At 7:00am local time this morning (1:00am EDT), the Holy Father, Pope Francis celebrated Mass inside the chapel at the Casa Santa Marta.
Let us pray today for students, children who are studying, and teachers who have to find new methods to continue with their teaching: may the Lord help them in this journey, give them courage and also help them to succeed.
The Lord returns to the words remain in Me, and says: Christian life is remaining in me. Remain. And here, he uses the image of the vine, how the branches remain as part of the vine (cf Jn 15: 1-8). And this remaining is not a matter of passive remaining, allowing ourselves to be unconsciously part of the Lord as though we are sleeping: as though it were a beautiful dream, but this is not the case. This remaining is active, and it is also a mutual matter of remaining. Why? Because He says: Remain in me and I in you (Jn 15: 4). He too remains in us, it is not only a matter of us remaining in Him. It is a mutual matter of remaining. In another part of the gospel, he says: the Father and I 'will come to him and take up our residence with him' (Jn 14: 23). This is a mystery, a mystery of life, a beautiful mystery. This will always remain mutual. Even ith the example of the branches: it is true, without the vine, the branches can do nothing because the sap cannot be provided; they need the sap in order to grow and to bear fruit; but the tree too, the vine needs the branches because the fruit is not attached to the tree; and the same is true of the vine. It is a mutual need, both must remain in order to bear fruit.
And this is the Christian life. True, the Christian life is a matter of fulfilling the commandments (cf Ex 20.1-11), this must be done. Christian life is about walking on the path of the Beatitudes (cf Mt 5: 1-13), this must be done. Christian life is a matter of carrying on the works of mercy, as the Lord teaches us in the Gospel (cf Mt 25: 35-36), and this must be done. But even more: it is a matter of reciprocal remaining. Without Jesus, we cannot do anything, like branches cannot live without the vine. And He - may the Lord allow me to say - without us it seems that he cannot do anything, because the fruit comes from the branch, not the tree, the vine. In this community, in this intimacy of remaining which is fruitful, may the Father and Jesus remain in me and I remain in them.
What is - it occurs to me to say - the need for the vine, for the tree to have branches? It is so that the vine can bear fruit. What is the need - let's say it, a little boldly - what is the need that Jesus has of us? To be witnesses. When, in the Gospel, he says that we are light, he says: Be light, so that men may see your good works and give glory to your Father (Mt 5: 16). That is to say: our testimony is the need that Jesus has of us. We need to give testimony of his name, because faith, the Gospel grows through the giving of testimony. This is a mysterious thing: Jesus, who is also glorified in heaven, having endured the Passion, needs our testimony to grow; he must be proclaimed in order for the Church to grow. And this is the mutual mystery of remaining. He, the Father and the Spirit remain in us, and we remain in Jesus.
It will do us good to think, to reflect on this: remaining in Jesus, and Jesus remaining in us. To remain in Jesus: to have the sap, the strength, to have justification, gratuitousness, to have fruitfulness. And He remains in us to give us the strength to bear fruit (cf Jn 5: 15), to give us the strength of the testimony with which the Church grows.
There is a question I ask myself: how is the relationship between Jesus who remains in me and me who remains in him? Is it a relationship of intimacy, a mystical relationship, a relationship without words? Ah Father, but this is something that mystics do! No, this is for all of us! With small thoughts: Lord, I know that You are here - in me: give me strength and I will do whatever You tell me. That dialogue of intimacy with the Lord. The Lord is present, the Lord is present in us, the Father is present in us, the Spirit is present in us; they remain in us. But I have to remain in them ...
May the Lord help us to understand, to feel this mystique of remaining in Him, something on which Jesus insists so much, so much, so much. Many times we, when we talk about the vine and the branches, we stop at the figure, the profession of the farmer, of the Father: the one who looks for the branches that bear fruit, the one who prunes those branches, the one who takes away the branches that do not bear fruit (cf Jn 15: 1-2). True, he does this, but that's not all, no. There is more. This is the help: the trials, the difficulties of life, even the corrections that the Lord makes within us. But let's not stop there. Between the vine and the branches there is this staying intimately connected. The branches, we, need the sap, and the vine needs the fruit, the testimony of our lives.
My Jesus, I believe that you are truly present in the Blessed Sacrament of the altar. I love you above all things and I desire you in my soul. Since I cannot receive You sacramentally now, at least spiritually come to my heart. As you have already come, I embrace you and I join myself to you. Do not let me ever be separated from you. Amen.
A Tes pieds, ô mon Jésus, je me prosterne et je T'offre le repentir de mon cœur contrit qui demeure dans son néant et en Ta sainte présence. Je t'adore dans le Sacrement de Ton amour, l'ineffable Eucharistie. Je désire te recevoir dans la pauvre demeure que mon cœur t'offre. Dans l'attente du bonheur de la communion sacramentelle, je veux te posséder en esprit. Viens à moi, ô mon Jésus, que je vienne à Toi. Que Ton amour enflamme tout mon être, pour la vie et pour la mort. Je crois en toi, j'espère en toi, je t'aime. Ainsi soit-il.
Ai tuoi piedi, o mio Gesù, mi prostro e ti offro il pentimento del mio cuore contrito che si abissa nel suo nulla e nella tua santa presenza. Ti adoro nel sacramento del Tuo amore, l’Eucaristia. Desidero riceverti nella povera dimora che ti offre il mio cuore; in attesa della felicità della comunione sacramentale voglio possederti in spirito. Vieni a me, o mio Gesù, che io vengo da Te. Possa il tuo amore infiammare tutto il mio essere per la vita e per la morte. Credo in Te, spero in Te, ti amo. Cosi sia.
