Pope: "God’s style is not man's", God wins with humility

Commenting on the death of John the Baptist, Francis invites us to "ask the Lord for the grace of humility that John had without bestowing us with the merits or glories of others. And above all, the grace that there is always space in our lives for Jesus to grow and that we abase ourselves, to the very end. "

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - " God’s style is not man's. Let us ask the Lord for the grace of humility" and "above all, that there is always space in our lives for Jesus to grow and that we abase ourselves, to the very end", said Pope Francis at Mass this morning in Casa Santa Marta, commenting on the passage of Mark's Gospel on the end that John the Baptist meets, the "greatest" of men, "just and holy”, as he prepared people for the arrival of the Messiah.

John the Baptist, the Pope said, is “'the greatest man born of woman”: so says the canonization formula for John. But this formula was not uttered by a Pope, rather it was said by Jesus. This man is the greatest man born of woman. The greatest Saint: this is how Jesus canonized him. He ends up in jail, was beheaded, and even seems resigned to the end he meets: 'The disciples of John, on finding out about the act, came and took his body and laid it in a tomb'. So he ends 'the greatest man born of woman'. A great prophet. The last of the prophets. The only one who was allowed to see the hope of Israel".

"But - he said Francis – he too suffered in prison - let us say the word – the inner torture of doubt: 'But maybe I was wrong? This Messiah is not how I would have imagined the Messiah to be... '. And he sent his disciples to ask Jesus: 'But, tell, tell the truth: is it you who must come?', Because that doubt pained him. Did I made a mistake in announcing someone who is not the one? Have I deceived the people? '. The suffering, the inner loneliness of this man ... 'I, however, I must decrease, decrease thus: in my soul, in my body ... in everything' ... ".

"Growing ever less, decreasing," this "was John's life." "As a great one who did not seek his own glory, but that of God" and who ends in a manner "so prosaic, in anonymity." But with this attitude "he has prepared the way for Jesus", who similarly "died in anguish, alone, without disciples."

"We would do well - the Pope concluded – to read this passage of the Gospel now, the Gospel of Mark, Chapter VI. Read that passage, to see how God wins: God's ways are not man's. Ask the Lord for the grace of humility that had John without apportioning of us deserves or other glories. And above all, let us ask the Lord for the grace of humility that John had without bestowing us with the merits or glories of others. And above all, the grace that there is always space in our lives for Jesus to grow and that we abase ourselves, to the very end".

• Vatican
• Mass Pope Francis
• Casa Santa Marta
• homily