Jesus sends to us out to make a journey that is not just a "walk" but a mandate. If a disciple does not move and does not go out, "they are not a true disciple of Jesus: they lack missionary impulse". If their life is not for service, "there is no need for them to live as Christian. And there is the temptation of selfishness". "The path of service is free because we have received salvation for free, pure grace, none of us bought salvation, none of us merited it. It is pure grace. "

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - "Journey, service, gratuity", are the three words that should characterize the disciple of Jesus, called to walk to serve, to proclaim the Gospel gratuitously, hoping in Christ and not in selfishness or in riches, explained Pope Francis in his homily at Mass celebrated this morning in Casa Santa Marta, inspired by today’s Gospel passage, in which Jesus sends his disciples to proclaim the Good News.

The Pope said Jesus sends us out on a journey that is not just a "walk" but is a sending with "a message: to proclaim the Gospel, to bring Salvation, the Gospel of Salvation." This "is the task Jesus gives to his disciples. If a disciple does not move and does not go out, does not give what he has received in baptism to others, he is not a true disciple of Jesus: he lacks the missionary impulse, he lacks the ability to step outside of himself to bring something good to others". "The path of the disciple of Jesus is to go beyond this to bring the Good News. But a disciple of Jesus has another path to follow: the inner journey, the path within, the path of the disciple who seeks the Lord every day, in prayer, in meditation. The disciple must also travel this path because if he does not always seek God, the Gospel that he brings to others will be a weak Gospel, watered down, with no strength. " "This dual path is dual journey that Jesus wants from his disciples."

Then there is the second word: "Serve". "A disciple who does not serve others is not a Christian. The disciple has to do what Jesus preached in those two pillars of Christianity: the Beatitudes and then the 'protocol' on which we shall be judged, Matthew (chapter) 25 ". These two pillars, he warned, "perfectly frame evangelical service". "If a disciple does not journey to serve, than his journey is useless.  If his life is not for service, then there is no need for him to live as a Christian. And there is the temptation of selfishness: 'Yes, I am Christian, I am at peace, I confess, I go to Mass, I fulfill the commandments'. But service! The other: service to Jesus in the sick, the imprisoned, the hungry, the naked. What Jesus told us that we have to do because He is there! Service to Christ in the other. "

The third word is "gratuity". "Freely you have received, freely give," is Jesus warning. " The path of service is free because we have received salvation for free, pure grace, none of us bought salvation, none of us merited it. It is pure grace of the Father in Jesus Christ, in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. " "It’s sad when there are Christians who forget this word of Jesus:' Freely you have received, freely give '. It’s sad when you found Christian communities, parishes, religious congregations, dioceses, whatever, these Christian communities, that forget gratuity because behind this and in this there is deception (of assuming) that we are saved by wealth, by human power. "

Three words, the Pope said, "as a way to proclaim. Service: the life of a Christian is not for himself, it is for others, as was the life of Jesus. " And "gratuity. Our hope is in Jesus Christ who sends us such a hope which never disappoints. " But, he concluded, "when hope is placed in one’s own comfort on the journey or hope is placed in the selfishness of seeking things for oneself and not to serve others or when hope is placed in wealth or in small securities of this world, all this collapses . The Lord himself brings them tumbling down”.

• vatican
• pope
• francis
• mass
• casa
• santa
• marta