Pope Francis at Mass: the languages of knowing Jesus
Sept 26, 2013: To know Jesus, you have to get involved with Him, as pointed out by
Pope Francis at Mass this morning in the Casa Santa Marta. The Pope said that Jesus
is to be encountered in everyday life. He indicated the three languages needed to
know Jesus: that of the mind, that of the heart, and that of action.
Who is
He? where does He come from? In remarks after the readings, Pope Francis focused on
the question that Herod posed about Jesus – a question that all those who encounter
Jesus eventually ask. The Pope said that the question is one, which, “one can ask
out of curiosity,” or “that one might ask for safety.” He noted that, reading the
Gospel, we see that “some people begin to feel afraid of this man, because he could
have led them to a political conflict with the Romans.” One wonders, “Who is this
man, who makes so many problems?” Because, the Pope said, “Jesus really does cause
trouble”
“You cannot know Jesus without having problems. And I dare say, ‘But
if you want to have a problem, go to the street to know Jesus – you’ll end up having
not one, but many!’ But that is the way to get to know Jesus! You cannot know Jesus
in ‘first class!’ One gets to know Jesus in going out [into] every day [life]. You
cannot get to know Jesus in peace and quiet, nor even in the library: Know Jesus.”
Certainly,
he added, “we can know Jesus in the Catechism,” for, “the Catechism teaches us many
things about Jesus.” He said, "we have to study it, we have to learn it.” Thus, “We
know the Son of God, who came to save us, we understand the beauty of the history
of salvation, of the love of the Father, studying the Catechism.” Nevertheless, he
asked, how many people have read the Catechism of the Catholic Church since it was
published over 20 years ago?
“Yes, you have to come to know Jesus in the Catechism
– but it is not enough to know Him with the mind: it is a step. However, it is necessary
to get to know Jesus in dialogue with Him, talking with Him in prayer, kneeling. If
you do not pray, if you do not talk with Jesus, you do not know Him. You know things
about Jesus, but you do not go with that knowledge, which He gives your heart in prayer.
Know Jesus with the mind - the study of the Catechism: know Jesus with the heart -
in prayer, in dialogue with Him. This helps us a good bit, but it is not enough. There
is a third way to know Jesus: it is by following Him. Go with Him, walk with Him.”
It
is necessary, “to go, to walk along the streets, journeying.” It is necessary, said
Pope Francis, “to know Jesus in the language of action.” Here, then, is how you can
really know Jesus: with these “three languages - of the mind, heart and action.”
If, then, “I know Jesus in these ways,” he said in conclusion, “I involve myself with
Him”:
“One cannot know Jesus without getting oneself involved with Him, without
betting your life [on] Him. When so many people - including us – pose this question:
‘But, who is He?’, The Word of God responds, ‘You want to know who He is? Read what
the Church tells you about Him, talk to Him in prayer and walk the street with him.
Thus, will you know who this man is.’ This is the way! Everyone must make his choice.”