(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis during his Homily at Mass on Friday at the Casa Santa
Martha said that as Christians we are called to proclaim the Gospel with humility.
Lydia
O’Kane reports
Taking his
cue from Friday’s Gospel which recounts the tragic death of John the Baptist, the
Pope said John was the man God had sent to prepare the way for his son. He, Pope Francis
continued, was a man in the court of Herod, filled with corruption and vices who
urged everyone to convert.
The Holy Father recalled how this great Saint firstly,
proclaimed Jesus Christ. John had the chance to say he was the Messiah, added the
Pope, but he did not. Secondly, said Pope Francis John the Baptist was “a man of Truth”.
The third thing John did, underlined the Holy Father was to imitate Jesus in his humility,
in his suffering and humiliation.
The Pope also stressed that like other religious
figures such as Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, John the Baptist had dark moments, moments
of anguish and doubt sending his disciples to ask Jesus : ' But tell me, is it you,
or am I wrong and there is another?
Pope Francis explained that John the “icon
of a disciple” because he is "the man who proclaims Jesus Christ… and follows the
way of Jesus Christ "
Concluding his homily the Holy Father said we should
not take advantage of our condition as Christians, as if it were a privilege. Instead
we are called proclaim the Gospel message with humility without seizing on the prophecy.