At noon today, the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, 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 pilgrims gathered in Saint Peter's Square for the usual Sunday appointment.
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
On this final Sunday of the liturgical year, we celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King, and today's gospel passage proposes a contemplation of Jesus as he is in the presence of Pilate as king of a kingdom that is not of this world (Jn 18:36). This does not mean that Jesus is king of another world, but that he is king in another sense, and yet he is king in this world. It is a matter of a juxtaposition of two types of logic. Worldly logic is based on ambition, competence, combat of weapons of fear, bribery and manipulation of consciences, while gospel logic, Jesus' logic is expressed in humility and gratitude. It is affirmed silently but effectively with the strength of truth. The kingdoms of this world are sometimes sustained by arrogance, rivalry and opposition; the kingdom of Christ is a kingdom of justice, love and peace.
When did Jesus reveal himself to be a king? In the event of the cross! Anyone who looks to the cross cannot help but see there the surprising gratitude of love. Someone among you might say: But Father, this was a failure! It is precisely in the failure of sin - sin is a failure - in the failure of human ambition, that we see the triumph of the cross, the gratitude of love. In the failure of the cross, we see love, the love that is free, that Jesus gives us. For Christians, to speak of power and strength means to refer to the power of the cross and the strength of Jesus' love: a love that remains solid and integral, even when it is met with rejection, which appears as the fulfillment of a life poured out in total offering of self for the benefit of humanity. On Calvary, the passers-by and the leaders derided Jesus who was nailed to the cross, throwing him a challenge: Save yourself, come down from the cross (Mk 15:30). Save yourself! Paradoxically, the truth is that Jesus is discovered in the challenge hurled at him by his adversaries: He cannot save himself! (Mk 15:31). If Jesus had come down from the cross, he would have given in to the temptations of the prince of this world; instead, he could not save himself in order to save others precisely because he gave his life for us, for every one of us. To say: Jesus gave his life for the world is true, but it is better to say: Jesus gave his life for me. Today, in this Square, every one of us can say in our hearts: He gave his life for me, in order to save every one of us from our sins.
And who has understood this? One of the two thieves who were crucified with Him, the good thief, asked him: Jesus, remember me when you enter into your kingdom (Lk 23:42). He was a thief, he was corrupt and had been condemned to death because of all the bad things he had done in his lifetime, but he saw love in Jesus' attitude, in the meekness of his love. This is the strength of the kingdom of Christ: love. For this reason, the kingship of Jesus does not oppress us; rather it frees us from our weakness and suffering, encouraging us to walk the path of good, of reconciliation and of forgiveness. Let us look toward the cross of Jesus, let us look to the good thief and say together the words that were spoken by the good thief: Jesus, remember me when you enter into your kingdom. All together: Jesus, remember me when you enter into your kingdom. When we are weak, when we know that we are sinners, defeated, let us look to him and say: You are there. Don't forget me!
In the face of all the suffering in the world and far too many wounds in the flesh of mankind, let us ask the Virgin Mary to support us in our efforts to imitate Jesus, our king, making his kingdom present through gestures of tenderness, understanding and mercy.
Following the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:
Yesterday in Barcelona, Federico da Berga and twenty-five of his companions who had been martyred, killed in Spain during the ferocious persecution against the Church during the last century, were beatified. They were priests, some who were newly-professed and awaiting ordination and lay brothers belonging to the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin. Let us entrust to their intercession all our brothers and sisters who unfortunately, even today, in various parts of the world, are persecuted because of their faith in Christ.
I greet you all, pilgrims from Italy and from various parts of the world: families, parish groups, associations. I especially greet those of you from Mexico, from Australia and from Paderborn (Germany). I greet the faithful from Avola, Mestre, Foggia, Pozzallo, Campagna and from Val di Non; and also the musical groups - which we have heard! - who are celebrating Saint Cecilia, the patroness of singing and of music. After the Angelus, let's hear you sing, because you sing very well!
Next Wednesday, I will begin the voyage to Africa, to visit Kenya, Uganda and the Central African Republic. I ask you all to pray for this trip, that it might be for all those, our beloved brothers and sisters, and also for me, a sign of closeness and love. Let us together ask Our Lady to bless these beloved lands, so that peace and prosperity might be known there.
Hail Mary ...
I wish you all a good Sunday. Please, don't forget to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch and good bye!
