The manna

 

EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B

https://justmehomely.wordpress.com/2012/06/16/eighteenth-sunday-in-ordinary-time-year-b/

EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B

Ex 16:2-4,12-15; Eph 4:17,20-24; John 6:24-35

A friend of mine sent me a text message like this: “Three stupid stages of human life: 1) Teenage life – you have time and energy but have no money; 2) Working life – you have money and energy but have no time; 3) Old age life – you have time and money but have no energy.”

Last Sunday’s gospel, we read about the way Jesus fed a very large crowd of people with very limited resources, only five loaves and two fish. Everyone had their needs met. After that, Jesus and His disciples crossed Lake Galilee. And today’s gospel tells us what happened after. The people followed Jesus across the lake. When they met Him, as expected, there reaction was: “Let us make Jesus our political leader so that we can eat well everyday and in order for us to have a supplier of our needs.” However, Jesus tells them frankly that they did not follow Him because they believe that He is the Messiah, the Son of the living God and they intend to grow spiritually. But because they merely want more food to eat, they want their food security be assured.

The next part of the gospel confirms this. They ask Jesus to act like Moses and to do again what Moses did to their ancestors, to give them more bread to eat. If Jesus does this, they will believe in Him.  But then Jesus surprises them by saying: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst,” (v. 35).

Actually, their request is legitimate. It is because Psychologists speak about the three levels of human nature. First, we are physical creatures with sensual gratifications, like eating, drinking, sex, which need to be satisfied. That is why we hunger for hundred of things; physical hunger which only food can satisfy. You cannot reason out with a hungry belly, for it has no ears.

Second, we are psychological beings, capable of using our minds, feelings and imagination. Our motivations are the need for love, self-respect, fame, esteem. That is why we hunger for feelings of importance, for nobody wants nobody, we hunger for relationships, for without them we are like a lone tree on the top of the hill at the mercy of every wind that blows. We hunger for faith, for faith is better company than imagination, even for the wife whose husband fails to return on time. We hunger for hope; take way hope from human heart, and you make a person a beast of prey. We hunger for love, especially in cold climate. Isn’t it why so many want to run for political positions?

But there is a third level. We are also spiritual beings having souls, hungering for beauty, truth, wisdom, and eternal fulfillment. That is why we are hunger, a deeper one, that underlies all our other hungers, and that is the hunger for the bread of eternal life, which is the hunger for God. “Don’t work for the food that perishes but work for the food of eternal life,” Christ admonishes.

Obviously, He does not mean we shouldn’t work anymore, or indulge in socials and recreation or fend for material security. What He’s saying is that we should not forget or neglect an equally important need in our life, the spiritual.

The trouble with a good number of us is that we’re so preoccupied with our material needs, our pursuit for fame and more wealth that we overlook our spiritual need. But the need for God is very real. Just like what happened to Fr. Freddie Paulo, a classmate and a friend of mine, when he met an accident. The first word that came out from his mouth was not to ask his father to help him or he was thinking of the amount of money to incur when he will be hospitalized or his bank account but the word, “My Lord and my God.” He was thinking of God. He desperately prayed to survive.

Just like Tom Philips, at the age of forty, was the president of a large company in Massachusetts in the USA. He had a Mercedes Benz, a beautiful home, and a lovely family. But Tom was not happy. Something was missing from his life and did not what it was. Then one night during his trip to New York, something happened to him. Tom had a religious experience that changed him forever. Speaking of that experience he said: ‘I saw what was missing in my life. It was Jesus Christ.” That is why Jesus said: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst,” (v. 35).

Jesus is the Bread of Life found in the Word of God. That is why the Bible is the greatest traveler all over the world; it penetrates every country, civilized and uncivilized in order to fill our hungry hearts.

Of course, Jesus, the Bread of Life, found in the Eucharist, the Sacrament of sacraments. Jesus decided to hide inside of bread with all his power and become the food of the souls of his followers. It is in the Eucharist does God give us as food which is a gesture of His love. Jesus Christ as our Eucharistic food nourishes and strengthens us. Not by making us less human, but by making us more courageous. Not by eliminating temptation but by making us stronger to say “No” to steal, to lie, to drink and to sin. Not by making life soft but by giving us the courage to fight hard. Not by giving us a different nature but by elevating the nature which we have.

