Pope: a Jubilee of Mercy so that the Church may recover the sense of mission the Lord entrusted in her
Vatican City (AsiaNews) – The “Church, in this time of great historical change, is called to offer more evident signs of God’s presence and closeness,” said Pope Francis this afternoon as he explained why he decided to convene a special Holy Year, the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, starting on 8 December.
In doing so, he wants the Church to “rediscover the meaning of the mission entrusted to her by the Lord on the day of Easter,” which is “to be a sign and an instrument of the Father’s mercy”. Indeed, “this is the time for mercy. It is the favourable time to heal wounds, a time not to be weary of meeting all those who are waiting to see and to touch with their hands the signs of the closeness of God, a time to offer everyone the way of forgiveness and reconciliation.”
The Holy father spoke during the celebration of the First Vespers of the Second Sunday after Easter, the Sunday of Divine Mercy, when the “the Risen Christ” greeted “his disciples on the evening of Easter,” telling them “Peace be with you!” (Jn 20:19),” words that continue to resound in us all.”
“Peace, especially during this Easter season, remains the desire of so many people who suffer unprecedented violence of discrimination and death simply because they bear the name ‘Christian’. Our prayer is all the more intense and becomes a cry for help to the Father, who is rich in mercy, that he may sustain the faith of our many brothers and sisters who are in pain. At the same time, we ask for the grace of the conversion of our own hearts so as to move from indifference to compassion.”
The reference to today’s martyred Christians came on the day when of the Bull of Indiction Misericordiae vultus was announced and read out. The moment convening the Extraordinary Jubilee came in the Atrium of the Vatican Basilica in front of the Holy Door, when the pope gave the Bull to the four archpriest cardinals of Rome’s papal basilicas, namely Card Angelo Comastri for St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, Card Agostino Vallini for the Lateran Basilica, Card James Michael Harvey for the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls and Card Santos Abril y Castelló for the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.
In order to reach out symbolically to all the bishops of the world, the pontiff also gave a copy of the Bull to Card Marc Ouellet, prefect of the Congregation of Bishops; Card Fernando Filoni, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples; and Card Leonardo Sandri, prefect of the Congregation for Oriental Churches. Francis did the same with Hong Kong-born Archbishop Savio Hon Tai-Fai, now secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, in representation of the Orient; Benin-born Archbishop Barthélemy Adoukonou, currently secretary of the Pontifical Council for Culture, in representation of Africa; and Mgr Khaled Ayad Bishay, of the Patriarchal Church of Alexandria of the Copts, in representation of Eastern Churches.
Afterwards, the regent of the Papal Household, Mgr Leonardo Sapienza, as Protonotary Apostolic de numero, read some excerpts from the official document of Indiction of the special Holy Year.
During the celebration of the First Vespers of the Divine Mercy Sunday, the Pope said, “Saint Paul reminds us that we have been saved through the mystery of the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. He is the Reconciler, who is alive in our midst offering the way to reconciliation with God and with each other. The Apostle recalls that, notwithstanding the difficulties and the sufferings of life, the hope of salvation which Christ has sown in our hearts nonetheless continues to grow. The mercy of God is poured out upon us, making us just and giving us peace.”
“A question lies in the heart of many: why a Jubilee of Mercy today? Simply because the Church, in this time of great historical change, is called to offer more evident signs of God’s presence and closeness. This is not the time to be distracted; on the contrary, we need to be vigilant and to reawaken in ourselves the capacity to see what is essential. This is a time for the Church to rediscover the meaning of the mission entrusted to her by the Lord on the day of Easter: to be a sign and an instrument of the Father’s mercy (cf. Jn 20:21-23).
“For this reason, the Holy Year must keep alive the desire to know how to welcome the numerous signs of the tenderness which God offers to the whole world and, above all, to those who suffer, who are alone and abandoned, without hope of being pardoned or feeling the Father’s love. A Holy Year to experience strongly within ourselves the joy of having been found by Jesus, the Good Shepherd who has come in search of us because we were lost. A Jubilee to receive the warmth of his love when he bears us upon his shoulders and brings us back to the Father’s house. A year in which to be touched by the Lord Jesus and to be transformed by his mercy, so that we may become witnesses to mercy. Here, then, is the reason for the Jubilee: because this is the time for mercy. It is the favourable time to heal wounds, a time not to be weary of meeting all those who are waiting to see and to touch with their hands the signs of the closeness of God, a time to offer everyone the way of forgiveness and reconciliation.”
“May the Mother of God open our eyes, so that we may comprehend the task to which we have been called; and may she obtain for us the grace to experience this Jubilee of Mercy as faithful and fruitful witnesses of Christ.”
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31/12/2022 22:38
