Pope to priests on Holy Thursday: Be guardians of harmony

In his homily at the Chrism Mass Francis invited priests not to be frightened by labors and weaknesses and to discover within themselves their own Easter. At the Casal del Marmo juvenile prison today Mass in Coena Domini with the washing of the feet of young inmates.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - "Does my fulfillment depend on how good I am, on the role I get, on the compliments I receive, on the career I have, on the superiors or collaborators I have, on the comforts I can guarantee myself, or on the anointing that perfumes my life?" This is the question Pope Francis addressed to all priests this morning in his homily at the Chrism Mass presided at St. Peter's Basilica on the day the Church commemorates the institution of the priesthood.

In the afternoon, the pontiff will travel to Rome's Casal del Marmo juvenile prison for the celebration of Mass in Coena Domini, with the washing of the feet of young inmates. But like every year, the day was opened by the solemn celebration with the priests of the diocese of Rome. And the rite of blessing the holy oils became an opportunity to reflect on the meaning of the "anointing" by virtue of which each person is sent to live out his ministry among his brothers and sisters.

Commenting on the words "the spirit of the Lord God is upon me" spoken by Jesus in the synagogue in Nazareth, the pope invited the priests to recognize that it is the Spirit who anoints each one.

"For us, too, there was a first anointing, which began with a call of love that ravished our hearts. For it we left our moorings, and on that genuine enthusiasm came down the power of the Spirit, who anointed us. Then, according to God's timing, comes for each person the Easter stage, which marks the moment of truth. And it is a time of crisis, which has various forms."

"To everyone, sooner or later, it happens to experience disappointments, fatigue and weaknesses," the pontiff continued, "with the ideal seeming to wear out amid the demands of reality, while a certain habit takes over and some trials, previously difficult to imagine, make fidelity seem more uncomfortable than it once was. It is a time from which one can come out badly by "gliding toward a certain mediocrity, dragging oneself wearily into a 'normality' where three dangerous temptations creep in: that of compromise, whereby we settle for what we can do; that of surrogates, whereby we try to 'recharge' ourselves with something other than our anointing; that of discouragement, whereby, discontented, we move forward by inertia. Appearances remain intact, we fall back on ourselves and listlessly make it through our days."

But the crisis can also become a turning point in the priesthood, "the ultimate choice between Jesus and the world, between the heroic nature of charity and mediocrity, between the cross and a certain prosperity, between holiness and an honest fidelity to religious commitment."

Francis called it a "second anointing," where we welcome the Spirit "not on the enthusiasm of our dreams, but on the fragility of our reality. It is an anointing that makes truth in the depths, that allows the Spirit to anoint our weaknesses, our labors, our inner poverty. Then the anointing smells anew: of Him, not of us." 

To priests in crisis, the pope says, "take courage, the Lord is greater than your weaknesses, your sins. Entrust yourself to the Lord and let Him call you a second time, this time with the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Leading a double life will not help you; throwing everything out the window, neither. Look ahead, let the anointing of the Holy Spirit embrace you."

The fruit of the Spirit's anointing is harmony: "Building harmony among us," the pontiff explained, "is not so much a good method so that the ecclesial structure proceeds better, it is not a matter of strategy or courtesy: it is an internal requirement of the life of the Spirit. One sins against the Spirit who is communion when one becomes, even by levity, an instrument of division; and one plays into the hands of the enemy, who does not come out of the closet and loves rumors and insinuations, foments partisan interests and cordatas, feeds nostalgia for the past, distrust, pessimism, fear."

"Let us help each other, brothers, to be guardians of harmony," Francis admonished, "beginning not with others, but each one with himself; asking ourselves: in my words, in my comments, in what I say and write, is there the stamp of the Spirit or that of the world? I also think of the priest's kindness: if people find even in us dissatisfied and disgruntled people who criticize and point fingers, where will they see harmony?"

"How many," he added, "do not approach or turn away from the Church because they do not feel welcomed and loved, but looked upon with suspicion and judged. In God's name, let us welcome and forgive, always. And let us remember that being edgy and complaining, besides producing nothing good, corrupts the proclamation, because it counter-witnesses God, who is communion and harmony."

Pope Francis concluded by addressing his thanks to all priests, "Thank you for your witness and service; thank you for the hidden good you do, for the forgiveness and consolation you give in God's name; thank you for your ministry, which often takes place amid much toil and little recognition. May the Spirit of God, who does not leave those who put their trust in Him disappointed, fill you with peace and bring to completion what He has begun in you, that you may be prophets of His anointing and apostles of harmony."