At Mass, Pope Francis Prays for all who have Died from the Pandemic and Says "...go through the door which is Jesus .." Full Text + Video

MORNING CELEBRATION BROADCASTED LIVE
FROM THE CHAPEL OF CASA SANTA MARTA

HOMILY OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS

"Attitudes that prevent you from knowing Christ"

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Introduction

We pray today for the deceased who died from the pandemic. They died alone, they died without the caress of their loved ones, many not even with the funeral. The Lord welcome them into glory.

Homily

Jesus was in the temple, the feast of the dedication was near (cf. Jn 10 : 22-30). Even the Jews, at that time, "came around him and said to him:" How long will you stay in uncertainty? If you are the Christ, tell us openly "" (v. 24). These made them lose their patience, and with how mildly "Jesus answered them:" I told you and don't believe "" (v. 25). They kept saying, "But is that you? It is you?" - "Yes, I said it, but don't believe!" "But you do not believe because you are not part of my sheep" (v. 26). And this, perhaps, raises a doubt for us: I believe and belong to the sheep of Jesus; but if Jesus said to us: "You cannot believe because you are not a part", is there a prior faith in meeting Jesus? What is this to be part ofof the faith of Jesus? What is it that stops me at the door which is Jesus?

There are attitudes prior to the confession of Jesus. Even for us, who are in the flock of Jesus. They are like "antipathies previe", which do not let us go forward in the knowledge of the Lord. The first of all are riches . Even many of us, who entered the door of the Lord, then stop and do not go on because we are imprisoned in wealth. The Lord was hard, with riches, he was very hard, very hard. To the point of saying that it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich man in the kingdom of heaven (cf Mt19,24). This is hard. Riches are an impediment to moving forward. But should we fall into pauperism? No. But do not be slaves to riches, do not live for riches, because riches are a lord, I am the lord of this world and we cannot serve two lords (cf. Lk 16:13). And wealth stops us.

Another thing that prevents us from moving forward in the knowledge of Jesus, in belonging to Jesus, is rigidity : rigidity of heart. Even rigidity in the interpretation of the law. Jesus rebukes the Pharisees, the doctors of the Law for this rigidity (cf. Mt.23.1 to 36). That is not faithfulness: faithfulness is always a gift to God; rigidity is a security for myself. I remember once I entered the parish and a lady - a good lady - approached me and said: "Father, some advice ..." - "Say" - "Last week, Saturday, not yesterday, the other Saturday, we went in a family at a wedding: it was with Mass. It was Saturday afternoon, and we thought that with this Mass we had fulfilled the Sunday precept. But then, returning home, I thought that the readings of that Mass were not those of Sunday. And so I realized that I am in mortal sin, because on Sunday I did not go because I went on Saturday, but to a Mass that was not true , because the Readings were not true". That rigidity ... And that lady belonged to an ecclesial movement. Rigidity. This takes us away from the wisdom of Jesus, from the wisdom beauty of Jesus; it takes away your freedom. And many pastors make this rigidity grow in the souls of the faithful; and this rigidity does not allow us to enter through the door of Jesus (cf. Jn 10 : 7): it is more important to observe the law as it is written or how I interpret it, rather than the freedom to go on following Jesus.

Another thing that doesn't let us go on in the knowledge of Jesus is sloth. That tiredness ... Think of that man in the swimming pool: 38 years old there (cf. Jn 5 : 1-9). Sloth. It takes away the will to go on and everything is "yes, but ... no, now no, no, but ...", which brings you to the warmth and makes you lukewarm. Sloth is another thing that prevents us from moving forward.

Another that is quite ugly is the clericalist attitude . Clericalism puts itself in the place of Jesus. He says: "No, this must be so, so, so ..." - "But, the Master ..." - "Leave the Master alone: ​​this is so, so, so, and if you do not do this, thus, so you cannot enter. " A clericalism that takes away the freedom of the faith of believers. This is an ugly disease in the Church: the clericalist attitude.

Then, another thing that prevents us from going forward, from entering to know Jesus and confessing Jesus is the worldly spirit . When the observance of faith, the practice of faith ends in worldliness. And everything is worldly. Let's think about the celebration of some sacraments in some parishes: how much worldliness there is! And the grace of the presence of Jesus is not well understood.

These are the things that prevent us from being part of the sheep of Jesus. We are "sheep" [following] all these things: wealth, sloth, rigidity, worldliness, clericalism, modality, ideologies, of life forms. Freedom is missing. And one cannot follow Jesus without freedom. "But sometimes freedom goes further and one slips." Yes, it's true. It's true. We can slip by going free. But it is worse to slip before going, with these things that prevent you from starting to go.

May the Lord enlighten us to see, within us, if there is the freedom to go through the door which is Jesus and to go beyond Jesus to become flock, to become sheep of his flock.

Prayer to make spiritual communion

People who do not communicate now make 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 already came, I embrace you and I join you all. Don't let me ever separate you from you.
Full Text + Image Source: Vatican.va - a Translation from Italian