Pope: 'Together with the Magi we worship God, not ourselves'
The homily for the Solemnity of the Epiphany celebrated at St. Peter's with Card. Tagle on the day of Jesus' manifestation to the Gentiles. At the Angelus the Orthodox Christmas greeting with a new appeal for an end to the fighting in Ukraine. Promulgated today the apostolic constitution "In Ecclesiarum Communione" reforming the vicariate of Rome: three times a month the pope will personally preside in synodal style over the Council of Bishops of his diocese.
Vatican City (AsiaNews) - "Like the Magi let us surrender to God in the wonder of adoration. Let us worship God and not ourselves," Pope Francis said this morning in his homily at Mass on the Solemnity of the Epiphany, presided at the Vatican basilica.
"Let us adore God," he continued, "and not the false idols that seduce us with the allure of prestige and power, with the allure of false news; let us adore God so as not to bow before the things that pass and the seductive but empty logic of evil."
On the day when the Church commemorates the manifestation of Jesus to the people all over the world, the pontiff entrusted the celebration of the rites at the altar to Card. Luis Antonio Tagle, pro-prefect of the dicastery for Evangelization.
"Like a rising star," Francis said, "Jesus comes to illuminate all peoples and to brighten the nights of humanity." Reflecting on the experience of the Magi, the pontiff invited first of all to seek God through the restless questioning.
"The journey of faith," he commented, "begins when we allow ourselves to be questioned, when we are not content with the tranquility of our habits, but put ourselves on the line in the challenges of each day; when we stop preserving ourselves in a neutral space and decide to inhabit the uncomfortable spaces of life, made up of relationships with others, of surprises, of unexpected events, of projects to be carried out, of dreams to be realized, of fears to be faced, of sufferings that dig into the flesh.
"Like the Magi," he continued, "however, it is also necessary to take the risk of the journey. "Let us ask ourselves today: am I walking toward the Lord of life, so that he may become the Lord of my life? Jesus, who are you for me? Where are you calling me to go, what are you asking of my life? What choices do you invite me to make for others?"
Finally, the wonder of adoration from the great wise men of the East before the Child. "There is no use in activating ourselves pastorally if we do not put Jesus at the center, adoring him. There we learn to stand before God not so much to ask or do something, but just to pause in silence and abandon ourselves to his love, to let ourselves be grasped and regenerated by his mercy."
Then looking down upon St. Peter's Square at noon for the Angelus prayer, Pope Francis extended his best wishes to the communities of the Eastern Churches which celebrate Christmas tomorrow. And on this occasion, too, his thoughts went to the martyred Ukrainian people. "May the birth of the Savior instill comfort and hope, may it inspire concrete steps that can finally bring an end to the fighting and peace."
He also recalled World Mission Day for Children, which as every year the Church celebrates on Epiphany. "I greet all the boys and girls, the boys and girls," he said, "who in every part of the world spread the joy of being friends of Jesus and commit themselves through prayer, sacrifices and offerings to support the missionaries of the Gospel.
Finally, also today, Pope Francis officially promulgated the apostolic constitution "In Ecclesiarum Communione" by which he reorganizes the Vicariate of Rome. "I desire that the local Church of Rome, entrusted to my episcopal service," the pope writes, "may shine as an example of the communion of faith and charity, fully involved in the mission of proclaiming the Kingdom of God, custodian of the divine hope of welcoming all into his salvation."
Among the most important changes is a more direct presence of the pope in the exercise of his ministry as bishop of Rome, but also a strengthening of synodality with a stronger role for the Council of Bishops.
This body - formed by the pope together with the cardinal vicar and all the auxiliary bishops - is described as the "apex place of discernment and pastoral and administrative decisions."
The apostolic constitution specifies that the pope will personally preside over it and it will meet at least three times a month. "The cardinal vicar," Francis further writes in the document, "in his function of coordinating diocesan pastoral care always acts in communion with the Council of Bishops, so he will depart from its concurring opinion only after having consulted the matter with me."
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