Pope Francis Reveals Today's Challenge and says "Jesus continues to knock on the door, but so many times from within so that we open the door for him and let him out."
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SPEECH OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS
TO THE MEMBERS OF THE MISSION AMERICA ORGANIZATION
Saturday, March 11, 2023
________________________________________
Most Reverend Excellency,
Reverend priests,
brothers all:
I have learned that Mission America is 30 years old since it was founded, so it is close to what in tradition was called the "perfect age", that is, the age of Christ at the time of his Passion and death. On this significant date they wanted to visit the See of Peter, to renew their commitment to the universal Church, materialized in their work in favor of the missions in America and Africa. I congratulate you and invite you to make the three years that remain to reach that perfect age a path in which you can continue advancing in identification with Christ. With that Christ who told us: «As the Father sent me, I also send you» (Jn 20,21), in such a way that they open the Church to the mission. The Church has to go outside, it has to be in the street. That text from the Apocalypse says a lot to me, in which Jesus says: “I am at the door and I knock”. If someone opens it, I will enter, I will be with you, I will have dinner (cf. Ap 3,20).
Today's problem is a little different. Jesus continues to knock on the door, but so many times from within so that we open the door for him and let him out. This I think is today's challenge. The mission. Open the Church to the mission.
It is evident in your work that you have come a long way. In fact, they propose four words that define it: visibility, respect, volunteering and collaboration. It does us good to reread them a little in the light of this gospel of the mission.
In fact, in the scene just cited, Jesus, first of all, shows them "his hands and his side" (v. 20). This image is interesting, because in some way it summarizes that "way" in which Jesus was sent by the Father and now sends us, giving visibility to the reality of pain, sin, and death, not to condemn others. nobody — we have this little finger very trained to condemn, and it is not the best thing. Not to condemn anyone, but to heal, heal humanity, assuming it in his own person. In the same way, when organizing awareness campaigns to publicize the reality of Latin America, the horizon cannot be other than to show the outstretched hand of Christ, who offers us the best refuge in his wounds.
The biblical text, as you well know, continues with the episode of Saint Thomas. It is another attractive idea — apart from the theological value of the story — that respect for the other, for their times, their spaces. Jesus is always attentive to the need, but above all to the person as a whole. Jesus respects people. True equality, true justice, does not mean imposing a single and utilitarian itinerary for everyone, but rather being capable of accompanying each one, in their freedom, in their need, so that everyone can respond to God's call, to the project that God has for each of us, according to his times, his way, his patience. Know how to wait
In addition, Jesus on that occasion, according to the Gospel of John, infuses the disciples with the Holy Spirit, giving them with that gift the strength, the authority to fulfill the entrusted mission. The disciples from that moment enter as on another level, more active, more enterprising, with the strength of the Holy Spirit, obviously. In a similar way, and always recognizing that our strength is only in God, you seek to promote from the Spanish Church that vocation to volunteering —it is one of the most beautiful things that societies have; lay volunteers, right? Active volunteering, which is nothing more than supporting with prayer, work, solidarity those who, moved by the same Spirit, walk the world. Sustaining volunteer in any way.
Finally, a crucial word to understand the immense gift of the risen Jesus: "Peace to you" (v. 21), says the Lord. The gift of the risen Jesus is that peace that he gives us. As much as it is impossible to collect all the meaning that this concept contains, you translate it by collaboration. Collaborate in peace, let this serve for growth. It is something beautiful, it means that the "peace" that God establishes with us and between us, transforms existence, becomes something daily in our daily walk, in seeking what is good, in spreading love and concord. And it generates new realities, creating bridges, destroying fears, destroying grudges, the same ones that —as evidenced by the biblical text— kept the disciples locked up.
May this image of Jesus who sends his Church on mission be an encouragement for you, to give visibility to the still palpable wounds in his mystical Body; to demand and demand the respect of each man and his right to be able to discern the path that God marks out for him; to work and support the work of all those who have been, like us, sent, collaborating with all men of good will, to the glory that the Lord has prepared for us, which is that man may live, as Saint Irenaeus says (cf. Against heresies, 4, 20,5-7).
May Jesus bless you. Thank you, seriously, for what you do. You will say: "it's a little thing, it's very domestic". The little things, the domestic things are the ones that persevere the most, but sometimes the great things don't last.
