Pope: Though sinners, we are not just numbers for God, we are what is most dear to Him
Rome (AsiaNews) - "For God we are not numbers, we are important, indeed we are the most important thing He has, though sinners, we are what is most dear": this is how Pope Francis explains the Feast of Divine Mercy, which the Church celebrates Today the second Sunday of Easter. Established by John Paul II, the feast is bound to Jesus' revelations to Saint Faustina Kowalska, to find the centre of the Christian message in the mercy of God. In his homily during Mass at Saint John Lateran, Francis returned several times to this center: "the mercy of God! God's love for us is so great, so deep; it is an unfailing love, one which always takes us by the hand and supports us, lifts us up and leads us on".
The pontiff today celebrated the Eucharist in the cathedral church of the city as a sign of his installation on the throne of the bishop of Rome. He arrived at 17 in front of the Vicariate building, St. John Lateran square, where along with Card. Vallini and the Mayor of Rome, Hon. Gianni Alemanno, they unveiled the plaque with the new name of the square dedicated to John Paul II. Perhaps to remember the Polish pope, today Francis carried the pastoral cross that was John Paul II's and Paul VI's. During the Mass, some representatives of the Church of Rome greeted him offering their obedience. Among them, was the youngest ordained priest of the diocese and a family with four children.
In his homily the Pope listed
many examples of the way in which the mercy of God is at work among men.
Referring
to today's Gospel (John 20, 19-31), he recalled the apostle Thomas, firm in his
disbelief. " And
how does Jesus react? - says
Francis - With patience: Jesus does not abandon Thomas in his
stubborn unbelief; he gives him a week's time, he does not close the door, he
waits. And Thomas acknowledges his own poverty, his little faith. "My Lord and
my God!": with this simple yet faith-filled invocation, he responds to Jesus'
patience. He lets himself be enveloped by divine mercy; he sees it before his
eyes, in the wounds of Christ's hands and feet and in his open side, and he
discovers trust: he is a new man, no longer an unbeliever, but a believer.. "
Also remember to Peter: " three
times he denied Jesus, precisely when he should have been closest to him; and
when he hits bottom he meets the gaze of Jesus who patiently, wordlessly, says
to him: "Peter, don't be afraid of your weakness, trust in me". Peter understands,
he feels the loving gaze of Jesus, and he weeps. How beautiful is this gaze of
Jesus - how much tenderness is there! Brothers and sisters, let us never lose
trust in the patience and mercy of God!."
He
then goes on to the disciples at Emmaus: "their sad faces,
their barren journey, their despair. But Jesus does not abandon them: he walks
beside them, and not only that! Patiently he explains the Scriptures which
spoke of him, and he stays to share a meal with them.. "
"This - says Francis- is God's way of doing things: he is not impatient like us, who often want everything all at once, even in our dealings with other people. God is patient with us because he loves us, and those who love are able to understand, to hope, to inspire confidence; they do not give up, they do not burn bridges, they are able to forgive. Let us remember this in our lives as Christians: God always waits for us, even when we have left him behind! He is never far from us, and if we return to him, he is ready to embrace us".
The pope also recalls the parable
of "the merciful Father " - also known as the "prodigal
son", which he often likes to quote - who " he was
waiting for him every hour of every day, ...God is always waiting for us, he
never grows tired. Jesus shows us this merciful patience of God so that we can
regain confidence, hope - always! Romano Guardini said that God responds to our
weakness by his patience, and this is the reason for our confidence, our hope
(cf. Glaubenserkenntnis, Würzburg, 1949, p. 28)."
" I
would like to emphasize one other thing - he added - God's patience has to call
forth in us the courage to return to him, however many mistakes and sins there
may be in our life. Jesus tells Thomas to put his hand in the wounds of his
hands and his feet, and in his side. We too can enter into the wounds of Jesus,
we can actually touch him. This happens every time that we receive the
sacraments with faith. ".
Francis quotes St. Bernard, who
says: "My merit is God's mercy. I am by no means lacking
merits as long as he is rich in mercy. If the mercies of the Lord are manifold,
I too will abound in merits".
The
Pope comments: "Someone may think: my sin is so great, I am as far
from God as the younger son in the parable, my unbelief is like that of Thomas;
I don't have the courage to go back, to believe that God can welcome me and
that he is waiting for me, of all people. But God is indeed waiting for you; he
asks of you only the courage to go to him. How many times in my pastoral
ministry have I heard it said: "Father, I have many sins"; and I have always
pleaded: "Don't be afraid, go to him, he is waiting for you, he will take care
of everything". We hear many offers from the world around us; but let us take
up God's offer instead: his is a caress of love. For God, we are not numbers,
we are important, indeed we are the most important thing to him; even if we are
sinners, we are what is closest to his heart.".
" In my
own life, - he concluded - I have
so often seen God's merciful countenance, his patience; I have also seen so
many people find the courage to enter the wounds of Jesus by saying to him:
Lord, I am here, accept my poverty, hide my sin in your wounds, wash it away
with your blood. And I have always seen that God did just this - he accepted
them, consoled them, cleansed them, loved them.
Dear brothers and sisters, let us be enveloped by the mercy of God; let us
trust in his patience, which always gives us more time. Let us find the courage
to return to his house, to dwell in his loving wounds, allowing ourselves be
loved by him and to encounter his mercy in the sacraments. We will feel his
tenderness, we will feel his embrace, and we too will become more capable of
mercy, patience, forgiveness and love".
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