Greetings of His Holiness, Pope Francis
prior to the recitation of the Angelus
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
On this final Sunday of the liturgical year, we celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King, and today's gospel passage proposes a contemplation of Jesus as he is in the presence of Pilate as king of a kingdom that is not of this world (Jn 18:36). This does not mean that Jesus is king of another world, but that he is king in another sense, and yet he is king in this world. It is a matter of a juxtaposition of two types of logic. Worldly logic is based on ambition, competence, combat of weapons of fear, bribery and manipulation of consciences, while gospel logic, Jesus' logic is expressed in humility and gratitude. It is affirmed silently but effectively with the strength of truth. The kingdoms of this world are sometimes sustained by arrogance, rivalry and opposition; the kingdom of Christ is a kingdom of justice, love and peace.
When did Jesus reveal himself to be a king? In the event of the cross! Anyone who looks to the cross cannot help but see there the surprising gratitude of love. Someone among you might say: But Father, this was a failure! It is precisely in the failure of sin - sin is a failure - in the failure of human ambition, that we see the triumph of the cross, the gratitude of love. In the failure of the cross, we see love, the love that is free, that Jesus gives us. For Christians, to speak of power and strength means to refer to the power of the cross and the strength of Jesus' love: a love that remains solid and integral, even when it is met with rejection, which appears as the fulfillment of a life poured out in total offering of self for the benefit of humanity. On Calvary, the passers-by and the leaders derided Jesus who was nailed to the cross, throwing him a challenge: Save yourself, come down from the cross (Mk 15:30). Save yourself! Paradoxically, the truth is that Jesus is discovered in the challenge hurled at him by his adversaries: He cannot save himself! (Mk 15:31). If Jesus had come down from the cross, he would have given in to the temptations of the prince of this world; instead, he could not save himself in order to save others precisely because he gave his life for us, for every one of us. To say: Jesus gave his life for the world is true, but it is better to say: Jesus gave his life for me. Today, in this Square, every one of us can say in our hearts: He gave his life for me, in order to save every one of us from our sins.
And who has understood this? One of the two thieves who were crucified with Him, the good thief, asked him: Jesus, remember me when you enter into your kingdom (Lk 23:42). He was a thief, he was corrupt and had been condemned to death because of all the bad things he had done in his lifetime, but he saw love in Jesus' attitude, in the meekness of his love. This is the strength of the kingdom of Christ: love. For this reason, the kingship of Jesus does not oppress us; rather it frees us from our weakness and suffering, encouraging us to walk the path of good, of reconciliation and of forgiveness. Let us look toward the cross of Jesus, let us look to the good thief and say together the words that were spoken by the good thief: Jesus, remember me when you enter into your kingdom. All together: Jesus, remember me when you enter into your kingdom. When we are weak, when we know that we are sinners, defeated, let us look to him and say: You are there. Don't forget me!
In the face of all the suffering in the world and far too many wounds in the flesh of mankind, let us ask the Virgin Mary to support us in our efforts to imitate Jesus, our king, making his kingdom present through gestures of tenderness, understanding and mercy.
Following the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:
Yesterday in Barcelona, Federico da Berga and twenty-five of his companions who had been martyred, killed in Spain during the ferocious persecution against the Church during the last century, were beatified. They were priests, some who were newly-professed and awaiting ordination and lay brothers belonging to the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin. Let us entrust to their intercession all our brothers and sisters who unfortunately, even today, in various parts of the world, are persecuted because of their faith in Christ.
I greet you all, pilgrims from Italy and from various parts of the world: families, parish groups, associations. I especially greet those of you from Mexico, from Australia and from Paderborn (Germany). I greet the faithful from Avola, Mestre, Foggia, Pozzallo, Campagna and from Val di Non; and also the musical groups - which we have heard! - who are celebrating Saint Cecilia, the patroness of singing and of music. After the Angelus, let's hear you sing, because you sing very well!
Next Wednesday, I will begin the voyage to Africa, to visit Kenya, Uganda and the Central African Republic. I ask you all to pray for this trip, that it might be for all those, our beloved brothers and sisters, and also for me, a sign of closeness and love. Let us together ask Our Lady to bless these beloved lands, so that peace and prosperity might be known there.
Hail Mary ...
I wish you all a good Sunday. Please, don't forget to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch and good bye!
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