God and toward your neighbour.
Let us confide to the intercession of Blessed Mary, all the tragedies and hopes of so many of our brothers and sisters who are excluded, vulnerable, rejected, despised, even those who are persecuted because of their faith, and let us invoke her protection over the work of the Synod of Bishops which is meeting here in the Vatican at this time.
Angelus Domini ...
Following the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
This morning in Sassari, Father Francesco Zirano, a priest of the Order of Conventual Franciscans Minor was proclaimed Blessed. He preferred to be killed rather than to renounce his faith. Let us give thanks to God for this priest and martyr, a heroic witness to the gospel. His courageous faithfulness to Christ is an act of great eloquence, especially in the current context of ruthless persecution against Christians.
At this moment, our thoughts go out to the city of Genoa which has once again been hit by floods. I wish to assure them of my prayers for all the victims and for all those who have suffered serious damage. May the Madonna of the Guard support the beloved people of Genoa in their collective efforts to overcome this difficult trial. Let us all pray together to the Madonna of the Guard: Hail Mary ... May Our Lady of the Guard protect Genoa!
I greet all the pilgrims, especially the families and the parish groups. In particular, I want to cordially greet the group of Canadian pilgrims who have come to Rome to celebrate the Mass of Thanksgiving for the Canonization of François de Laval and Marie de l’Incarnation: may these two saints arouse apostolic fervour in the hearts of many young Canadians.
I greet the group from the Office Chrétien des personnes handicapées, from France, the families from the Collegio Reinado Corazón de Jesus from Madrid, and the faithful from Segovia, the Poles who are present here and all those who have promised special works of charity in honour of the Pope's Day. I greet the large group from the Association of Friends of Saint Columban for Europe, who have come to celebrate the opening of the XIV centenary of the death of Saint Columban, a great evangelizer from the continent of Europe. I greet the Daughters of Mary, Help of Christians who are participating in their General Chapter, the faithful from the parish of Santa Maria Immacolata in Carenno, the representatives of the Diocese of Lodi who have come to Rome for the Episcopal Ordination of their Pastor, and finally I greet the faithful from Bergamo and Marne.
I wish you all a good Sunday. Please, I ask you to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch. Goodbye.
Address of His Holiness, Pope Francis
prior to the recitation of the Angelus
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning.
In the gospel for today, Jesus speaks about the response that is given to God's invitation - God is represented by a king - to take part in a wedding banquet (cf Mt 22:1-14). The invitation has three characteristics: gratitude, it is freely given and it is universal. The invited guests are many, but something surprising happens: no one of those who have been invited accepts the invitation to attend the feast; they all say that they have other things to do; some are even indifferent, alienation, some are even annoyed. God is always good to us, he graciously offers us his friendship, he freely offers us his joy and salvation, but many times we do not accept his gifts. Instead, we choose material concerns, our own interests and even when the Lord calls us, many times it seems that we are annoyed.
Some of the guests even maltreat and kill the servants, refusing the invitation, but despite the refusals from those who had been invited, God's plan continues without interruption. Even though his invitation has been turned down, He doesn't become discouraged, he doesn't cancel the feast; instead he sends out another invitation, this time extending it beyond any reasonable limit: he sends his servants into the squares and crossroads to gather everyone they find. He treats all people equally, the poor, the abandoned, the destitute, he calls everyone - the good and the bad - even the bad ones are invited. He doesn't discriminate. And the wedding hall is filled with the excluded. The gospel, once rejected by some, finds an unexpected welcome in many other hearts.
God's goodness has no limits and doesn't discriminate against anyone: this is the reason why the banquet of God's gifts is universal, offered for all people. All people are offered the possibility to respond to his invitation, to his call: no one has a right to feel as though they have a right or an exclusive claim to these gifts. All of this leads us to overcome the habit of surrounding ourselves with comfort, as the chief priests and the Pharisees used to do. This is wrong: we should open ourselves to the possibility of going even to the peripheries, recognizing that even those who are on the margins, even those who are despised and rejected by society are the object of God's generosity. All people are called to not reduce the Kingdom of God to the confines of the church - our little church - but to enlarge our vision to include within the Church, the dimensions of the Kingdom of God. There is only one condition: clothe yourselves in a wedding garment that witnesses to the love you bear toward God and toward your neighbour.
Let us confide to the intercession of Blessed Mary, all the tragedies and hopes of so many of our brothers and sisters who are excluded, vulnerable, rejected, despised, even those who are persecuted because of their faith, and let us invoke her protection over the work of the Synod of Bishops which is meeting here in the Vatican at this time.
Angelus Domini ...
Following the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
This morning in Sassari, Father Francesco Zirano, a priest of the Order of Conventual Franciscans Minor was proclaimed Blessed. He preferred to be killed rather than to renounce his faith. Let us give thanks to God for this priest and martyr, a heroic witness to the gospel. His courageous faithfulness to Christ is an act of great eloquence, especially in the current context of ruthless persecution against Christians.
At this moment, our thoughts go out to the city of Genoa which has once again been hit by floods. I wish to assure them of my prayers for all the victims and for all those who have suffered serious damage. May the Madonna of the Guard support the beloved people of Genoa in their collective efforts to overcome this difficult trial. Let us all pray together to the Madonna of the Guard: Hail Mary ... May Our Lady of the Guard protect Genoa!
I greet all the pilgrims, especially the families and the parish groups. In particular, I want to cordially greet the group of Canadian pilgrims who have come to Rome to celebrate the Mass of Thanksgiving for the Canonization of François de Laval and Marie de l’Incarnation: may these two saints arouse apostolic fervour in the hearts of many young Canadians.
I greet the group from the Office Chrétien des personnes handicapées, from France, the families from the Collegio Reinado Corazón de Jesus from Madrid, and the faithful from Segovia, the Poles who are present here and all those who have promised special works of charity in honour of the Pope's Day. I greet the large group from the Association of Friends of Saint Columban for Europe, who have come to celebrate the opening of the XIV centenary of the death of Saint Columban, a great evangelizer from the continent of Europe. I greet the Daughters of Mary, Help of Christians who are participating in their General Chapter, the faithful from the parish of Santa Maria Immacolata in Carenno, the representatives of the Diocese of Lodi who have come to Rome for the Episcopal Ordination of their Pastor, and finally I greet the faithful from Bergamo and Marne.
I wish you all a good Sunday. Please, I ask you to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch. Goodbye.
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