In some Middle East countries, as one priest said, where Filipino Christian Catholics work as contract workers, they secretly arrange “underground” Masses and receive Communion often at the risk of being caught and punished. Why do they do this? It could be due to the deprivation of the sacrament which makes it more desirable. But it cannot be denied that there is within each person a human craving for a deeper satisfaction, for a more lasting food. And this food the Lord has been giving us in the sacrament of the Eucharist.

In the past, so many people, especially young people are going crazy with this F4 (Flower Four) Taiwanese band because of this popular television show entitled Meteor Garden by which they are the main characters. But I would rather give you another F4 which has a big connection with this bread of life which is Jesus himself. This F4 is no other than: Forget your vices, foolishness and return to God, Forgive the wrongdoings and sins of others, Forego with your holiness by your prayers and service for God and others and For God, that it, focus and offer everything to God. May these powers of F4 always be our bread of life too.

Hello!

 

Sea Pig (Sea ​​depths I believe)

 

Sieger Kòder - The good shepherd

 

SIXTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR B)

 https://justmehomely.wordpress.com/2012/06/16/sixteenth-sunday-in-ordinary-time-year-b/

SIXTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR B)

Jer. 23:1-6; Eph 2:13-18; Mk 6:30-34

Willi Hoffsuemmer tells a story about a child talking to her mother in this way: “Mommy, please play with me.” “I can’t,” said the mother.

“Why can’t you play with me?” “It is because I don’t have time.”

“Why don’t you have time?” “It is because I got to go to work.”

“Why do you have to go to work?” “So I can earn some money.”

“Why do you want to earn money?” “So I can give you something to eat.”

Here there was a short pause. Then the child said, “But mommy I am not hungry.”

The truth is, works, businesses and others, supposed to give us the living and the meaning of our life and self. But how many of our brothers and sisters become slaves to work and workaholic? Instead of, we as the masters of our work, we become now the slaves of it. Work becomes god if it steals the time for our family, friends, God and others. It is now our work that we worship instead of the true God. It is becoming difficult to rest on Sundays and find time to pray because we use it for our work. Such thing leaves us no time to seek God’s love. God is love and to deny our love ones of our valuable time is in a way denying our Creator.So my dear friends, we need to rest. It is necessary that we have to have an R and R (Rest and Recreation or Retreat and Recollection) with our family, friends and others. Personally, I would rather not allow a father or a mother to go and work abroad. It is because their family is the one affected since the members of the family, especially the children, are robbed of the time that supposed to be is for them. Psychologically, a growing child is in need of a mother or a father figure.

Last July 16, 2009 at past six o’clock in the evening, there was an attempt to rob the convent of Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Fatima, General Santos City by three young boys (ages 12-14 years old). They destroyed the jalousie window of Fr. Rene Dasilao’s room. And only one blade of the jalousie was destroyed but they were able to get the bender of Fr. Rene. They ran because somebody shouted at what they had done. The husband of the cook of the convent saw it too and he ran after the robbers and they left the bender.

You know what I was sad, not because the convent was robbed but because of the parents of these three young boys. I’m sure they don’t have time to teach them about what is good and what is bad. And I heard that there are parents who even ordered their children to steal.

Nowadays, I observe that many of our department stores, sari-sari stores, business establishments and offices are closed especially on Sundays. I really appreciate them. It is because by this gesture they can give more time to their family, oneself and above all, to God.

The rule of St. Benedict has advised society to live according to the threefold rhythm of prayer, work and recreation.

In Rome, Italy, the siesta time is religiously observed each day between 2PM and 4PM. Mondays are days of rest with more stores and shops closed. We might think these people as unbusiness-like or lazy but they replied: “We work to live and not to live to work.”

Last Sunday’s gospel is a story of challenge and hard work. Jesus sends the Twelve on their first missionary journey. He commissions them to preach, and do all the works He does. It is important to note that He sends them to do all these supported by other than their faith in God.

