To live out the Gospel, contemplate the suffering humanity of Jesus: Pope
Vatican City, 12 September 2013: ‘The suffering humanity’ of Jesus and the ‘sweetness’
of Mary are the two ‘poles’ which the Christian must look at in order to live what
the Gospel asks, said Pope Francis at Thursday morning’s daily mass at the Vatican
guesthouse Santa Marta. The Gospel, he said, is demanding, it requires “strong
things” from a Christian: the ability to forgive, magnanimity, love for enemies… There
is only one way to be able to put it into practice: “to contemplate the Passion, the
humanity of Jesus” and to imitate the behavior of His Mother. It is precisely to Mary,
whose Holy Name is celebrated in today’s Feast, that the Pope dedicated the first
part of his homily. At one time, he said, today’s feast was known as the feast of
the “Sweet Name of Mary.” Later this title was changed — but in the prayer, he observed,
this “sweetness of her name” remains:
“Even today, we stand in need of this
sweetness of the Madonna, in order to understand the things that Jesus requests of
us, no? Because this list [of things] is not easy to live. Love the enemy, do good,
lend without hoping for anything… to those who strike you on the cheek, offer the
other; to those who rip your cloak, don’t refuse the tunic… But these are tough things,
no? But the Madonna, in her own way, lived all these things: it is the grace of meekness,
the grace of mildness.”
Saint Paul, too, in the letter to the Colossians in
the day’s liturgy, invites Christians to “put on . . . heartfelt compassion, kindness,
humility, gentleness . . . bearing with one another and forgiving one another.” And
here, Pope Francis said, we immediately ask: “But how can I do this? How can I prepare
myself to do this? What must I learn in order to do this?” The answer, the Pope said,
is clear: “We cannot do this through our own effort. We cannot do this! Only a grace
can accomplish this in us.” And this grace, he added, comes along a definite path:
“Fix your thoughts on Jesus alone. If our heart, if our mind is with Jesus, the
Victor who has conquered death, sin, the devil, all things, we can do what Jesus Himself
asks of us, and what the Apostle asks of us: meekness, humility, kindness, heartfelt
compassion, gentleness, magnanimity. If we do not look to Jesus, if we are not with
Jesus, we cannot do this. It is a grace: it is the grace that comes from the contemplation
of Jesus.” In particular, Pope Francis continued, there is a specific aspect of
the life of Jesus to which the Christian’s contemplation must always return: His Passion,
His “suffering humanity.” And, he insisted, it is through this contemplation “of Jesus,
of our life hidden with Jesus in God, that we are able to go forward with this attitude,
these virtues that the Lord asks of us. There is no other path”: “To think about
His meek silence: this will be your endeavour. He will do the rest. He will do everything
that is lacking. But you must do that: hiding your life in God with Christ. This is
done through contemplation of the humanity of Jesus, of the suffering humanity. There
is no other path – there’s none. It is the only way. To be good Christians, contemplating
the humanity of Jesus, the suffering humanity. In order to witness, in order to be
able to give this witness. In order not to hate the neighbour, contemplate Jesus suffering.
To not gossip against the neighbour, contemplate Jesus suffering. It is the only way.
Hide your life with Christ in God: this is the counsel the Apostle gives. It is the
counsel to become humble, meek and good, magnanimous, kind.” Source: VR Sedoc