At noon today (6:00am EDT), 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!
In today's gospel passage (cf Mk 8:27-35), the question that permeates the entire Gospel of Mark returns: who is Jesus? But this time it is Jesus himself who places it before the disciples, gradually helping them to face the question of his identity. Before asking the Twelve directly, Jesus wants to hear from them what people think of him - and he knows very well that the disciples are very sensitive to the popularity of their Master! So he asks: Who do people say I am? (Mk 8:27). It emerges that Jesus is considered by the people to be a great prophet. But, in reality, he is not interested in polls and people's gossip. He does not even accept that his disciples answer his questions with pre-packaged formulas, citing famous people from the Holy Scriptures, because a faith reduced to formulas is a short-sighted faith.
The Lord wants his disciples of yesterday and today to establish a personal relationship with Him, and to welcome him into the centre of their lives. This is why he urges them to ask themselves this question in all truth; he asks: But you, who do you say that I am? (Mk 8:29). Today, Jesus poses this request so directly and confidentially to each of us: You, who do you say I am? Who do you say that I am? Who am I for you? Everyone is called to respond in his heart, letting himself or herself be illuminated by the light that the Father gives us to know his Son Jesus. And it can happen that we, like Peter, enthusiastically affirm: You are the Christ. But when Jesus tells us clearly what he said to the disciples, namely that his mission is accomplished not in the broad road of success, but in the arduous path of the suffering, humiliated, rejected and crucified Servant, then it can also happen to us, like Peter, that we protest and rebel because this contrasts with our expectations, with worldly expectations. In those moments, we too deserve the healthy reproof of Jesus: Get behind me, Satan! Because you are not thinking according to God, but according to human thinking (Mk 8:33).
Brothers and sisters, our profession of faith in Jesus Christ can not stop at words, but begs to be authenticated by choices and concrete gestures, by a life marked by the love of God, by a great life, by a life with so much love for others. Jesus tells us that in order to follow him, to be his disciples, we must deny ourselves (cf Mk 8:34), that is, the claims of our own selfish pride, and take up our own cross. Then it gives everyone a fundamental rule. And what is this rule? Whoever wants to save his life will lose it. Often in life, for many reasons, we are the wrong way round, looking for happiness only in things, or in the people we treat like things. But we find happiness only when love, real love, meets us, surprises us, changes us. Love changes everything! And love can change us too, each of us. The testimonies of the saints demonstrate this to be true.
May the Virgin Mary, who spent her life faithfully following her Son Jesus, also help us to walk along his paths, generously giving our lives for Him and for our brothers and sisters.
After the recitation the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
Yesterday I went on an Apostolic Visit to Piazza Armerina and to Palermo (Sicily) on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the death of Blessed Pino Puglisi (applause). A round of applause for Don Pino! I sincerely thank the civil and ecclesiastical authorities and all the people who helped make this journey possible. I thank the good pilots of the plane and the helicopter. I thank especially the dear bishops Rosario Gisana and Corrado Lorefice for their excellent pastoral service. I thank the young people, the families and all the wonderful people of the beautiful land of Sicily, for their warm welcome. May the example and testimony of Don Puglisi continue to enlighten all of us and to give us confirmation that good is stronger than evil, love is stronger than hatred. May the Lord bless you Sicilians and your land! Let us applaud all the Sicilians!
Dear brothers and sisters, I affectionately greet all of you, Romans and pilgrims from various countries: families, parish groups and associations.
I greet those who are participating in the Missio Giovani gathering sponsored by the Pontifical Missions and I encourage you to be witnesses of the merciful love of Jesus.
I greet the Latin teachers and the students from the Corderius College in Amersfoort: Valete dilectissimi! (Greetings, beloved ones)
I greet the recently Confirmed children from Marsan (Vicenza) and the Swiss musicians from Oron-la-Ville. I also see a large group from Nicaragua. Hello to all of you!
Today, two days after the Feast of the Holy Cross, I thought that I would give a crucifix to each of you who are here in the square. Here it is (he shows them a crucifix). The crucifix is the sign of God's love, which in Jesus gave his life for us. I invite you to welcome this gift and take it into your homes, your children's room, or your grandparents room ..., in any part of the house, but in the house. It is not an ornamental object, but a religious sign to contemplate and with which to pray. Looking at Jesus crucified, we see our salvation. You do not have to pay anything. If someone tells you that you have to pay, they are playing a joke! Nothing! This is a gift from the Pope. I thank the sisters, the poor and the refugees who will now distribute this gift; it is small but precious! As always, faith comes from little things, from humble things.
