(Vatican Radio) At morning Mass on Monday Pope Francis said that a conscientious examination of our words will help us understand whether we are Christians of light, Christians of darkness or Christians of grey areas.
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Reflecting on the First Reading from St. Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians, the Pope said men are recognizable by their words. By inviting Christians to behave as children of light, and not as children of darkness, St. Paul gives “a catechesis on the word”.
Pope Francis continued that there are four [types of ] words which help us understand if we are children of darkness:
“Are our words hypocrisy? Taking a little from here, a little from there, to fit in with everyone? Then they are vacuous, of no substance, empty. Are they vulgar words, trivial, or worldly? A dirty, obscene word? These four [types] of words are not of the children of light, they are not the Holy Spirit, they are not of Jesus, they are not words of the Gospel … this way of talking, always talking about dirty things or of worldliness or emptiness or hypocrisy “.
Then, what are the words of the Saints, those of the children of light?
“Paul says : ‘Be imitators of God, walk in love; walk in goodness; walk in meekness. Those who walk in this way … ‘Be merciful – says Paul – forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ. Be, then, imitators of God and walk in love’, that is, walk in mercy, forgiveness, love. And these are the words of a child of light”.
“There are bright Christians, [who are] full of light – noted the Pope – who seek to serve the Lord in this light” and ” there are dark Christians” who lead “a life of sin, a life distant from the Lord” and who use those four types of words that “belong to the evil one”. “But there is a third group of Christians”, who are not “neither light nor dark”:
“They are the Christians of gray areas. And these Christians of gray areas are on one side first and then the other. People say of these: ‘Is this person with God or the devil?’ Huh? Always in the grey area. They are lukewarm. They are neither light nor dark. And God does not love these. In Revelation, the Lord says to these Christians of gray areas: ‘No, you are neither hot nor cold. If only you were hot or cold. But because you are lukewarm – always in the gray areas- I will vomit you out of my mouth’. The Lord has strong words for these Christians of gray areas. ‘I am a Christian, but without overdoing it!’ they say, and in doing so cause so much harm, because their Christian witness is a witness that in the end only sows confusion, it sows a negative witness “.
Let us not be deceived by empty words – Pope Francis concluded – “we hear so many, some nice, well-articulated, but empty, without meaning”. Instead let us behave as children of light. “It would do us all good to reflect on our words today and ask ourselves: “Am I a Christian of light? Am I a Christian of the dark? Am I a Christian of the gray areas? And thus we can take a step forward to meet the Lord”.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis prayed the Angelus with pilgrims and tourists gathered in St Peter’s Square beneath the window of the Papal apartments in the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican on Sunday. In remarks ahead of the traditional prayer of Marian devotion, the Holy Father offered some reflections on the Gospel reading of the day, which was taken from Gospel according to St. Matthew (22:34-40).
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“Today’s Gospel reminds us that the whole law of God is summed up in love for God and neighbor,” said Pope Francis, adding, “You cannot love God without loving our neighbor and you cannot love your neighbor without loving God,” and explaining that the “novelty” of Christ’s teaching consists in the union of the two commandments. Pope Francis also recommended the reflection of his predecessor, Benedict XVI. on the teaching, which is found in paragraphs 16-18 of his first Encyclical letter, Deus caritas est.
Pope Francis went on to say, “Jesus completes the law of the covenant, which He unites in himself, in his flesh, divinity and humanity, in a single mystery of love,” and, “In the light of the word of Jesus, love is the measure of faith, and faith is the soul of love: we cannot separate the religious life – the life of piety – from that of service to our brothers and sisters – to those flesh-and-blood brothers and sisters we actually meet.”
Following the Angelus, Pope Francis recalled the beatification – on Saturday in Sao Paulo, Brazil – of Mother Assunta Marchetti: the Italian-born co-founder of the Missionary Sisters of St. Charles Borromeo, known as “Scalabrinians” after the late 19 th century bishop of Piacenza, Giuseppe Scalabrini, who helped found the missionary congregation originally dedicated to maintaining Catholic faith and practice among emigres to the New World, which now focuses its missionary work on migrants, refugees and displaced persons.
“[Bl. Assunta Marchetti] saw Jesus present in the poor, in orphans, in the sick, in migrants, said Pope Francis. “We thank the Lord for this woman,” he continued, “a model of tireless missionary spirit and courageous dedication to the service of charity,” who serves as an example and a confirmation of the truth that we can and must seek the face of God in the brother and sister in need.”
Pope Francis also had greetings for pilgrims from all over Italy and from around the world, especially those of the Schoenstatt movement, with whom he met on Saturday, and for the Peruvian community in Rome, which came to the Angelus in procession with an image of El Senor de los Milagros – the Lord of Miracles – an image of Christ crucified that was painted by an anonymous freedman in the 17 th century in Lima, and that has become a focus of deep veneration and intense devotion, especially among Peruvians.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis prayed the Angelus with pilgrims and tourists gathered in St Peter’s Square beneath the window of the Papal apartments in the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican on Sunday. In remarks ahead of the traditional prayer of Marian devotion, the Holy Father offered some reflections on the Gospel reading of the day,…
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