Ask for the grace not to flee from the Cross: Pope Francis

Vatican City, 28 September 2013: Ask for the grace not to flee from the Cross. That was the prayer of Pope Francis during Mass he celebrated on Saturday morning in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta residence in the Vatican. His homily centered around the day’s Gospel where Jesus announced his passion to his disciples.

"The Son of Man is to be betrayed into the hands of men" - these words of Jesus, said the Pope, froze the disciples who thought of a triumphant journey. But they were afraid to ask Jesus either. In fact, they were afraid of the Cross. Peter himself, after the solemn confession, did not want to have the cross. Not only the disciples, not just Peter, but Jesus himself was afraid of the Cross! So great was the fear of Jesus that night on Thursday he sweated blood, and asked his father if it is possible to remove the cup.

The cross makes us fear even in the work of evangelization. But there's the "rule" that a disciple is not greater than the Master, said the Pope. There is no redemption without the shedding of blood, there is no fruitful apostolic work without the Cross.

Each of us might think, what will happen to me ? How will be my cross? We do not know, said the pope adding that we must ask for the grace not to flee from the Cross.

The Pope concluded his homily with a prayer to Mary asking for the grace not to scare us away from the Cross. She was there and knows how it should be close to the Cross.
Source: VR Sedoc