VATICAN CITY. Anyone who thinks they know everything about Jesus is “stupid”. God invites us to purify ourselves in many “healthy baths of humility”. Today there is “so much need to mend, starting from our personal relationships up to relations between states”. Pope Francis affirms this at the Angelus in St. Peter’s Square, during which he greets the Salesians with affection and esteem – “they do so much good in the Church” – on the eve of the day of St. John Bosco: “He did not close in the sacristy, he went out on the road to look for young people, with creativity ».
Overlooking the window of the study in the Vatican Apostolic Palace to recite the Marian Prayer with the faithful and pilgrims – among which are the boys of the Catholic Action of the diocese of Rome who concluded, with the “Caravan of Peace”, the month of January traditionally dedicated to them to the theme of peace – the Pontiff begins by emphasizing that the Gospel today recounts the first preaching of Jesus in his country, Nazareth ”. The result is «bitter: instead of receiving approval, Jesus finds incomprehension and even hostility. His fellow villagers, more than a word of truth, wanted miracles, prodigious signs. The Lord does not work with him and they refuse him, because they say they already know him as a child, he is the son of Joseph and so on. Thus Jesus pronounces a phrase that has become proverbial: “No prophet is welcome in his homeland” ».
These words reveal that “failure for Jesus was not entirely unexpected. He knew the of his, he knew the heart of his, he knew the risk he was running, he took into account the refusal ». So according to Bergoglio, we can ask ourselves: «But if this was the case, if he foresees a failure, why does he go to his country anyway? Why do good to people who are unwilling to welcome you? This is a question we often ask ourselves. But it is a question that helps us to understand God better. He, in front of our closures, does not hold back: he does not stop his love for him. In front of our closures, He goes on. We see a reflection of it in those parents who are aware of the ingratitude of their children, but do not stop loving them and doing them good for this ». God is like that, “but on a much higher level. And today he also invites us to believe in good, to leave no stone unturned in doing good.
In what happens in Nazareth “however, we find something else: the hostility towards Jesus on the part of” his “provokes us: they were not welcoming, and we?”. To verify this, it is necessary to look at the models of welcome «that Jesus proposes today, to his fellow villagers and to us. They are two foreigners: a widow of Sarepta of Sidon and Naaman, the Syrian. Both welcomed prophets: the first Elijah, the second Elisha. But it was not an easy welcome, it went through trials. The widow hosted Elijah, despite the famine and although the prophet was persecuted, he was persecuted politically and religiously. Naaman, on the other hand, despite being a person of the highest level, accepted the request of the prophet Elisha, which led him to humble himself, to bathe seven times in a river, as if he were an ignorant child ». The widow and Naamàn, in short, «welcomed them through availability and humility. The way to welcome God is always to be available, to welcome him and to be humble ”. Faith passes “this way: availability and humility. The widow and Naaman did not reject the ways of God and his prophets; they were docile, not rigid and closed ».
Francis observes: «Jesus also follows the path of the prophets: he presents himself as we would not expect. He does not find him who seeks miracles – if we seek miracles we will not find Jesus – who seeks new sensations, intimate experiences, strange things; those looking for a faith made of power and external signs. No, it won’t find it. Only those who accept his ways and his challenges find him, without complaints, without suspicion, without criticism and long faces ». In other words, Christ asks us to “welcome him into the daily reality that you live; in the Church today, as it is; in whom you have close every day; in the concreteness of the needy, in the problems of your family, in the parents, in the children, in the grandparents, welcome God there. There he is, who invites us to purify ourselves in the river of availability and in many healthy baths of humility. It takes humility to encounter God, to allow ourselves to be encountered by him ».
The Pope asks himself: «And we, are we welcoming or do we resemble his fellow villagers, who thought they knew everything about him? “I studied theology, I took that catechesis course … I know everything about Jesus!”. Yes, like a fool! Don’t be stupid, you don’t know Jesus ». Maybe, after so many years that “we are believers, we think we know the Lord well, with our ideas and our judgments, many times”. The risk is to «get used to, get used to Jesus. And how do we get used to it? Closing us, closing us to his novelties, at the moment when He knocks on your door and tells you something new, he wants to enter you. We must get out of this by remaining fixed on our positions ». The Lord asks for an “open mind and a simple heart.” And when a person has an open mind, a simple heart, he has the ability to be surprised, to be amazed. The Lord always surprises us, this is the beauty of the encounter with Jesus. May Our Lady – invokes the Bishop of Rome – model of humility and availability, show us the way to welcome Jesus ».
After the Angelus, the Pope recalls that today is «the World Day of the Sick of Leprosy. I express my closeness to those who suffer from this disease and I hope that they will not lack spiritual support and health care ”. It is necessary to work “together with the full integration of these people, overcoming any discrimination associated with a disease which, unfortunately, still affects many, especially in more disadvantaged social contexts”.
Then, the day after tomorrow, February 1st, «the Lunar New Year will be celebrated throughout the Far East, as well as in various parts of the world. On this occasion, I address my cordial greetings and wish that all may enjoy peace, health and a peaceful and safe life in the New Year. How beautiful it is when families find opportunities to gather and experience moments of love and joy together! Unfortunately, many families will not be able to reunite this year due to the pandemic. I hope that we will soon be able to pass the test. Finally, I hope that thanks to the good will of individuals and the solidarity of peoples, the entire human family will be able to reach goals of material and spiritual prosperity with renewed dynamism ”.
On the eve of the feast of St. John Bosco, Francis wants to “greet the Salesians, who do so much good in the Church. I followed the Mass celebrated in the sanctuary of Mary Help of Christians [a Torino] by the Rector Major Ángel Fernández Artime, I prayed with him for everyone. Let us think of this great saint, father and teacher of youth. He did not shut himself up in the sacristy, he did not shut himself up in his things. He went out on the street looking for young people, with that creativity that was his hallmark. Best wishes to all Salesians and the Salesians! ».
With affection, the Pontiff addresses the «boys and girls of the Catholic Action of the Diocese of Rome! I’m here in a group. Dear children, again this year, accompanied by parents, educators and assistant priests, you have come – a small group, for the pandemic – at the end of the Caravan of Peace. Your slogan is Let’s mend peace. Nice slogan! It’s important! There is a great need to “mend”, starting from our personal relationships, up to the relationships between states. Thank you! Go on! And now release your balloons to the sky as a sign of hope … Here! It is a sign of hope that the young people of Rome bring us today, this “caravan for peace”.
Finally, the Pope wishes «everyone a happy Sunday. And please don’t forget to pray for me. Have a good lunch and goodbye ».
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