Pope: follow Jesus "day after day, in your work, your conversations and among your friends"
Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Follow Jesus, "Waste no time in questioning or in useless chattering," focus on the "essential"! Follow him "without regard for the difficulties;" follow him "in preaching the Gospel", bearing "witness to a life shaped by the grace you received in baptism and holy orders;" follow him "day after day, in your work, your conversations and among your friends," follow him "by proclaiming the Gospel to all, especially to the least among us, so that no one will fail to hear the word of life which sets us free from every fear and enables us to trust in the faithfulness of God," said Pope Francis in his exhortations and admonitions to the "shepherds" of the Church, on the day dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul, solemnity in other words dedicated to those whose task is to lead the people of God
"Faith in Jesus Christ," he said during the Angelus, "made them brothers and martyrdom made them become one. Saint Peter and Saint Paul, so different from each other on a human level, were personally chosen by the Lord Jesus and they answered the call by offering their entire lives."
"Thus they continue to speak to the Church and still show us today the way to salvation. Even if by chance we should fall into the greatest sins and the darkest night, God can transform us. God is the way: he transforms us; he always forgives us, as he did with Peter and Paul. "
For the pope, the feast of the patron saints of Rome is marred today by what is happening in the Middle East. "News from Iraq," he told the 50,000 people present in St Peter's Square for the Angelus, "are unfortunately very painful. I join the bishops of that country in appealing to governments that, through dialogue, national unity may be preserved and war avoided. I am close to the thousands of families, especially Christians, who had to leave their homes and are in grave danger. Violence begets violence; dialogue is the only way to peace. Let us pray to Our Lady to protect the people of Iraq. "
In the basilica dedicated to the Prince of the Apostles, the statue of Saint Peter was dressed today in his pontifical vestments, and 27 new archbishops - 24 of whom are present - received the pallium, the symbol of the special bond that unites them to the Apostolic See. As in previous years, a delegation from the ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople is present. To them, the Pope dedicated the first thought of his homily.
"On this Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, the principal patrons of Rome," he said, "we welcome with joy and gratitude the Delegation sent by the Ecumenical Patriarch, our venerable and beloved brother Bartholomaios, and led by Metropolitan Ioannis. Let us ask the Lord that this visit too may strengthen our fraternal bonds as we journey toward that full communion between the two sister Churches which we so greatly desire."
Significant in this regard is the sight of the pope who, at the end of the celebration, walks down the aisle of the basilica side by side with the Metropolitan. A delegation of the Patriarchate of Moscow is not present for this occasion, and never has, but a choir from the largest of Orthodox Churches is present.
The pope began with the passage in the Acts of the Apostles that recounts Peter's release from prison in Jerusalem. "Peter," the pope said, "realised that the Lord had freed him from fear and from chains. Yes, the Lord liberates us from every fear and from all that enslaves us, so that we can be truly free."
"The problem for us, then, is fear and looking for refuge in our pastoral responsibilities. I wonder, dear brother bishops, are we afraid? What are we afraid of? And if we are afraid, what forms of refuge do we seek, in our pastoral life, to find security? Do we look for support from those who wield worldly power? Or do we let ourselves be deceived by the pride which seeks gratification and recognition, thinking that these will offer us security? Dear brother Bishops, where do we find our security?"
"The witness of the Apostle Peter reminds us that our true refuge is trust in God. Trust in God banishes all fear and sets us free from every form of slavery and all worldly temptation. Today the Bishop of Rome and other bishops, particularly the metropolitans who have received the pallium, feel challenged by the example of Saint Peter to assess to what extent each of us puts his trust in the Lord."
"Peter recovered this trust when Jesus said to him three times: 'Feed my sheep' (Jn 21:15,16,17). Peter thrice confessed his love for Jesus, thus making up for his threefold denial of Christ during the passion. Peter still regrets the disappointment, which he caused the Lord on the night of his betrayal. Now that the Lord asks him: 'Do you love me?' Peter does not trust himself and his own strength, but instead entrusts himself to Jesus and his mercy: 'Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you' (Jn 21:17). Precisely at this moment fear, insecurity and cowardice dissipate."
"Peter experienced how God's fidelity is always greater than our acts of infidelity, stronger than our denials. He realizes that the God's fidelity dispels our fears and exceeds every human reckoning. Today Jesus also asks us: 'Do you love me?'' He does so because he knows our fears and our struggles. Peter shows us the way: we need to trust in the Lord, who 'knows everything' that is in us, not counting on our capacity to be faithful, but on his unshakable fidelity. Jesus never abandons us, for he cannot deny himself (cf. 2 Tim 2:13). He is faithful. The fidelity which God constantly shows to us pastors, far in excess of our merits, is the source of our confidence and our peace. The Lord's fidelity to us keeps kindled within us the desire to serve him and to serve our sisters and brothers in charity."
"The love of Jesus must suffice for Peter. He must no longer yield to the temptation to curiosity, jealousy, as when, seeing John nearby, he asks Jesus: 'Lord, what about this man?' (Jn 21:21). But Jesus, in the face of these temptations, says to him in reply: 'What is it to you? Follow me' (Jn 21:22). This experience of Peter is a message for us too, dear brother archbishops. Today the Lord repeats to me, to you, and to all pastors: Follow me! Waste no time in questioning or in useless chattering; do not dwell on secondary things, but look to what is essential and follow me. Follow me without regard for the difficulties. Follow me in preaching the Gospel. Follow me by the witness of a life shaped by the grace you received in baptism and holy orders. Follow me by speaking of me to those with whom you live, day after day, in your work, your conversations and among your friends. Follow me by proclaiming the Gospel to all, especially to the least among us, so that no one will fail to hear the word of life which sets us free from every fear and enables us to trust in the faithfulness of God. Follow me!"
"Even for us," the pontiff said during the Angelus, "meeting the Word of Christ can transform our lives completely. It is not possible to hear this Word and remain firm in one's place, stuck in our own habits. It motivates us to overcome the selfishness in our hearts to follow resolutely the Master who gave his life for his friends."
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