.png)
Pope Francis' homily at the Canonization Mass in St. Peter’s Square on World Mission Sunday. Father Manuel Ruiz López and his seven companions, the brothers Francis, Mooti, and Raphael Massabki, Father Joseph Allamano, Sister Marie Leonie Paradis, and Sister Elena Guerra, were canonized by Pope Francis on Sunday, each exemplified heroic virtue and bore witness to holiness within their unique vocations.
St. Peter's Square on XXIX Sunday in Ordinary Time, October 20, 2024
FULL TEXT Homily
________________________________________Jesus asks James and John: "What do you want me to do for you?" (Mk 10:36). And immediately after he presses them: "Can you drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?" (Mk 10:38). Jesus asks questions and, in this way, helps us to discern, because questions make us discover what is inside us, they illuminate what we carry in our hearts and that sometimes we do not know.
Let us allow ourselves to be questioned by the Word of the Lord. Let us imagine that he asks us, each of us: "What do you want me to do for you?"; and the second question: "Can you drink the same cup as me?"
Through these questions, Jesus brings out the bond and the expectations that the disciples have towards him, with the lights and shadows typical of every relationship. In fact, James and John are tied to Jesus but have demands. They express the desire to be close to Him, but only to occupy a place of honor, to play an important role, to "sit, in his glory, at the right and at the left" (Mk 10,37). Evidently they think of Jesus as the Messiah, a victorious, glorious Messiah and they expect Him to share his glory with them. They see Jesus as the Messiah, but they imagine him according to the logic of power.
Jesus does not stop at the words of the disciples, but goes deeper, listens and reads the heart of each of them and also of each of us. And, in the dialogue, through two questions, he tries to bring out the desire that is inside those requests.
1hour and 45 Minute Mark on the Video below)
First he asks: "What do you want me to do for you?"; and this question reveals the thoughts of their hearts, highlights the hidden expectations and dreams of glory that the disciples secretly cultivate. It is as if Jesus were asking: "Who do you want me to be for you?" and, thus, unmasks what they truly desire: a powerful Messiah, a victorious Messiah who gives them a place of honor. And sometimes this thought comes to the Church: honor, power...
Then, with the second question, Jesus contradicts this image of the Messiah and in this way helps them to change their perspective, that is, to convert: "Can you drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?". In this way, he reveals to them that He is not the Messiah they think; he is the God of love, who lowers himself to reach those who are low; who becomes weak to raise the weak, who works for peace and not for war, who came to serve and not to be served. The cup that the Lord will drink is the offering of his life, it is his life given to us out of love, even to death and death on the cross.
And then, on his right and on his left will be two thieves, hanging like him on the cross and not seated in positions of power; two thieves nailed with Christ in pain and not seated in glory. The crucified king, the condemned righteous man becomes a slave to all: this is truly the Son of God! (cf. Mk 15:39). It is not the one who dominates who wins, but the one who serves out of love. Let us repeat: it is not the one who dominates who wins, but the one who serves out of love. The Letter to the Hebrews also reminded us of this: "We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tested in every respect as we are" (Heb 4:15).
At this point, Jesus can help the disciples to convert, to change their mentality: "You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them" (Mk 10:42). But it must not be this way for those who follow a God who made himself a servant to reach everyone with His love. Whoever follows Christ, if he wants to be great, must serve, learning from Him.
Brothers and sisters, Jesus reveals thoughts, reveals desires and projections of our heart, sometimes unmasking our expectations of glory, dominion, power, vanity. He helps us to think no longer according to the criteria of the world, but according to the style of God, who makes himself last so that the last are raised up and become the first. And these questions of Jesus, with his teaching on service, are often incomprehensible, incomprehensible to us as they were to the disciples. But following Him, walking in His footsteps and welcoming the gift of His love that transforms our way of thinking, we too can learn the style of God: the style of God, service. Let us not forget the three words that show God's style of serving: closeness, compassion and tenderness. God makes himself close to serve; he becomes compassionate to serve; he becomes tender to serve. Closeness, compassion and tenderness...
This is what we must yearn for: not power, but service. Service is the Christian lifestyle. It is not about a list of things to do, almost as if, once done, we can consider our turn over; those who serve with love do not say: "now it's someone else's turn". This is the thought of employees, not of witnesses. Service is born of love and love knows no boundaries, it does not calculate, it is spent and given. Love is not limited to producing to bring results, it is not an occasional performance, but is something that is born from the heart, a heart renewed by love and in love.
