Let's get to know our new pope by reading his words. The text below is from the pope's Lenten message to his flock in Argentina:
Lent is presented us as a shout of truth and certain hope that comes us to say “Yes, it is possible to not slap on makeup, and not draw plastic smiles as if nothing happened.” Yes, it is possible that all is made new and different because God remains “rich in kindness and mercy, always willing to forgive” and He encourages us to begin anew time and again. Today, again, we are invited to undertake a Paschal road toward Life, a path that includes the cross and resignation; a path that will be uncomfortable but not fruitless. We are invited to admit that something inside us isnot going well, (in society or in the Church) to change, to turn around, to be converted.
Today, the words of the prophet Joel are strong and challenging: Rend your heart, not your clothing: be converted to the Lord, your God. These [words] are an invitation to all people, nobody is excluded.
Rend your heart, not the clothing of artificial penance without [an eternal] future.
Rend your heart, not the clothing of technical fasting of compliance that [only serves to keep us] satisfied.
Rend your heart, not the clothing of egotistical and superficial prayer that does not reach the inmost part of [your] life to allow it to be touched by God.
Rend your heart, that we may say with the Psalmist: “We have sinned.”
“The wound of the soul is sin: Oh, poor wounded one, recognize your Doctor! Show him the wounds of your faults. And, since from Him our most secret thoughts cannot hide themselves, make the cry of your heart felt [to Him]. Move him to compassion with your tears, with your insistence ¡beg him! Let Him hear your sighs, that your pain reaches Him so that, at the end, He can tell you: The Lord has forgiven your sins.” (St. Gregory the Great)
This is the reality of our human condition. This is the truth that approaches authentic reconciliation between God and men. This is not a matter of discrediting [one's] self-worth but of penetrating, to its fullest depth, our heart and to take charge of the mystery of suffering and pain that had tied us down for centuries, for thousands of years, [in fact,] forever.
Rend your hearts so that through this opening we can truly see.
Rend your hearts, open your hearts, because only with [such a] heart can we allow the entry of the merciful love of the Father, who loves us and heals us.
Rend your hearts the prophet says, and Paul asks us – almost on his knees – ”be reconciled with God.” Changing our way of living is both a sign and fruit of a torn heart, reconciled by a love that overwhelms us.
This is [God's] invitation, juxtaposed against so many injuries that wound us and can tempt us temptation to be hardened: Rend your hearts to experience, in serene and silent prayer, the gentle tenderness of God.
Rend your hearts to hear the echo of so many torn lives, that indifference [to suffering] does not paralyze us.
Rend your hearts to be able to love with the love with which we are beloved, to console with the consolation with which we are consoled and to share what we have received.
The liturgical time the Church starts today is not only for us, but also for the transformation of our family, of our community, of our Church, of our Country, of the whole world. They are forty days so that we may convert to the same holiness as God’s; that we become collaborators who receive the grace and the potential to reconstruct human life so that everyone may experience the salvation which Christ won for us by His death and resurrection.
I enjoyed the homily, thank you for posting that.
ReplyDeleteI know there are a lot of traditionalists that are worried about our new Pope, and I can understand that to an extent as I normally attend TLM most Sundays and would be devastated if it went away. But we need to have faith in God's choice, and it's way too early to judge. We all need to practice a little patience and faith right now.
After watching Pope Francis since he's been chosen, I have this overwhelming feeling that he's going to be a much more approachable Pope for people than Benedict. He has a loving, warm feel to him. The way he carries himself, the things he says and does, it all feels so comforting and personal, like someone I could meet and touch, not some distant figure locked away from the world. I love his humility, that he places himself among the people. Perhaps this is what the Church needs right now. God needs us all to come together as one, not to fight and bicker amongst ourselves. The church is fractured and bleeding, and maybe Francis is the balm that will heal us and bring us together again, and perhaps bring the whole world together.
I don't remember where I read it, but a poster said something along the lines of: Pope Francis may not be the Pope we want, but perhaps he's the Pope we need. I trust and believe in God's Wisdom and will be praying fervently for our new Pope.