Today’s gospel carries the logical conclusion of the story of Jesus welcomes back His tired apostles (v. 30). Knowing that the Twelve are physically exhausted and in need of refreshment, he shows refreshment, He shows compassion by offering them rest. He is really a Good Shepherd. The rest He offers is above all, a time during which the apostles could recharge their spirits in prayer and recollection. Just like batteries, they are already weak and in need of recharging.

There are three reasons, according to Fr. Jerry Orbos, SVD in his homily book, Inquirer Moments Cycle B, for Jesus’ call to rest for awhile. The first is practical. His disciples are tired so they need physical rest in order to have more energy. They need to slow down so that they will not be burned out and get sick and so we too. The second reason is psychological. We all need space and time to be by ourselves. We need a break from the maddening sound of the crowd. And also in order that we will not become grouchy and angry that drives people away from Jesus instead of bringing them in.

And the third reason is spiritual. In a quiet and prayerful atmosphere we gather our bearings and get inspired again. When we immerse ourselves in the presence of God, we are reminded that we are loved by God, embraced by Him tremendously and so we are important in His eyes in spite of our unworthiness.

Our Lord’s invitation to rest is not just a pious gesture given only to a chosen few but an indispensable call to all of us to find some much needed silence and solitude. In other words, “a desert place.” We need time to reflect and see our work as coming from, going to and centered in our relationship with God through Jesus. n our relationship with God through Jesus. we must guard ourselves of being overactive, of constant activity and of heresy of work. There must be time with God, a time to listen to God’s word, with family and friends. As Blaise Pascal said: “All the troubles of life come upon us because we refuse to sit quietly for a while each day in our rooms.” My professional in my theological studies said that if your work is your prayer, then don’t make yourself a priest, rather, be a social worker. If you pray only and you don’t work, then, act like a ghost.

I remember before, we only used mechanical instruments for our work like using paddle in washing our clothes, using bamboos in roasting pigs and chicken, looking for firewood in cooking our rice and many more and we have time for our families and for God. Now, we have these high-tech instruments like washing machine for our clothes, rice cooker and others. Yet today, we don’t have enough time for God, the family and the Church as compared before? A sign that we are slaves to our work.

That is why Jesus invites His disciples to a deserted place because they need rest. Jesus wants them to take care of their body and soul. They need to eat, drink and rest. More importantly, they need to me together as a community to share and reflect on their own ministry. They need to pray and enjoy solitude. Jesus does not want to destroy the balance between the active ministry and the contemplative aspect.

Let us reflect this: At the end Jesus gave rest to His disciples, how considerate are we toward people who work for us? What is your idea of ‘rest’? How do you spend it? Do you set aside some moments for God? How do you react when someone asks for your help when you are exhausted and in need of rest?

Vang Gogh, Iris

 

Leo Tolstoy quote

 

MORNING MASS IN THE CHAPEL OF THE DOMUS SANCTAE MARTHAE - HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS - "Christ died and rose for us: the only medicine against the worldly spirit" Saturday, 16 May 2020

 https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/cotidie/2020/documents/papa-francesco-cotidie_20200516_cristo-medicina-contro-mondanita.html

MORNING MASS IN THE CHAPEL OF THE DOMUS SANCTAE MARTHAE - HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS - "Christ died and rose for us: the only medicine against the worldly spirit"

Saturday, 16 May 2020 

Introduction

Let us pray today for people who are burying the dead during the pandemic. To bury the dead is one of the works of mercy and, naturally, it is not something pleasant. Let us pray for them because they also risk their lives and risk being infected.

Homily

Especially while He was bidding farewell to the Apostles, Jesus, spoke of the world many times (see Jn 15:18-21). And here He says: “If the world hates you, know that it hated me before you” (v. 18). He speaks clearly of the hatred that the world had with Jesus and will have with us. And in the prayer that He says at table with the disciples during the Last Supper, He asks the Father not to take His disciples out of the world, but to defend them from the spirit of the world (see 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, and more, of corrupting them and of corrupting the Church? What is this spirit of the world, what is this? It is good for us to think about it. It is a style of life, worldliness. But someone might think that worldliness is about partying, living life as a party…No, no.