May the Holy Virgin accompany you and do not lose your good humor, please. Let's go ahead and pray for me.
TO THE MEMBERS OF THE MISSION AMERICA ORGANIZATION
Saturday, March 11, 2023
________________________________________
Most Reverend Excellency,
Reverend priests,
brothers all:
I have learned that Mission America is 30 years old since it was founded, so it is close to what in tradition was called the "perfect age", that is, the age of Christ at the time of his Passion and death. On this significant date they wanted to visit the See of Peter, to renew their commitment to the universal Church, materialized in their work in favor of the missions in America and Africa. I congratulate you and invite you to make the three years that remain to reach that perfect age a path in which you can continue advancing in identification with Christ. With that Christ who told us: «As the Father sent me, I also send you» (Jn 20,21), in such a way that they open the Church to the mission. The Church has to go outside, it has to be in the street. That text from the Apocalypse says a lot to me, in which Jesus says: “I am at the door and I knock”. If someone opens it, I will enter, I will be with you, I will have dinner (cf. Ap 3,20).
Today's problem is a little different. Jesus continues to knock on the door, but so many times from within so that we open the door for him and let him out. This I think is today's challenge. The mission. Open the Church to the mission.
It is evident in your work that you have come a long way. In fact, they propose four words that define it: visibility, respect, volunteering and collaboration. It does us good to reread them a little in the light of this gospel of the mission.
In fact, in the scene just cited, Jesus, first of all, shows them "his hands and his side" (v. 20). This image is interesting, because in some way it summarizes that "way" in which Jesus was sent by the Father and now sends us, giving visibility to the reality of pain, sin, and death, not to condemn others. nobody — we have this little finger very trained to condemn, and it is not the best thing. Not to condemn anyone, but to heal, heal humanity, assuming it in his own person. In the same way, when organizing awareness campaigns to publicize the reality of Latin America, the horizon cannot be other than to show the outstretched hand of Christ, who offers us the best refuge in his wounds.
The biblical text, as you well know, continues with the episode of Saint Thomas. It is another attractive idea — apart from the theological value of the story — that respect for the other, for their times, their spaces. Jesus is always attentive to the need, but above all to the person as a whole. Jesus respects people. True equality, true justice, does not mean imposing a single and utilitarian itinerary for everyone, but rather being capable of accompanying each one, in their freedom, in their need, so that everyone can respond to God's call, to the project that God has for each of us, according to his times, his way, his patience. Know how to wait
In addition, Jesus on that occasion, according to the Gospel of John, infuses the disciples with the Holy Spirit, giving them with that gift the strength, the authority to fulfill the entrusted mission. The disciples from that moment enter as on another level, more active, more enterprising, with the strength of the Holy Spirit, obviously. In a similar way, and always recognizing that our strength is only in God, you seek to promote from the Spanish Church that vocation to volunteering —it is one of the most beautiful things that societies have; lay volunteers, right? Active volunteering, which is nothing more than supporting with prayer, work, solidarity those who, moved by the same Spirit, walk the world. Sustaining volunteer in any way.
Finally, a crucial word to understand the immense gift of the risen Jesus: "Peace to you" (v. 21), says the Lord. The gift of the risen Jesus is that peace that he gives us. As much as it is impossible to collect all the meaning that this concept contains, you translate it by collaboration. Collaborate in peace, let this serve for growth. It is something beautiful, it means that the "peace" that God establishes with us and between us, transforms existence, becomes something daily in our daily walk, in seeking what is good, in spreading love and concord. And it generates new realities, creating bridges, destroying fears, destroying grudges, the same ones that —as evidenced by the biblical text— kept the disciples locked up.
May this image of Jesus who sends his Church on mission be an encouragement for you, to give visibility to the still palpable wounds in his mystical Body; to demand and demand the respect of each man and his right to be able to discern the path that God marks out for him; to work and support the work of all those who have been, like us, sent, collaborating with all men of good will, to the glory that the Lord has prepared for us, which is that man may live, as Saint Irenaeus says (cf. Against heresies, 4, 20,5-7).
May Jesus bless you. Thank you, seriously, for what you do. You will say: "it's a little thing, it's very domestic". The little things, the domestic things are the ones that persevere the most, but sometimes the great things don't last.
May the Holy Virgin accompany you and do not lose your good humor, please. Let's go ahead and pray for me.
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