Pope Jubilee Audience: ‘True Conversion opens us to
those most in need’
(Vatican Radio) Pope
Francis held his special Jubilee Audience for the month of June in St. Peter’s
Square on Saturday, reflecting on Jesus’ call to conversion which was
expressed not in judgment but in closeness to sinners and mercy to those in
need
Reflecting on the Gospel
passage in which the Risen Jesus encounters his disciples on the road to
Emmaus, Pope Francis said Jesus’ call to conversion is an experience of
unmerited love which leads to openness to others, especially to the poor.
He said the theme of
conversion is present throughout the Bible, especially in the message of the
prophets who continually invited people to ‘return to the Lord’.
“Conversion for the prophets
means changing direction and turning anew to the Lord, trusting that He loves
us and that His love is always faithful.”
He said Jesus focused more
than the prophets on the interior dimension of conversion, making repentance
the first word of his preaching ministry, as seen in the Gospel of Mark:
“Repent, and believe in the Gospel” (Mk 1,15).
The Holy Father went on to
say that Jesus’ call to conversion was expressed not in judgment but in
closeness to sinners and mercy to those in need.
“When Jesus calls to
conversion, he does not set himself up as judge of persons, but he calls from a
position of nearness, because he shares in the human condition, and calls from
the street, from the home, from the table… Mercy towards those who needed to
change their lives took place through his lovable presence so as to involve
each person in his salvation history. With this way of being, Jesus touched the
depth of people’s hearts and they felt attracted by the love of God and invited
to change their life.”
Pope Francis concluded that
the experience of God’s unmerited love in Jesus opens us to true conversion,
which always entails openness to others, especially the poor.
“True conversion happens when
we accept the gift of grace, and a clear sign of its authenticity is when we
become aware of the needs of our brothers and are ready to draw near to them.
[…] Let us follow, therefore, this invitation of the Lord and let us not put up
resistance, because only if we open ourselves to mercy will we find true life
and true joy.”
Below, please find a
Vatican Radio English translation of the Pope’s Audience address:
Dear brothers and sisters,
good morning!
After his resurrection, Jesus
appeared several times to the disciples before ascending to the glory of the
Father. The Gospel passage which we just heard (Luke 24,45-48) tells of one of
these apparitions, in which the Lord points out the fundamental content of the
message which the apostles will offer to the world. We can synthesize it with
two words: “conversion” and “forgiveness of sins”. These are two qualifying
aspects of the mercy of God, which takes care of us in love. Today we shall
consider conversion.
This theme is present through
the Bible and, in a special way, in the preaching of the prophets, who
continually invite the people to “return to the Lord” asking them to forgive
and change their style of life. Conversion, according to the prophets, means
changing direction and turning anew to the Lord, trusting that He loves us and
that His love is always faithful.
Jesus made conversion the
first word of his preaching: “Convert, and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1,15).
It is with this proclamation that He presents Himself to the people, asking
them to accept his word as the final and definitive word of the Father for
humanity (cf. Mark 12,1-11). Compared to the preaching of the prophets, Jesus insists
even more on the interior dimension of conversion. Indeed, the entire person is
involved in it, heart and mind, in order to become a new creature.
When Jesus calls to
conversion, he does not set himself up as judge of persons, but he calls from a
position of nearness, because he shares in the human condition, and calls from
the street, from the home, from the table… Mercy towards those who needed to
change their lives took place through his lovable presence so as to involve
each person in his salvation history. With this way of being, Jesus touched the
depth of people’s hearts and they felt attracted by the love of God and invited
to change their life. For example, the conversion of Matthew (cf. Matthew
9,9-13) and of Zacchaeus (cf. Luke 19,1-10) happened in exactly this manner,
because they felt loved by Jesus and, through Him, by the Father. True
conversion happens when we accept the gift of grace, and a clear sign of its
authenticity is when we become aware of the needs of our brothers and are ready
to draw near to them.
Dear brothers and sisters,
how many times have we also felt the need to effect a change which would
involve our entire person! How many times do we say to ourselves: “I need to
change, I can’t continue this way. My life on this path will not give fruit; it
will be a useless life and I won’t be happy.” How often these thoughts come!
And Jesus, who is near us, extends his hand and says, “Come, come to me. I’ll
do the work: I’ll change your heart, I’ll change your life, I will make you happy.”
But do we believe this, yes or no? What do you think: do you believe this or
not? Less applause and more voice! Do you believe or not? ‘Yes!’ So it is.
Jesus who is with us invites us to change our life. It is He, with the Holy
Spirit, who seeds in us the this restlessness to change life and be a little
better.Let us follow, therefore, this invitation of the Lord and let us not put
up resistance, because only if we open ourselves to mercy will we find true
life and true joy.
(Devin Sean Watkins)
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét