At 12:00 noon today in Rome (7:00am EDT), the Holy Father, Pope Francis appeared at the window of his study in the Vatican Apostolic Palace to recite the Angelus with pilgrims and the faithful who were gathered in Saint Peter's Square.
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
On this second Sunday of Lent, the liturgy invites us to contemplate the event of the Transfiguration, in which Jesus allowed the disciples Peter, James and John to have a foretaste of the glory of the Resurrection: a little patch of heaven on earth. The evangelist Luke (cf Lk 9:28-36) shows us Jesus transfigured on the mountain, which is the place of light, a fascinating symbol of the unique experience reserved for the three disciples. They climb up the mountain with the Master, they see him plunging into prayer and at a certain point, his face changed its appearance (Lk 9:29). Accustomed to seeing him daily in the simple semblance of his humanity, when they saw that new splendor, which also enveloped his whole person, they were amazed. And along with Jesus, Moses and Elijah appeared, talking with him about his approaching exodus, which is to say, his death and resurrection. This was in anticipation of Easter. Then Peter exclaimed: Master, it is good for us to be here (Lk 9:33). He wanted that moment of grace never to end!
The Transfiguration takes place at a very precise moment in the mission of Christ, that is, after He confided to the disciples that he must suffer greatly, ... be killed and then rise on the third day (Lk 9:21). Jesus knows that they do not accept this reality - the reality of the cross, the reality of Jesus' death -, and so he wants to prepare them to bear the scandal of the passion and death of the cross, so that they will know that this is the way in which the heavenly Father will bring his Son to glory, raising him from the dead. And this will also be the path of the disciples: no one can enjoy eternal life except by following Jesus, bringing his own cross into earthly life. Each of us has his own cross. The Lord shows us the end of this journey which is the Resurrection, the beauty, that is the result of carrying our own cross.
Therefore, the Transfiguration of Christ shows us the Christian perspective of suffering. Suffering is not sadomasochism: it is a necessary but transitory passage. The point of arrival to which we are called is as luminous as the face of Christ transfigured: in him is salvation, bliss, light, God's love without limits. Showing his glory in this way, Jesus assures us that the cross, the trials, the difficulties with which we struggle find their solutions and are overcome in the fulfillment of Easter. Therefore, during this Lent, we too go up the mountain with Jesus! But how? With prayer. We climb the mountain with prayer: silent prayer, prayer of the heart, prayer that is always seeking the Lord. We remain some moments in recollection, every day a little bit, we fix our inner gaze on his face and let his light pervade and radiate in our lives.
In fact, the evangelist Luke insists that Jesus was transfigured while he was praying (Lk 9:29). He had immersed himself in an intimate conversation with the Father, in which also the Law and the Prophets - Moses and Elijah - resounded, and while he was united in the entirety of himself to the salvific will of the Father, including the cross, the glory of God invaded him, revealing itself also on the outside. Brothers and sisters: prayer in Christ and in the Holy Spirit transforms the person from within and can illuminate others and the surrounding world. How many times have we found people who shine, who radiate light from their eyes, who have that luminous look! They pray, and prayer does this: it makes us luminous with the light of the Holy Spirit.
Let us continue our Lenten journey with joy. Let us give space to prayer and to the Word of God, which the liturgy offers us abundantly in these days. The Virgin Mary teaches us to stay with Jesus even when we do not fully understand the experience. Because only by remaining with Him will we see his glory.
Following the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
In recent days, along with the suffering caused by wars and conflicts which are unceasingly afflicting all of humanity, we have now added the suffering endured by victims of the horrible attack that took place at two mosques in Christchurch (New Zealand). I am praying for those who have died, for the wounded and for their families. I am close to our Muslim brothers and to all of that community. I renew my invitation to unite ourselves with the prayer and with gestures of peace in contrast to hatred and violence. Let us pray together, in silence, for our Muslim brothers who were killed.
I offer a cordial greeting to all of you, here present: the faithful of Rome and those from many other parts of the world. I greet the pilgrims from Poland, those who have come from Valencia (Spain), and those from Cajazeiras (Brazil) and from Benguela (Angola). There are so many Angolians!
I greet the parish groups from Verona, Quarto di Napoli and Castel del Piano di Perugia; the gratuates from Corleone, the altar boys from Brembo in Dalmine and the Uno a Cento association from Padua.
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!
On this second Sunday of Lent, the liturgy invites us to contemplate the event of the Transfiguration, in which Jesus allowed the disciples Peter, James and John to have a foretaste of the glory of the Resurrection: a little patch of heaven on earth. The evangelist Luke (cf Lk 9:28-36) shows us Jesus transfigured on the mountain, which is the place of light, a fascinating symbol of the unique experience reserved for the three disciples. They climb up the mountain with the Master, they see him plunging into prayer and at a certain point, his face changed its appearance (Lk 9:29). Accustomed to seeing him daily in the simple semblance of his humanity, when they saw that new splendor, which also enveloped his whole person, they were amazed. And along with Jesus, Moses and Elijah appeared, talking with him about his approaching exodus, which is to say, his death and resurrection. This was in anticipation of Easter. Then Peter exclaimed: Master, it is good for us to be here (Lk 9:33). He wanted that moment of grace never to end!
The Transfiguration takes place at a very precise moment in the mission of Christ, that is, after He confided to the disciples that he must suffer greatly, ... be killed and then rise on the third day (Lk 9:21). Jesus knows that they do not accept this reality - the reality of the cross, the reality of Jesus' death -, and so he wants to prepare them to bear the scandal of the passion and death of the cross, so that they will know that this is the way in which the heavenly Father will bring his Son to glory, raising him from the dead. And this will also be the path of the disciples: no one can enjoy eternal life except by following Jesus, bringing his own cross into earthly life. Each of us has his own cross. The Lord shows us the end of this journey which is the Resurrection, the beauty, that is the result of carrying our own cross.
Therefore, the Transfiguration of Christ shows us the Christian perspective of suffering. Suffering is not sadomasochism: it is a necessary but transitory passage. The point of arrival to which we are called is as luminous as the face of Christ transfigured: in him is salvation, bliss, light, God's love without limits. Showing his glory in this way, Jesus assures us that the cross, the trials, the difficulties with which we struggle find their solutions and are overcome in the fulfillment of Easter. Therefore, during this Lent, we too go up the mountain with Jesus! But how? With prayer. We climb the mountain with prayer: silent prayer, prayer of the heart, prayer that is always seeking the Lord. We remain some moments in recollection, every day a little bit, we fix our inner gaze on his face and let his light pervade and radiate in our lives.
In fact, the evangelist Luke insists that Jesus was transfigured while he was praying (Lk 9:29). He had immersed himself in an intimate conversation with the Father, in which also the Law and the Prophets - Moses and Elijah - resounded, and while he was united in the entirety of himself to the salvific will of the Father, including the cross, the glory of God invaded him, revealing itself also on the outside. Brothers and sisters: prayer in Christ and in the Holy Spirit transforms the person from within and can illuminate others and the surrounding world. How many times have we found people who shine, who radiate light from their eyes, who have that luminous look! They pray, and prayer does this: it makes us luminous with the light of the Holy Spirit.
Let us continue our Lenten journey with joy. Let us give space to prayer and to the Word of God, which the liturgy offers us abundantly in these days. The Virgin Mary teaches us to stay with Jesus even when we do not fully understand the experience. Because only by remaining with Him will we see his glory.
Following the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
In recent days, along with the suffering caused by wars and conflicts which are unceasingly afflicting all of humanity, we have now added the suffering endured by victims of the horrible attack that took place at two mosques in Christchurch (New Zealand). I am praying for those who have died, for the wounded and for their families. I am close to our Muslim brothers and to all of that community. I renew my invitation to unite ourselves with the prayer and with gestures of peace in contrast to hatred and violence. Let us pray together, in silence, for our Muslim brothers who were killed.
I offer a cordial greeting to all of you, here present: the faithful of Rome and those from many other parts of the world. I greet the pilgrims from Poland, those who have come from Valencia (Spain), and those from Cajazeiras (Brazil) and from Benguela (Angola). There are so many Angolians!
I greet the parish groups from Verona, Quarto di Napoli and Castel del Piano di Perugia; the gratuates from Corleone, the altar boys from Brembo in Dalmine and the Uno a Cento association from Padua.
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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