Pope
Francis: Church is a mother, not a rigid association
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis says the Church is a mother and
must have that loving and tender maternal feeling and human warmth as otherwise
all that remains is rigidity and discipline. That was the message at the heart
of the Pope’s homily on Tuesday (15th September) at the Mass celebrated in the
Santa Marta Residence. Tuesday’s Mass was also attended by the C-9 Cardinals
who are meeting in the Vatican this week.
The inspiration for Pope Francis’ reflections in his homily came
from Jesus’ words spoken from the Cross to Mary and to the apostle whom he
loved when he entrusted each of them to the other’s care. Jesus, he stressed,
does not leave us orphaned, we have a mother who protects us.
Jesus doesn't leave us as
orphans
“In these times where
I don’t know if it’s the prevailing sense but there is a great sense in the
world of being orphaned, it’s an orphaned world. This word has a great
importance, the importance when Jesus tells us: ‘I am not leaving you as
orphans, I’m giving you a mother.’ And this is also a (source of) pride for us:
we have a mother, a mother who is with us, protects us, accompanies us, who
helps us, even in difficult or terrible times.”
This motherhood of
Mary, the Pope explained, goes beyond her and is contagious. From it, comes a
second motherhood, that of the Church.
Without motherhood, only
rigidity and discipline remain
“The Church is our
mother. She is our ‘Holy Mother Church’ that is generated through our baptism,
makes us grow up in her community and has that motherly attitude, of meekness
and goodness: Our Mother Mary and our Mother Church know how to caress their
children and show tenderness. To think of the Church without that motherly
feeling is to think of a rigid association, an association without human
warmth, an orphan.”
“The Church is our
mother and welcomes all of us as a mother: Mary our Mother, our Mother Church,
and this motherhood are expressed through an attitude of welcome,
understanding, goodness, forgiveness and tenderness.”
“And where there is
motherhood and life, there’s life, there’s joy, there’s peace and we grow in
peace. When this motherhood is lacking all that remains is rigidity, discipline
and people do not know how to smile. One of the most beautiful and human things
is to smile at a child and make him or her smile.”
In conclusion, the Pope
said “May our Lord make us feel his presence today as well, just as when He
once more offered himself up to the Father on behalf of us: (saying) ‘Son, this
is your mother!’”
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