Pope: Announcing the Gospel, intercession and hope, lynchpins of Christian life
"Each one of us, let’s ask ourselves: How is the announcement (of Jesus) in my life? How is my relationship with Jesus who intercedes for me? And how is my hope? Do I truly believe that the Lord is risen? Do I believe that he prays to the Father on my behalf? Each time that I call him, He is praying for me, He is interceding? ".
Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Announcement, intercession and hope are the "dimensions" that should distinguish Christian life said Pope Francis at Mass this morning in Casa Santa Marta, on the day that marks the 43rd anniversary of Jorge Mario Bergoglio’s religious profession.
"Jesus is alive! This is the announcement of the Apostles to the Jews and the Gentiles of their time and this announcement was also witnessed with their lives, with their blood”. “When John and Peter were brought before the Sanhedrin after the healing of the crippled man and the priests forbade them to mention the name of Jesus, the Resurrection, they courageously and simply said: ‘We cannot stop proclaiming what we have seen and heard,’ - the announcement. And we Christians through our faith have the Holy Spirit inside us that makes us see and listen to the truth about Jesus who was put to death for our sins and who rose again. This is the announcement of our Christian life. Christ is alive! Christ is risen! Christ is among us in the community and accompanies us on our journey.”
Turning next to the question of intercession, Pope Francis reminded his listeners that just as Jesus told his Apostles at the last Supper, He is praying for us and preparing us a place in the house of the Lord. “What does this mean? How does Jesus prepare this place? By praying for each one of us. Jesus prays for us and this is his intercession. At this moment, Jesus is working by praying for us. Just as he told Peter one time before the passion, ‘Peter, I prayed for you.’ In the same way, Jesus is now the intercessor between the Father and us.” The Pope went on to explain how Jesus intercedes for us by showing his wounds to the Father after the Resurrection and names each one of us to Him. This, he said, is Jesus’ prayer and his intercession on our behalf.
Concluding his homily, Pope Francis touched on the third dimension of a Christian life: hope. “A Christian,” he declared, “is a woman, a man of hope who hopes that the Lord will return.” All the church is waiting for the coming of Jesus who will return and this is “Christian hope.”
“Each one of us, let’s ask ourselves: How is the announcement (of Jesus) in my life? How is my relationship with Jesus who intercedes for me? And how is my hope? Do I truly believe that the Lord is risen? Do I believe that he prays to the Father on my behalf? Each time that I call him, He is praying for me, He is interceding. Do I truly believe that He will return, that He will come? It would do us good to ask ourselves these (questions) about our faith: Do I believe in the announcement of Jesus’ good news? Do I believe in his intercession? Am I a man or a woman of hope?”
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