Pope: Jesus came into the world not only to fulfill the law, but to also give us his Grace
At the Angelus, Pope Francis explains the antitheses present in the "Sermon on the Mount" with the expressions "You understood that it was said ... but I tell you". Not "formal compliance with the law", but "substantial compliance". "We can do everything, everything with the grace of God. In fact, holiness is nothing other than guarding this grace". Hatred and passions generate wars: the memory of the Syrian girl who died of cold.
Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Jesus "came into the world not only to fulfill the Law, but also to give us his Grace, so that we can do God's will, loving Him and our brothers and sisters" Pope Francis said today concluding his reflection before the Angelus recited with pilgrims in St. Peter's Square. Among other things, speaking of hatred, passions and sin he added off the cuff: "We think of wars, we think of the consequences of wars, we think of that little girl who died of cold in Syria the day before yesterday. Many calamities, many ". The pope was referring to a piece of news about a one and a half year old girl, Iman Mahmoud Laila, died in the arms of her father who was trying to take her on foot to a hospital in the governorate of Aleppo.
The Pope was inspired by today's gospel (6th per year, A, Matthew 5, 17-37), on the "Sermon on the Mount", which "addresses the topic of fulfilling the Law".
"Christ's sermon - he explained - is structured in four antitheses, expressed with the formula" You understood that it was said ... but I say to you ". These antitheses refer to as many situations of daily life: murder, adultery, divorce, oaths ".
“Jesus - he continued - does not abolish the prescriptions that concern these problems, but explains their deeper meaning and indicates the spirit with which it is necessary to observe them. He encourages us to move from formal compliance with the Law to substantial compliance, accepting the Law in our heart, which is the center of the intentions, decisions, words and gestures of each of us. Good and bad deeds start from the heart. "
"By accepting the Law of God in your heart, you understand that when you do not love your neighbor, you kill yourself and others to some extent, because hatred, rivalry and division kill the fraternal charity that is at the basis of interpersonal relationships. By accepting the Law of God in your heart, you understand that desires must be guided, because not everything you want can be had, and it is not good to give in to selfish and possessive sentiments. When you accept the Law of God in your heart, you understand that you must abandon a lifestyle made of broken promises, as well as move from the prohibition to swear the false to the decision not to swear at all, taking the attitude of full sincerity with everyone".
“But Jesus is aware that it is not easy to live the commandments…. This is why he offers us the help of his love: he came into the world not only to fulfill the law, but also to give us his grace, so that we can do the will of God, loving him and our brothers and sisters. We can do everything, everything with the grace of God. In fact, holiness is nothing other than guarding this grace ”.
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11/12/2022 13:10