Greetings of His Holiness, Pope Francis
prior to the celebration of the Mass
Let us pray today for students, children who are studying, and teachers who have to find new methods to continue with their teaching: may the Lord help them in this journey, give them courage and also help them to succeed.
Homily of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
during the Mass celebrated on 13 May 2020
The Lord returns to the words remain in Me, and says: Christian life is remaining in me. Remain. And here, he uses the image of the vine, how the branches remain as part of the vine (cf Jn 15: 1-8). And this remaining is not a matter of passive remaining, allowing ourselves to be unconsciously part of the Lord as though we are sleeping: as though it were a beautiful dream, but this is not the case. This remaining is active, and it is also a mutual matter of remaining. Why? Because He says: Remain in me and I in you (Jn 15: 4). He too remains in us, it is not only a matter of us remaining in Him. It is a mutual matter of remaining. In another part of the gospel, he says: the Father and I 'will come to him and take up our residence with him' (Jn 14: 23). This is a mystery, a mystery of life, a beautiful mystery. This will always remain mutual. Even ith the example of the branches: it is true, without the vine, the branches can do nothing because the sap cannot be provided; they need the sap in order to grow and to bear fruit; but the tree too, the vine needs the branches because the fruit is not attached to the tree; and the same is true of the vine. It is a mutual need, both must remain in order to bear fruit.
And this is the Christian life. True, the Christian life is a matter of fulfilling the commandments (cf Ex 20.1-11), this must be done. Christian life is about walking on the path of the Beatitudes (cf Mt 5: 1-13), this must be done. Christian life is a matter of carrying on the works of mercy, as the Lord teaches us in the Gospel (cf Mt 25: 35-36), and this must be done. But even more: it is a matter of reciprocal remaining. Without Jesus, we cannot do anything, like branches cannot live without the vine. And He - may the Lord allow me to say - without us it seems that he cannot do anything, because the fruit comes from the branch, not the tree, the vine. In this community, in this intimacy of remaining which is fruitful, may the Father and Jesus remain in me and I remain in them.
What is - it occurs to me to say - the need for the vine, for the tree to have branches? It is so that the vine can bear fruit. What is the need - let's say it, a little boldly - what is the need that Jesus has of us? To be witnesses. When, in the Gospel, he says that we are light, he says: Be light, so that men may see your good works and give glory to your Father (Mt 5: 16). That is to say: our testimony is the need that Jesus has of us. We need to give testimony of his name, because faith, the Gospel grows through the giving of testimony. This is a mysterious thing: Jesus, who is also glorified in heaven, having endured the Passion, needs our testimony to grow; he must be proclaimed in order for the Church to grow. And this is the mutual mystery of remaining. He, the Father and the Spirit remain in us, and we remain in Jesus.
It will do us good to think, to reflect on this: remaining in Jesus, and Jesus remaining in us. To remain in Jesus: to have the sap, the strength, to have justification, gratuitousness, to have fruitfulness. And He remains in us to give us the strength to bear fruit (cf Jn 5: 15), to give us the strength of the testimony with which the Church grows.
There is a question I ask myself: how is the relationship between Jesus who remains in me and me who remains in him? Is it a relationship of intimacy, a mystical relationship, a relationship without words? Ah Father, but this is something that mystics do! No, this is for all of us! With small thoughts: Lord, I know that You are here - in me: give me strength and I will do whatever You tell me. That dialogue of intimacy with the Lord. The Lord is present, the Lord is present in us, the Father is present in us, the Spirit is present in us; they remain in us. But I have to remain in them ...
May the Lord help us to understand, to feel this mystique of remaining in Him, something on which Jesus insists so much, so much, so much. Many times we, when we talk about the vine and the branches, we stop at the figure, the profession of the farmer, of the Father: the one who looks for the branches that bear fruit, the one who prunes those branches, the one who takes away the branches that do not bear fruit (cf Jn 15: 1-2). True, he does this, but that's not all, no. There is more. This is the help: the trials, the difficulties of life, even the corrections that the Lord makes within us. But let's not stop there. Between the vine and the branches there is this staying intimately connected. The branches, we, need the sap, and the vine needs the fruit, the testimony of our lives.
Prayer to make a spiritual communion
My Jesus, I believe that you are truly present in the Blessed Sacrament of the altar. I love you above all things and I desire you in my soul. Since I cannot receive You sacramentally now, at least spiritually come to my heart. As you have already come, I embrace you and I join myself to you. Do not let me ever be separated from you. Amen.
A Tes pieds, ô mon Jésus, je me prosterne et je T'offre le repentir de mon cœur contrit qui demeure dans son néant et en Ta sainte présence. Je t'adore dans le Sacrement de Ton amour, l'ineffable Eucharistie. Je désire te recevoir dans la pauvre demeure que mon cœur t'offre. Dans l'attente du bonheur de la communion sacramentelle, je veux te posséder en esprit. Viens à moi, ô mon Jésus, que je vienne à Toi. Que Ton amour enflamme tout mon être, pour la vie et pour la mort. Je crois en toi, j'espère en toi, je t'aime. Ainsi soit-il.
Ai tuoi piedi, o mio Gesù, mi prostro e ti offro il pentimento del mio cuore contrito che si abissa nel suo nulla e nella tua santa presenza. Ti adoro nel sacramento del Tuo amore, l’Eucaristia. Desidero riceverti nella povera dimora che ti offre il mio cuore; in attesa della felicità della comunione sacramentale voglio possederti in spirito. Vieni a me, o mio Gesù, che io vengo da Te. Possa il tuo amore infiammare tutto il mio essere per la vita e per la morte. Credo in Te, spero in Te, ti amo. Cosi sia.
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