Worldliness may be this, but fundamentally this is not so. Worldliness is a culture. It is a culture of the transitory, a culture of appearances, of maquillage, a culture of “today yes, tomorrow no; tomorrow yes and today no”. It has superficial values. A culture that does not know fidelity, because it always changes according to circumstances, everything is negotiable. This is the worldly culture, the culture of worldliness. And Jesus insists on defending us from this and He prays that the Father might defend us from this culture of worldliness. It is a “use it and throw it away” culture according to whatever suits you. It is a culture without faithfulness, it has no roots. But it is a way of life, even a way of life for many who say that they are Christians. They are Christians, but they are worldly.

In the parable of the seed that falls to the earth, Jesus says that the preoccupations of the world – that is, of worldliness – suffocate the Word of God, they do not allow it to grow (see Lk 8:14). And Paul to the Galatians says: “You were slaves of the world, of worldliness” (see Gal 4:3). It always, always hits me when I read the last pages of Henri de Lubac’s book Splendor of the Church, the last three pages, where he speaks specifically about a worldly spirituality. And he says it is the worst of evils that can befall the Church; and he is not exaggerating, because then he talks about some terrible evils. And this is the worst: worldly spirituality, because it is a way of interpreting life, it is a way of life, even a way of living Christianity. And to survive in the face of the preaching of the Gospel, the person hates, kills.

When we say that the martyrs are killed in hatred of the faith, yes, it is true for many, this hatred was over a theological problem; but this is not so for the majority. In the majority [of cases] it is worldliness that hates the faith and kills them, just as they did with Jesus.

It is curious: “But Father”, someone might say to me, “worldliness is a superficial way of life…” Let us not deceive ourselves! Nothing about worldliness is superficial! It has deep roots, deep roots. It is like a chameleon, it changes, it comes and goes according to circumstances, but the substance is the same: a style of life that enters everywhere, including in the Church. Worldliness, the worldly hermeneutic, maquillage, everything can be made up to appear a certain way.

The Apostle Paul went to Athens, and he remained struck at seeing many monuments to the gods in the Areopagus. And he thought about speaking about this: “You are very religious people, I see this… That altar to the ‘unknown god’ has attracted my attention. I know Him and I have come to tell you who He is”. And he began to preach the Gospel. But when he arrived at the cross and resurrection they were scandalized and they went away (see Acts 17:22-33). There is one thing that worldliness does not tolerate: the scandal of the Cross. It does not tolerate that. And the only medicine for worldliness is Christ who died and rose for us; scandal and foolishness (see 1 Cor 1:23).

The apostle John in his First Letter picks up the theme of the world because of this. He says: “This is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith (1 Jn 5:4). The only thing: faith in Jesus Christ, who died and rose. This does not mean being fanatics. This does not mean neglecting to enter into dialogue with all people, no, but with the conviction of faith, beginning with the scandal of the Cross, of the foolishness of Christ and of Christ’s victory. “This is our victory”, John says, “our faith.”

Let us ask the Holy Spirit in these last days, during the Novena to the Holy Spirit, in the last days of the Easter Season as well, for the grace of discerning what worldliness is, what the Gospel is, and that we not allow ourselves to be deceived, because the world hates us, the world hated Jesus and Jesus prayed so that the Father would defend us from the spirit of the world (see Jn 17:15).

God is mercy and consolation

 

MORNING MASS IN THE CHAPEL OF THE DOMUS SANCTAE MARTHAE - "His consolation is close, true and opens the doors of hope" - 8 May 2020

 https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/cotidie/2020/documents/papa-francesco-cotidie_20200508_lavicinanza-lostile-didio.html

MORNING MASS IN THE CHAPEL OF THE DOMUS SANCTAE MARTHAE - "His consolation is close, true and opens the doors of hope" -  8 May 2020 

Introduction

Today is the World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day. Let us pray for those people who work in these meritorious institutions. May the Lord bless their work that does so much good.

Homily 

This conversation between Jesus and the disciples again takes place at the table, during Supper (see Jn 14:1-6). Jesus is sad, and all His followers are sad: Jesus said that He would be betrayed by one of them (see Jn 13:21) and they all perceive that something bad would happen. Jesus begins to console them, because one of the tasks, the jobs of the Lord is to console. The Lord consoles His disciples and here we see Jesus's way of consoling. We have many ways of consoling, from the most authentic, from the closest, to the most formal, such as telegrams of condolences: Profoundly saddened by… That does not console anyone, it is false, the consolation of formality. But how does the Lord console? It is important to know this, because when we go through sad moments in our life, we too learn to perceive what is the true consolation of the Lord.

