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 people who are busy burying the dead during this pandemic. It is one of the works of mercy to bury the dead and of course it is not a pleasant thing. Let us pray for them, who are putting their lives at risk of being infected.
On several occasions, and especially during his farewell discourse with the apostles, Jesus spoke about the world (cf Jn 15: 18-21). And here he says: If the world hates you, know that it hated me before you (Jn 15: 18). He clearly speaks of the hatred that the world has had towards Jesus and will have towards us. And in the prayer he offers at the table with the disciples at the Supper, he asks the Father not to remove them from the world, but to defend them from the spirit of the world (cf Jn 17:15).
I think we can ask ourselves: what is the spirit of the world? What is this worldliness that is capable of hating, of destroying Jesus and his disciples, or rather of corrupting them and corrupting the Church? How can we understand is the spirit of the world, what is this, it will do us good to think about it. It is a life proposition, worldliness. But someone thinks that worldliness is a matter of partying, to live as if we are on holidays ... No, no. Worldliness may be this, but it is not fundamentally this.
Worldliness is a culture; it is a culture of the ephemeral, a culture of appearing, of make-up, a culture of today yes tomorrow no, tomorrow yes and today no. It has superficial values. A culture that knows no fidelity, because it changes according to the circumstances, negotiates everything. This is worldly culture, the culture of worldliness. And Jesus insists on defending us from this and prays for the Father to defend us from this culture of worldliness. It is a throwaway culture, according to what is convenient. It is a culture without loyalty, it has no roots. But it is a way of life, a way of life also for many who call themselves Christians. They are Christians but they are worldly.
In the parable of the seed that falls to the earth, Jesus says that the worries of the world - that is, of worldliness - suffocate the Word of God, do not let it grow (cf Lk 8: 7). And Paul, in his letter to the Galatians says: You were slaves to the world, to worldliness (cf Gal 4: 3). It always strikes me when I read the last pages of Father de Lubac's book: The meditations on the Church (cf Henri de Lubac, Meditations on the Church, Milan 1955), the last three pages, where he speaks precisely of spiritual worldliness. And he says it is the worst of the evils that can happen to the Church; and he does not exaggerate, because then he points out some evils that are terrible, and this is the worst: spiritual worldliness, because it is a hermeneutic of life, it is a way of life; also a way of living Christianity. And to survive before the preaching of the Gospel, the worldly person hates, he kills.
When it is said of the martyrs who are killed in hatred of the faith, yes, really for some the hatred was rooted in a theological problem; but they weren't the majority. In the majority of the cases it is worldliness that hates the faith and kills them, as it did with Jesus.
It is curious: worldliness, someone can say to me: But father, this is a superficiality of life ... Let's not fool ourselves! Social life is not superficial at all! It has deep roots, deep roots. It is chameleon-like, it changes, it comes and goes according to circumstances, but the substance is the same: a proposal of life that enters everywhere, even in the Church. Worldliness, worldly hermeneutics, make-up, everything is done to make it so.
The apostle Paul came to Athens, and was impressed when he saw many monuments to the gods in the Areopagus. And he thought about talking about this: You are a religious people, I see this ... My attention is drawn to that altar to the 'unknown god'. I know this and I have come to tell you who it is. And he began to preach the gospel. But when he came to the cross and resurrection they were scandalized and went away (cf Acts 17: 22-33). There is one thing that worldliness does not tolerate: the scandal of the Cross. Worldliness does not tolerate it. And the only medicine against the spirit of worldliness is Christ who died and rose for us, scandal and foolishness (cf 1 Cor 1:23).
This is why when the apostle John in his first letter deals with the theme of the world he says: The victory that has overcome the world is our faith (1 Jn 5: 4). The only reason for this victory: faith in Jesus Christ, who died and who is risen. And that doesn't mean being fanatic. This does not mean neglecting opportunities to have dialogue with all people, no, but with the conviction of faith, starting with the scandal of the Cross, the foolishness of Christ and also the victory of Christ. This is our victory, says John, our faith.
In the last days, even in the novena to the Holy Spirit, in the last days of Easter time, let us ask the Holy Spirit for the grace to discern what worldliness is and what the Gospel is, and do not be deceived, because the world hates us, the world hated Jesus and Jesus prayed that the Father would defend us from the spirit of the world (cf Jn 17: 15).
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.
