Pope Francis says Let "us remember that when we give and forgive, the glory of God shines within us" and Prays for those Suffering from War - FULL TEXT
POPE FRANCESCO at the ANGELUS
St. Peter's Square
Sunday, March 17, 2024
________________________________________
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Today, the fifth Sunday of Lent, as we approach Holy Week, Jesus in the Gospel (see John 12:20-33) tells us something important: that on the Cross we will see the glory of him and of the Father (see verses 23.28).
But how is it possible that the glory of God is manifested right there, on the Cross? One would think that this happens in the Resurrection, not on the Cross, which is a defeat, a failure! Instead today Jesus, speaking of his Passion, says: "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified" (v. 23). What does he want to tell us?
He wants to tell us that glory, for God, does not correspond to human success, fame or popularity; glory, for God, has nothing self-referential, it is not a grandiose manifestation of power followed by applause from the public.
For God, glory is loving to the point of giving one's life. Glorifying oneself, for Him, means giving oneself, making oneself accessible, offering his love for him. And this happened in a culminating way on the Cross, right there, where Jesus deployed the love of God to the maximum, fully revealing his face of mercy, giving us life and forgiving his crucifiers.
Brothers and sisters, from the Cross, "chair of God", the Lord teaches us that true glory, the one that never fades and makes us happy, is made of gift and forgiveness. Gift and forgiveness are the essence of God's glory. And they are the way of life for us. Gift and forgiveness: very different criteria from what we see around us, and even within us, when we think of glory as something to receive rather than give; as something to be possessed rather than offered. No, worldly glory passes and leaves no joy in the heart; it does not even lead to the good of all, but to division, discord, envy.
And then we can ask ourselves: what is the glory that I desire for myself, for my life, that I dream of for my future? To impress others with my skill, my abilities or the things I own? Or the way of gift and forgiveness, that of Jesus Crucified, the way of those who never tire of loving, confident that this bears witness to God in the world and makes the beauty of life shine? What glory do I want for myself? In fact, let us remember that when we give and forgive, the glory of God shines within us. Right there: when we give and forgive.
May the Virgin Mary, who faithfully followed Jesus in the hour of his Passion, help us to be living reflections of the love of Jesus.
After the Angelus
Dear brothers and sisters!
I learned with relief that in Haiti a teacher and four of the six religious of the Frères du Sacré-Cœur Institute kidnapped last February 23 have been freed. I ask that the other two religious men and all the people still kidnapped in that beloved country affected by so much violence be released as soon as possible. I invite all political and social actors to abandon any particular interest and to commit themselves in a spirit of solidarity in the search for the common good, supporting a peaceful transition towards a country which, with the help of the international community, is equipped with solid institutions capable of bringing back the order and tranquility among its citizens.
We continue to pray for the populations tormented by war, in Ukraine, in Palestine and in Israel, in Sudan. And let's not forget Syria, a country that has suffered greatly from war for some time.
I greet all of you who have come from Rome, from Italy and from many parts of the world. In particular, I greet the Spanish students of the "Camplus" university residence network, the parish groups of Madrid, Pescara, Chieti, Locorotondo and the parish of San Giovanni Leonardi in Rome. I greet the San Giuseppe Social Cooperative of Como, the children of Perugia, the young people of Bologna on their way towards the Profession of Faith, and the children of Confirmation of Pavia, Iolo di Prato and Cavaion Veronese.
I welcome with pleasure the participants in the Rome Marathon, a traditional celebration of sport and brotherhood. This year too, on the initiative of Athletica Vaticana, numerous athletes are involved in the "solidarity relays", becoming witnesses of sharing.
And I wish everyone a good Sunday. Please don't forget to pray for me. Have a nice lunch and see you!
St. Peter's Square
Sunday, March 17, 2024
________________________________________
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Today, the fifth Sunday of Lent, as we approach Holy Week, Jesus in the Gospel (see John 12:20-33) tells us something important: that on the Cross we will see the glory of him and of the Father (see verses 23.28).
But how is it possible that the glory of God is manifested right there, on the Cross? One would think that this happens in the Resurrection, not on the Cross, which is a defeat, a failure! Instead today Jesus, speaking of his Passion, says: "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified" (v. 23). What does he want to tell us?
He wants to tell us that glory, for God, does not correspond to human success, fame or popularity; glory, for God, has nothing self-referential, it is not a grandiose manifestation of power followed by applause from the public.
For God, glory is loving to the point of giving one's life. Glorifying oneself, for Him, means giving oneself, making oneself accessible, offering his love for him. And this happened in a culminating way on the Cross, right there, where Jesus deployed the love of God to the maximum, fully revealing his face of mercy, giving us life and forgiving his crucifiers.
Brothers and sisters, from the Cross, "chair of God", the Lord teaches us that true glory, the one that never fades and makes us happy, is made of gift and forgiveness. Gift and forgiveness are the essence of God's glory. And they are the way of life for us. Gift and forgiveness: very different criteria from what we see around us, and even within us, when we think of glory as something to receive rather than give; as something to be possessed rather than offered. No, worldly glory passes and leaves no joy in the heart; it does not even lead to the good of all, but to division, discord, envy.
And then we can ask ourselves: what is the glory that I desire for myself, for my life, that I dream of for my future? To impress others with my skill, my abilities or the things I own? Or the way of gift and forgiveness, that of Jesus Crucified, the way of those who never tire of loving, confident that this bears witness to God in the world and makes the beauty of life shine? What glory do I want for myself? In fact, let us remember that when we give and forgive, the glory of God shines within us. Right there: when we give and forgive.
May the Virgin Mary, who faithfully followed Jesus in the hour of his Passion, help us to be living reflections of the love of Jesus.
After the Angelus
Dear brothers and sisters!
I learned with relief that in Haiti a teacher and four of the six religious of the Frères du Sacré-Cœur Institute kidnapped last February 23 have been freed. I ask that the other two religious men and all the people still kidnapped in that beloved country affected by so much violence be released as soon as possible. I invite all political and social actors to abandon any particular interest and to commit themselves in a spirit of solidarity in the search for the common good, supporting a peaceful transition towards a country which, with the help of the international community, is equipped with solid institutions capable of bringing back the order and tranquility among its citizens.
We continue to pray for the populations tormented by war, in Ukraine, in Palestine and in Israel, in Sudan. And let's not forget Syria, a country that has suffered greatly from war for some time.
I greet all of you who have come from Rome, from Italy and from many parts of the world. In particular, I greet the Spanish students of the "Camplus" university residence network, the parish groups of Madrid, Pescara, Chieti, Locorotondo and the parish of San Giovanni Leonardi in Rome. I greet the San Giuseppe Social Cooperative of Como, the children of Perugia, the young people of Bologna on their way towards the Profession of Faith, and the children of Confirmation of Pavia, Iolo di Prato and Cavaion Veronese.
I welcome with pleasure the participants in the Rome Marathon, a traditional celebration of sport and brotherhood. This year too, on the initiative of Athletica Vaticana, numerous athletes are involved in the "solidarity relays", becoming witnesses of sharing.
And I wish everyone a good Sunday. Please don't forget to pray for me. Have a nice lunch and see you!
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