And in this Gospel passage we see that the Lord always consoles with His closeness, through truth and hope. They are the three paths of the consolation of the Lord.

In closeness, never distant: I am here. These beautiful words: I am here. I am here, with you. And very often, in silence. But we know that He is there. He is always there. That closeness that is God's style, even in the Incarnation, making Himself close to us. The Lord consoles in closeness. And He does not use empty words; on the contrary, He prefers silence. The strength of closeness, in presence. He speaks little, but He is close.

A second path of Jesus's closeness, of Jesus's way of consoling, is the truth: Jesus is truthful. He does not say formal things that are lies: No, be calm, everything will pass, nothing will happen, it will pass, things come to an end… No. He tells the truth. He does not hide the truth. Because He Himself in this passage says, I am the truth (see Jn 14:6). And the truth is, I will go, that is, I will die (see vv. 2-3). We are faced with death. It is the truth. And He says it so simply and gently, without causing harm. But we are right before His death. He does not hide the truth.

And this is the third way. Jesus consoles with hope. Yes, this is a bad moment, but do not let your hearts be troubled. … Have faith also in me (v. 1). I will tell you something, Jesus says, in my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? (v. 2). He is the first to go and open the doors, the doors to that place, through which we will all pass, at least we hope. I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be (v. 3). The Lord returns every time that one of us is departing from this world. I will come, I will take you with me: hope. He will come and take us by the hand, and bring us with Him. He does not say, No, you will not suffer, it's nothing… No. He tells the truth: I am near you. This is the truth: it is a bad moment, of danger, of death. But do not let your heart be troubled, stay in that peace, that peace that is the basis of every consolation. Because I will come and I will take you by hand wher I will be.

It is not easy to allow ourselves to be comforted by the Lord. Very often, in bad moments, we get angry with the Lord and we do not allow Him to come to speak to us like this, with this tenderness, with this closeness, with this gentleness, with this truth and with this hope.

Let us ask the grace to learn to let ourselves be comforted by the Lord. The consolation of the Lord is true, it does not deceive. It is not anaesthesia, no. But He is close, He is true, and He opens the doors to hope.

Красивая музыка (танец цветов под вальс) !!!

Last Supper

 

MORNING MASS IN THE CHAPEL - HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS - "Our relationship with God is gratuitous, it is friendship" - Friday, 15 May 2020

 https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/cotidie/2020/documents/papa-francesco-cotidie_20200515_laredenzione-undono-gratuito.html

 MORNING MASS IN THE CHAPEL OF THE

DOMUS SANCTAE MARTHAE

HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS - "Our relationship with God is gratuitous, it is friendship" - Friday, 15 May 2020 

Introduction

Today is the International Day of Families. Let us pray for families, that the Spirit of the Lord - the spirit of love, respect and freedom - may grow in families.

Homily

In the book of the Acts of the Apostles, we see that in the Church, in the beginning, there were times of peace. It says that many times: the Church was growing in peace and the Spirit of the Lord gave it growth (see Acts 9:31). Moments of peace. There were also moments of persecution, beginning with the persecution of Stephen (see Acts 6–7), then Paul the persecutor, converted, but even he persecuted… Moments of peace, moments of persecution; there were even moments of turmoil. And this is the theme of today’s first Reading: a moment of turmoil (see 15:22-31). “We have heard that some from our number,” the Apostles write to the Christians who have converted from paganism, “we have heard that some from our number who had no mandate from us have upset you – have disturbed you – with their teachings that have disturbed your peace of mind” (v. 24).

