(Vatican Radio) Saint Paul was the focus of Pope Francis’ homily at Mass Thursday
morning, and in particular his talent at ‘being a nuisance’, at unsettling people
who had grown too comfortable in their faith and imbuing them with that Apostolic
zeal that is necessary for the Church to move forward. Emer McCarthy reports:
Pope
Francis said that Apostolic zeal, implies "an element of madness, but of spiritual
madness, of healthy madness” and proclaiming Christ has its consequences, which can
often result in persecution. Nonetheless, stated the Pope, we must not be ‘backseat
Christians’ cozy in our comfort zones.
Drawing inspiration from the Acts
of the Apostles, chapter 22, where Paul was brought before the Sanhedrin, Pope Francis
pointed out that the life of the Apostle to the Gentiles was one of "persecution",
but that this did not discourage him. The fate of Paul, he stressed, "is a fate with
many crosses, but he keeps going, he looks to the Lord and keeps going":
"Paul
is a nuisance: he is a man who, with his preaching, his work, his attitude irritates
others, because testifying to Jesus Christ and the proclamation of Jesus Christ makes
us uncomfortable, it threatens our comfort zones – even Christian comfort zones, right?
It irritates us. The Lord always wants us to move forward, forward, forward ... not
to take refuge in a quiet life or in cozy structures, no?... And Paul, in preaching
of the Lord, was a nuisance. But he had deep within him that most Christian of attitudes:
Apostolic zeal. He had its apostolic zeal. He was not a man of compromise. No! The
truth: forward! The proclamation of Jesus Christ, forward! ".
Pope Francis
noted that St. Paul was a "fiery" individual, but this fire was not limited to his
character. It was the fire of his zeal for the Lord, who accompanied the Saint in
his ‘pitched battles’. Indeed, continued the Pope, it was the Lord who led him "onwards,"
to bear witness in Jerusalem and in Rome:
"By the way, I like the fact that
the Lord has cared for this diocese, even since then ... We are privileged! And Apostolic
zeal is not an enthusiasm for power, for possession. It is something that comes from
within, that the Lord wants from us: Christian with Apostolic Zeal. And where does
this Apostolic Zeal come from? It comes from knowing Jesus Christ. Paul found Jesus
Christ, he encountered Jesus Christ, but not with an intellectual, scientific knowledge
– which is important, because it helps us - but with that first knowledge, that of
the heart, of a personal encounter. "
Pope Francis continued, this is what
pushes Paul to keep going, "to always proclaim Jesus". "He was always in trouble,
not in trouble for troubles’ sake, but for Jesus, proclaiming Jesus "this is the consequence".
Apostolic zeal, the Pope stressed, can only be understood "in an atmosphere of love."
Apostolic zeal, implies "an element of madness, but of spiritual madness, of healthy
madness”. Paul "had this healthy madness."
The Pope invited all those present
to pray to the Holy Spirit for this Apostolic zeal that is not only the preserve
of missionaries. Even in the Church, he warned, there are "lukewarm Christians" who
"do not feel like moving forward": "There are backseat Christians,
right? Those who are well mannered, who do everything well, but are unable to bring
people to the Church through proclamation and Apostolic zeal. Today we can ask the
Holy Spirit to give us all this Apostolic fervor and to give us the grace to be annoying
when thin are too quiet in the Church the grace to go out to the outskirts of life.
The Church has so much need of this! Not only in distant lands, in the young churches,
among people who do not know Jesus Christ, but here in the cities, in our cities,
they need this proclamation of Jesus Christ. So let us ask the Holy Spirit for this
grace of Apostolic zeal, let’s be Christians with apostolic zeal. And if we annoy
people, blessed be the Lord. Onwards, as the Lord says to Paul, ‘take courage!' "
Thursday
Mass was concelebrated by Cardinal Peter Turkson and Bishop Mario Toso, president
and secretary of the Vatican Council for Justice and Peace. It was attended by Council
staff and staff from Vatican Radio.