I wish you all a good Sunday. 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!
In today's gospel passage (cf Mk 8:27-35), the question that permeates the entire Gospel of Mark returns: who is Jesus? But this time it is Jesus himself who places it before the disciples, gradually helping them to face the question of his identity. Before asking the Twelve directly, Jesus wants to hear from them what people think of him - and he knows very well that the disciples are very sensitive to the popularity of their Master! So he asks: Who do people say I am? (Mk 8:27). It emerges that Jesus is considered by the people to be a great prophet. But, in reality, he is not interested in polls and people's gossip. He does not even accept that his disciples answer his questions with pre-packaged formulas, citing famous people from the Holy Scriptures, because a faith reduced to formulas is a short-sighted faith.
The Lord wants his disciples of yesterday and today to establish a personal relationship with Him, and to welcome him into the centre of their lives. This is why he urges them to ask themselves this question in all truth; he asks: But you, who do you say that I am? (Mk 8:29). Today, Jesus poses this request so directly and confidentially to each of us: You, who do you say I am? Who do you say that I am? Who am I for you? Everyone is called to respond in his heart, letting himself or herself be illuminated by the light that the Father gives us to know his Son Jesus. And it can happen that we, like Peter, enthusiastically affirm: You are the Christ. But when Jesus tells us clearly what he said to the disciples, namely that his mission is accomplished not in the broad road of success, but in the arduous path of the suffering, humiliated, rejected and crucified Servant, then it can also happen to us, like Peter, that we protest and rebel because this contrasts with our expectations, with worldly expectations. In those moments, we too deserve the healthy reproof of Jesus: Get behind me, Satan! Because you are not thinking according to God, but according to human thinking (Mk 8:33).
Brothers and sisters, our profession of faith in Jesus Christ can not stop at words, but begs to be authenticated by choices and concrete gestures, by a life marked by the love of God, by a great life, by a life with so much love for others. Jesus tells us that in order to follow him, to be his disciples, we must deny ourselves (cf Mk 8:34), that is, the claims of our own selfish pride, and take up our own cross. Then it gives everyone a fundamental rule. And what is this rule? Whoever wants to save his life will lose it. Often in life, for many reasons, we are the wrong way round, looking for happiness only in things, or in the people we treat like things. But we find happiness only when love, real love, meets us, surprises us, changes us. Love changes everything! And love can change us too, each of us. The testimonies of the saints demonstrate this to be true.
May the Virgin Mary, who spent her life faithfully following her Son Jesus, also help us to walk along his paths, generously giving our lives for Him and for our brothers and sisters.
After the recitation the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
Yesterday I went on an Apostolic Visit to Piazza Armerina and to Palermo (Sicily) on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the death of Blessed Pino Puglisi (applause). A round of applause for Don Pino! I sincerely thank the civil and ecclesiastical authorities and all the people who helped make this journey possible. I thank the good pilots of the plane and the helicopter. I thank especially the dear bishops Rosario Gisana and Corrado Lorefice for their excellent pastoral service. I thank the young people, the families and all the wonderful people of the beautiful land of Sicily, for their warm welcome. May the example and testimony of Don Puglisi continue to enlighten all of us and to give us confirmation that good is stronger than evil, love is stronger than hatred. May the Lord bless you Sicilians and your land! Let us applaud all the Sicilians!
Dear brothers and sisters, I affectionately greet all of you, Romans and pilgrims from various countries: families, parish groups and associations.
I greet those who are participating in the Missio Giovani gathering sponsored by the Pontifical Missions and I encourage you to be witnesses of the merciful love of Jesus.
I greet the Latin teachers and the students from the Corderius College in Amersfoort: Valete dilectissimi! (Greetings, beloved ones)
I greet the recently Confirmed children from Marsan (Vicenza) and the Swiss musicians from Oron-la-Ville. I also see a large group from Nicaragua. Hello to all of you!
Today, two days after the Feast of the Holy Cross, I thought that I would give a crucifix to each of you who are here in the square. Here it is (he shows them a crucifix). The crucifix is the sign of God's love, which in Jesus gave his life for us. I invite you to welcome this gift and take it into your homes, your children's room, or your grandparents room ..., in any part of the house, but in the house. It is not an ornamental object, but a religious sign to contemplate and with which to pray. Looking at Jesus crucified, we see our salvation. You do not have to pay anything. If someone tells you that you have to pay, they are playing a joke! Nothing! This is a gift from the Pope. I thank the sisters, the poor and the refugees who will now distribute this gift; it is small but precious! As always, faith comes from little things, from humble things.
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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