What happened? These Christians, who had been pagans, believed in Jesus Christ and had received baptism. And they were happy: they had received the Holy Spirit. They went from paganism to Christianity without any intermediary stage. Instead, those People who were called “Judaizers” sustained that you could not do that, that if someone had been a pagan they had to become Jews first, a good Jew, and then become a Christian, so as to be in line with the election of the People of God. And these Christians did not understand this. “But why? Are we second-class Christians? We cannot go directly from paganism to Christianity? Didn’t Christ’s resurrection dissolve the ancient law and bring it to an even greater fullness?” They were disturbed and there were a lot of discussions among them. And those who wanted this were people who had pastoral arguments, even some moral ones. They sustained that no, you had to make the passage in this way! And this put into question the freedom of the Holy Spirit, and the free gift of Christ’s resurrection and grace. They were methodical, and also rigid.

Jesus had said about these people, these teachers, these doctors of the Law: “Woe to you who traverse sea and land to make one convert, and when that happens you make him worse than before. You make him a child of Gehenna” Jesus more or less says that in the 23rd chapter of Matthew (see v. 15). These people who were “ideological” had reduced the Law, the doctrine, to an ideology: “you have to do this, and this, and this…” A religion of prescriptions, and thus they took away the Holy Spirit’s freedom. And the people who followed them were rigid people, people who did not feel comfortable, they did not know the joy of the Gospel. The way of following Jesus to perfection was through rigidity: “You have to do this, this, this, and this”. These people, these doctors, “manipulated” the consciences of the faithful, or they made them become rigid, or they would go away.

Because of this, I repeat this many times, and I say that rigidity is not from the good Spirit because it puts into question the free gift of the redemption, the free gift of Christ’s resurrection. And this is something old: throughout the Church’s history this has repeated itself. Let us think of the Pelagians, of those… those famously rigid people. And even in our own times we have seen some apostolic organizations that seem to be quite well organized, who work well…, but all of them are rigid, everyone is exactly the same, and then we have learned about the corruption that was inside, even in the founders.

The Spirit of God is not where there is rigidity, because the Spirit of God is liberty. And these people wanted to force these passages, taking away liberty from the Spirit of God and the gratuitousness of the redemption: “to be justified you have to do this, this, this, and this…”. Justification is freely given. Jesus’s death and resurrection are gratuitous. You do not pay for it, it cannot be purchased: it is a gift! And these people did not want to do it that way.

The path is beautiful [the way they proceeded]: the Apostles gathered together in this council and in the end they write a letter that says this: “It has been decided by the Holy Spirit and by ourselves not to saddle you with any burden” (Acts 15:28), and they put these obligations and a few common sense moral ones so as not to confuse Christianity with paganism, abstaining from meet offered to idols, etc. And in the end, these Christians who had been disturbed, gathered in an assembly, they received the letter, and “when they read it, they were delighted with the encouragement it gave them” (v. 31). From turmoil to joy. The spirit of rigidity always brings turmoil. “Did I do this all right?. Did I not do that all right? Scrupulosity. The Spirit of evangelical freedom brings you joy because that is exactly what Jesus did by His resurrection: He brought joy! Our relationship with God, our relationship with Jesus is not a relationship of “doing things”: “I do this and You give me that”. A relationship like that – forgive me, Lord – commercial. No! It is free, just like the relationship between Jesus and the disciples. “You are my friends” (Jn 15:14). “I do not call you slaves, I call you friends” (see v. 15). “You did not choose me, but I chose you” (v. 16). This is gratuitousness.

Let us ask the Lord to help us to discern the fruit of evangelical gratuitousness from the fruits of non-evangelical rigidity, and that He might free us from every turmoil caused by those who put the Faith, the life of Faith under detailed prescriptions, prescriptions that have no meaning. I refer to those prescriptions that have no meaning, not to the Commandments. May He free us from the spirit of rigidity that robs you of freedom.

Saint Paul Apostle

 

POPE FRANCIS - GENERAL AUDIENCE - 30 June 2021 - Catechesis: Paul, the true apostle

 https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/audiences/2021/documents/papa-francesco_20210630_udienza-generale.html

POPE FRANCIS - GENERAL AUDIENCE - 30 June 2021 - Catechesis: Paul, the true apostle

San Damaso courtyard

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Good morning!