Testo originale nella lingua italiana
Texto en español
Greetings of His Holiness, Pope Francis
prior to the celebration of the Mass
Let us pray today for people who are busy burying the dead during this pandemic. It is one of the works of mercy to bury the dead and of course it is not a pleasant thing. Let us pray for them, who are putting their lives at risk of being infected.
Homily of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
during the Mass celebrated on 16 May 2020
On several occasions, and especially during his farewell discourse with the apostles, Jesus spoke about the world (cf Jn 15: 18-21). And here he says: If the world hates you, know that it hated me before you (Jn 15: 18). He clearly speaks of the hatred that the world has had towards Jesus and will have towards us. And in the prayer he offers at the table with the disciples at the Supper, he asks the Father not to remove them from the world, but to defend them from the spirit of the world (cf Jn 17:15).
I think we can ask ourselves: what is the spirit of the world? What is this worldliness that is capable of hating, of destroying Jesus and his disciples, or rather of corrupting them and corrupting the Church? How can we understand is the spirit of the world, what is this, it will do us good to think about it. It is a life proposition, worldliness. But someone thinks that worldliness is a matter of partying, to live as if we are on holidays ... No, no. Worldliness may be this, but it is not fundamentally this.
Worldliness is a culture; it is a culture of the ephemeral, a culture of appearing, of make-up, a culture of today yes tomorrow no, tomorrow yes and today no. It has superficial values. A culture that knows no fidelity, because it changes according to the circumstances, negotiates everything. This is worldly culture, the culture of worldliness. And Jesus insists on defending us from this and prays for the Father to defend us from this culture of worldliness. It is a throwaway culture, according to what is convenient. It is a culture without loyalty, it has no roots. But it is a way of life, a way of life also for many who call themselves Christians. They are Christians but they are worldly.
In the parable of the seed that falls to the earth, Jesus says that the worries of the world - that is, of worldliness - suffocate the Word of God, do not let it grow (cf Lk 8: 7). And Paul, in his letter to the Galatians says: You were slaves to the world, to worldliness (cf Gal 4: 3). It always strikes me when I read the last pages of Father de Lubac's book: The meditations on the Church (cf Henri de Lubac, Meditations on the Church, Milan 1955), the last three pages, where he speaks precisely of spiritual worldliness. And he says it is the worst of the evils that can happen to the Church; and he does not exaggerate, because then he points out some evils that are terrible, and this is the worst: spiritual worldliness, because it is a hermeneutic of life, it is a way of life; also a way of living Christianity. And to survive before the preaching of the Gospel, the worldly person hates, he kills.
When it is said of the martyrs who are killed in hatred of the faith, yes, really for some the hatred was rooted in a theological problem; but they weren't the majority. In the majority of the cases it is worldliness that hates the faith and kills them, as it did with Jesus.
It is curious: worldliness, someone can say to me: But father, this is a superficiality of life ... Let's not fool ourselves! Social life is not superficial at all! It has deep roots, deep roots. It is chameleon-like, it changes, it comes and goes according to circumstances, but the substance is the same: a proposal of life that enters everywhere, even in the Church. Worldliness, worldly hermeneutics, make-up, everything is done to make it so.
The apostle Paul came to Athens, and was impressed when he saw many monuments to the gods in the Areopagus. And he thought about talking about this: You are a religious people, I see this ... My attention is drawn to that altar to the 'unknown god'. I know this and I have come to tell you who it is. And he began to preach the gospel. But when he came to the cross and resurrection they were scandalized and went away (cf Acts 17: 22-33). There is one thing that worldliness does not tolerate: the scandal of the Cross. Worldliness does not tolerate it. And the only medicine against the spirit of worldliness is Christ who died and rose for us, scandal and foolishness (cf 1 Cor 1:23).
This is why when the apostle John in his first letter deals with the theme of the world he says: The victory that has overcome the world is our faith (1 Jn 5: 4). The only reason for this victory: faith in Jesus Christ, who died and who is risen. And that doesn't mean being fanatic. This does not mean neglecting opportunities to have dialogue with all people, no, but with the conviction of faith, starting with the scandal of the Cross, the foolishness of Christ and also the victory of Christ. This is our victory, says John, our faith.
In the last days, even in the novena to the Holy Spirit, in the last days of Easter time, let us ask the Holy Spirit for the grace to discern what worldliness is and what the Gospel is, and do not be deceived, because the world hates us, the world hated Jesus and Jesus prayed that the Father would defend us from the spirit of the world (cf Jn 17: 15).
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.
Testo originale nella lingua italiana
Texto en español
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