At noon today, the Holy Father Francis appeared at the window of the study of the Vatican Apostolic Palace to pray the Angelus with the approximately 12 thousand faithful and pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square.
The Pope invited us not to lock ourselves in the impenetrable fortress of our own convictions and rigid schemes, performing religious practices that only serve to confirm what we already think but to prepare our hearts to listen to what the Lord wants to tell us.
These are the words of the Pope when presenting the Marian prayer:
Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday!
Today the Gospel of the liturgy (Jn 6:41-51) tells us about the reaction of the Judeans to the statement of Jesus, who says: “I have come down from heaven” (Jn 6:38). They are scandalized.
They murmur among themselves: “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” (Jn 6:42). And they murmur like this. Let us pay attention to what they say.
And yet they are people who observe the law, who give alms, who respect fasts and times of prayer. Indeed, Christ has already performed various miracles. How is it that all this does not help them to recognize in Him the Messiah? Why does it not help them? Because they carry out their religious practices not so much in order to listen to the Lord, but rather to find in them the confirmation of what they think. They are closed to the Word of the Lord, and look for confirmation of their own thoughts.
Let us ask ourselves, then: in my life of faith, am I capable of being truly silent within myself, and listening to God? Am I willing to welcome His voice, beyond my own mindset, and also, with His help, to overcome my fears?
May Mary help us to listen with faith to the Lord’s voice, and to do His will courageously.
____________________
After the Angelus
Dear brothers and sisters!
We have commemorated, in these days, the anniversary of the atomic bombing of the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. As we continue to commend to the Lord the victims of those events, and of all wars, let us renew our intense prayer for peace, especially for troubled Ukraine, the Middle East, Palestine, Israel, Sudan and Myanmar.
Today is the feast of Saint Clare: I address an affectionate thought to all the Clarissians, and in particular those of Vallegloria, with whom I have a beautiful friendship.
Let us also pray for the victims of the tragic air crash in Brazil.
And I greet you all, Romans and pilgrims from Italy and many countries, in particular the group of students from the minor seminary of Bergamo, who have come on foot from Assisi, in a several days-long pilgrimage. Are you tired? No? Good. You are good!
I wish you all a happy Sunday. And to you, too young people of the Immacolata: happy Sunday! And please, do not forget to pray for me; you Brazilians, too, who I can see clearly. To all of you, thank you! Enjoy your lunch, and arrivederci!