We are delving into the Letter to the Galatians, a little at a time. We have seen that these Christians find themselves in conflict on how to live the faith. The Apostle Paul begins writing his Letter by reminding them of their past relationship, his unease at being far from them, and the unchanging love he retains for each one of them. However, he does not fail to point out his concern that the Galatians should follow the correct path: it is the concern of a father, who has generated the communities in the faith. His intention is very clear: it is necessary to reaffirm the novelty of the Gospel, which the Galatians received through his preaching, to build the true identity on which to base their existence. And this is the principle: to reaffirm the newness of the Gospel, which the Galatians had received from the Apostle.

We immediately discover that Paul has a profound knowledge of the mystery of Christ. From the beginning of his Letter he does not follow the shallow arguments used by his detractors. The Apostle “flies high” and shows us, too, how to behave when conflicts arise within the community. Only towards the end of the Letter, in fact, is it made explicit that at the heart of the diatribe is the question of circumcision, hence of the main Jewish tradition. Paul chooses the path of going deeper, because what is at stake is the truth of the Gospel and the freedom of Christians, which is an integral part of it. He does not stop at the surface of problems, of conflicts, as we are often tempted to do in order to find an immediate solution that gives us false hope that everyone can agree with a compromise. Paul loves Jesus and knows that Jesus is not a man-God of compromises. This is not how the Gospel works, and the Apostle chooses to take the more challenging route. He writes: “Am I now seeking the favour of men, or of God’s?”. He does not try to make peace with everyone. And he continues: “Or am I trying to please men? If I were still pleasing men, I should not be a servant of Christ” (Gal 1:10).

Firstly, Paul feels it is his duty to remind the Galatians that he is a true apostle not by his own merit, but by God’s call. He recounts the story of his vocation and conversion, which coincided with the apparition of the Risen Christ during the journey to Damascus (cf. Acts 9:1-9). It is interesting to observe what he affirms of his life prior to that event: “I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers” (Gal 1:13-14). Paul dared to affirm that in Judaism he surpassed all others, he was a truly zealous Pharisee, “as to righteousness under the law blameless” (Phil  3:6). Twice he emphasises that he was a defender of the “traditions of the fathers” and a “staunch upholder of the law”. This is the story of Paul.

On the one hand, he insists in underlining that he had fiercely persecuted the Church and that he had been a “blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence” (cf. 1 Tim 1:13). He spares no adjectives: he describes his own self in this way. On the other hand, he highlights God’s mercy towards him, which led him to experience a radical transformation, well known to all. He writes: “I was still not known by sight to the churches of Christ in Judea; they only heard it said, ‘He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith’” (Gal 1:22-23). He converted, he changed, he changed his heart. Paul thus highlights the truth of his vocation through the striking contrast that had been created in his life: from being a persecutor of Christians for not observing the traditions and the law, he was called to become an apostle to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But we see that Paul is free: he is free to proclaim the Gospel and he is also free to confess his sins. “I was like that”: it is the truth that gives freedom to the heart, and it is the freedom of God.

Thinking back on his story, Paul is full of wonder and gratitude. It is as if he wanted to tell the Galatians that he could have been anything but an apostle. He had been brought up as a boy to be a blameless observer of Mosaic Law, and circumstances had led him to fight the disciples of Christ. However, something unexpected had happened: God, by His grace, had revealed to him His Son who had died and rose again, so that he could become a herald among the Gentiles (cf. Gal 1:15-16).

How inscrutable are the ways of the Lord! We experience this every day, but especially if we think back to the times when the Lord called us. We must never forget the time and the way in which God entered our lives: let us keep fixed in our hearts and minds that encounter with grace, when God changed our existence. How often, in the face of the Lord’s great works, does the question spontaneously arise: but how is it possible that God uses a sinner, a frail and weak person, to do his will? And yet, none of this happens by chance, because everything has been prepared in God’s plan. He weaves our history, the story of each one of us: he weaves our history and, if we correspond with trust to his plan of salvation, we will become aware of it. The calling always implies a mission to which we are destined; that is why we are asked to prepare ourselves seriously, knowing that it is God himself who sends us, it is God himself who supports us with his grace. Brothers and sisters, let us allow ourselves to be led by this awareness: the primacy of grace transforms existence and makes it worthy of being placed at the service of the Gospel. The primacy of grace covers all sins, changes hearts, changes lives, and makes us see new paths. Let us not forget this.

Celosia argentea - welcome