Pope: we pray for those who work in the Red Cross and the Red Crescent

"Many times, in bad times, we get angry with the Lord and don't let Him come" and console us. “The consolation of the Lord is truthful, it does not deceive. It's not anesthesia, no. But it is close, it is truthful and it opens the doors of hope to us”.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - ““Today is World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day. Let us pray for the people who work in these meritorious institutions. May the Lord bless their work that does so much good.”  This is the invitation to prayer with which Pope Francis introduced Mass this morning at Casa Santa Marta.

In his homily, he commented on the passage from the Gospel (Jn 14: 1-6) of Jesus' last conversation with the disciples. This conversation between Jesus and the disciples, Francis recalled, takes place during the Last Supper: "Jesus is sad and everyone is sad: Jesus said he would be betrayed by one of them" but at the same time he begins to console them:

"The Lord consoles his disciples and here we see what Jesus' way of consoling is. We have many ways of consoling, from the most authentic, from the closest to the most formal, like those telegrams of condolences: 'Deeply grieved for ...' . It does not console anyone, it is a fake, it is the consolation of formalities. But how does the Lord console those he loves? This is important to know, because we too, when in our life we ​​experience moments of sadness "we learn to" perceive what the true consolation of the Lord is ".

"In this passage of the Gospel - he observed - we see that the Lord always consoles in closeness, with truth and in hope". These are the three traits of the Lord's consolation. "In closeness, never far away."

The Pope recalled "that beautiful word of the Lord: 'I am here with you." "Often" He is present in silence "but we know that He is there. He is always there. That closeness which is the style of God, even in the Incarnation, to draw near to us. The Lord consoles in closeness. And he does not use empty words, on the contrary: he prefers silence. The strength of closeness, of presence. And it speaks little. But it's close. "

A second trait “of Jesus' way of consoling is the truth: Jesus is truthful. He doesn't say formal things that are lies: 'No, don't worry, everything will pass, nothing will happen, it will pass, things will pass ...' No. He tells the truth. He does not hide the truth. Because in this passage he himself says: 'I am the truth'. And the truth is: 'I'm leaving', that is: 'I will die'. We are facing death. It is the truth. And he says it simply and also he says it mildly, without hurting: we are facing death. He does not hide the truth”.

The third trait of Jesus' consolation is hope. He says, “Yes, it's a bad time. But don't let your heart be troubled: have faith also in me ", because" in my Father's house there are many dwellings. I'm going to prepare a place for you. " He first goes to open the doors of that house where he wants to take us: "I will come again, I will take you with me so that wherever I am, you are too".

“The Lord comes back each time one of us is on the path of leaving this world. 'I will come and take you': hope. He will come and take us by the hand and bring us. He does not say: 'No, you will not suffer, there is nothing.' No. He says the truth: 'I am close to you, this is the truth: it is a bad moment, of danger, of death. But don't let your heart be troubled, stay in that peace, that peace that is the basis of every consolation, because I will come and I will take you by the hand where I will be "."

“It is not easy to be consoled by the Lord. Many times, in bad times, we get angry with the Lord and do not let him come and speak to us like this, with this sweetness, with this closeness, with this meekness, with this truth and with this hope.”

Pope Francis concluded: “Let us ask for grace to learn to let ourselves be consoled by the Lord. The consolation of the Lord is truthful; it does not deceive. It's not anesthesia, no. But it is close, it is truthful and it opens the doors of hope to us”.