When we learn to serve, our every gesture of attention and care, every expression of tenderness, every work of mercy becomes a reflection of God's love. And so all of us - and each of us - continue the work of Jesus in the world.
In this light we can remember the disciples of the Gospel, who are canonized today. Throughout the tormented history of humanity, they have been faithful servants, men and women who served in martyrdom and joy, like Brother Manuel Ruiz Lopez and his companions. They are fervent priests and consecrated women, fervent with missionary passion, like Father Giuseppe Allamano, Sister Paradis Marie Leonie and Sister Elena Guerra. These new saints lived the style of Jesus: service. The faith and apostolate they carried out did not fuel worldly desires and lust for power in them, but on the contrary, they became servants of their brothers, creative in doing good, steadfast in difficulties, generous until the end.
We confidently ask for their intercession, so that we too can follow Christ, follow him in service and become witnesses of hope for the world.
First he asks: "What do you want me to do for you?"; and this question reveals the thoughts of their hearts, highlights the hidden expectations and dreams of glory that the disciples secretly cultivate. It is as if Jesus were asking: "Who do you want me to be for you?" and, thus, unmasks what they truly desire: a powerful Messiah, a victorious Messiah who gives them a place of honor. And sometimes this thought comes to the Church: honor, power...
Then, with the second question, Jesus contradicts this image of the Messiah and in this way helps them to change their perspective, that is, to convert: "Can you drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?". In this way, he reveals to them that He is not the Messiah they think; he is the God of love, who lowers himself to reach those who are low; who becomes weak to raise the weak, who works for peace and not for war, who came to serve and not to be served. The cup that the Lord will drink is the offering of his life, it is his life given to us out of love, even to death and death on the cross.
And then, on his right and on his left will be two thieves, hanging like him on the cross and not seated in positions of power; two thieves nailed with Christ in pain and not seated in glory. The crucified king, the condemned righteous man becomes a slave to all: this is truly the Son of God! (cf. Mk 15:39). It is not the one who dominates who wins, but the one who serves out of love. Let us repeat: it is not the one who dominates who wins, but the one who serves out of love. The Letter to the Hebrews also reminded us of this: "We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tested in every respect as we are" (Heb 4:15).
At this point, Jesus can help the disciples to convert, to change their mentality: "You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them" (Mk 10:42). But it must not be this way for those who follow a God who made himself a servant to reach everyone with His love. Whoever follows Christ, if he wants to be great, must serve, learning from Him.
Brothers and sisters, Jesus reveals thoughts, reveals desires and projections of our heart, sometimes unmasking our expectations of glory, dominion, power, vanity. He helps us to think no longer according to the criteria of the world, but according to the style of God, who makes himself last so that the last are raised up and become the first. And these questions of Jesus, with his teaching on service, are often incomprehensible, incomprehensible to us as they were to the disciples. But following Him, walking in His footsteps and welcoming the gift of His love that transforms our way of thinking, we too can learn the style of God: the style of God, service. Let us not forget the three words that show God's style of serving: closeness, compassion and tenderness. God makes himself close to serve; he becomes compassionate to serve; he becomes tender to serve. Closeness, compassion and tenderness...
This is what we must yearn for: not power, but service. Service is the Christian lifestyle. It is not about a list of things to do, almost as if, once done, we can consider our turn over; those who serve with love do not say: "now it's someone else's turn". This is the thought of employees, not of witnesses. Service is born of love and love knows no boundaries, it does not calculate, it is spent and given. Love is not limited to producing to bring results, it is not an occasional performance, but is something that is born from the heart, a heart renewed by love and in love.
When we learn to serve, our every gesture of attention and care, every expression of tenderness, every work of mercy becomes a reflection of God's love. And so all of us - and each of us - continue the work of Jesus in the world.
In this light we can remember the disciples of the Gospel, who are canonized today. Throughout the tormented history of humanity, they have been faithful servants, men and women who served in martyrdom and joy, like Brother Manuel Ruiz Lopez and his companions. They are fervent priests and consecrated women, fervent with missionary passion, like Father Giuseppe Allamano, Sister Paradis Marie Leonie and Sister Elena Guerra. These new saints lived the style of Jesus: service. The faith and apostolate they carried out did not fuel worldly desires and lust for power in them, but on the contrary, they became servants of their brothers, creative in doing good, steadfast in difficulties, generous until the end.
We confidently ask for their intercession, so that we too can follow Christ, follow him in service and become witnesses of hope for the world.
Comments