Consistory: Pope Francis urges Cardinals to follow Christ and reject “a worldly mentality”
(Vatican Radio) In his first ordinary public Consistory, Pope Francis on Saturday
is elevating 19 of the Church’s prelates to the rank of Cardinal. At the start of
today’s celebration in St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis warmly embraced his predecessor
Benedict XVI, seated not far from the soon-to-be Cardinals.
In his allocution,
Pope Francis urged the members of the College of Cardinals to allow themselves to
be led by Jesus. He reminded them too, of the need to think “as God does” and not
to be “tempted to think as men do.”
“We are all too human, sinners,” he said,
calling them to find hope in the Cross and warning them that “whenever a worldly mentality
predominates, the result is rivalry, jealousy, factions…”
He also said the
“Church needs you, your cooperation, and even more your communion, communion with
me and among yourselves.” The Pope called them too, to be peacemakers, and examples
of courage and compassion “especially at this time of pain and suffering for so many
countries throughout the world.”
The Holy Father also used the occasion to
express “our spiritual closeness to the ecclesial communities and to all Christians
suffering from discrimination and persecution” and “to every man and woman suffering
injustice on account of their religious convictions” and to ask for prayers for a
peaceful end to world conflicts.
Below, please find the official English
translation of the Holy Father's remarks:
“Jesus was walking ahead of them…”
(Mk 10:32). At this moment too, Jesus is walking ahead of us. He is always before
us. He goes ahead of us and leads the way… This is the source of our confidence
and our joy: to be his disciples, to remain with him, to walk behind him, to follow
him… When with the Cardinals we concelebrated the first Mass in the Sistine Chapel,
the first word which the Lord proposed to us was “to walk”, to journey with him: to
journey, and then to build and to profess. Today this same word is repeated, but
now as an action, an action of Jesus which is ongoing: “Jesus was walking…”. This
is something striking about the Gospels: Jesus is often walking and he teaches his
disciples along the way. This is important. Jesus did not come to teach a philosophy,
an ideology… but rather “a way”, a journey to be undertaken with him, and we learn
the way as we go, by walking. Yes, dear brothers, this is our joy: to walk with Jesus. And
this is not easy, or comfortable, because the way that Jesus chooses is the way of
the Cross. As they journey together, he speaks to his disciples about what will happen
in Jerusalem: he foretells his passion, death and resurrection. And they are “shocked”
and “full of fear”. They were shocked, certainly, because for them going up to Jerusalem
meant sharing in the triumph of the Messiah, in his victory – we see this in the request
made by James and John. But they were also full of fear for what was about to happen
to Jesus, and for what they themselves might have to endure. Unlike the disciples
in those days, we know that Jesus has won, and that we need not fear the Cross; indeed,
the Cross is our hope. And yet, we are all too human, sinners, tempted to think as
men do, not as God does. And once we follow the thinking of the world, what happens?
The Gospel tells us: “When the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and
John” (Mk 10:41). They were indignant. Whenever a worldly mentality predominates,
the result is rivalry, jealousy, factions… And so the word which Jesus speaks
to us today is most salutary. It purifies us inwardly, it enlightens our consciences
and helps us to unite ourselves fully with Jesus, and to do so together, at this time
when the College of Cardinals is enlarged by the entrance of new members. “And
Jesus called them to himself…” (Mk 10:42). Here is the other action of Jesus. Along
the way, he is aware that he needs to speak to the Twelve; he stops and calls them
to himself. Brothers, let us allow Jesus to call us to himself! Let us be “con-voked”
by him. And let us listen to him, with the joy that comes from receiving his word
together, from letting ourselves be taught by that word and by the Holy Spirit, and
to become ever more of one heart and soul, gathered around him. And as we are
thus “con-voked”, “called to himself” by our one Teacher, I will tell you what the
Church needs: she needs you, your cooperation, and even more your communion, with
me and among yourselves. The Church needs your courage, to proclaim the Gospel at
all times, both in season and out of season, and to bear witness to the truth. The
Church needs your prayer for the progress of Christ’s flock, that prayer – let us
not forget this! – which, along with the proclamation of the Word, is the primary
task of the Bishop. The Church needs your compassion, especially at this time of
pain and suffering for so many countries throughout the world. Let us together express
our spiritual closeness to the ecclesial communities and to all Christians suffering
from discrimination and persecution. We must fight every form of discrimination!
The Church needs our prayer for them, that they may be firm in faith and capable of
responding to evil with good. And this prayer of ours extends to every man and women
suffering injustice on account of their religious convictions. The Church needs
us also to be peacemakers, building peace by our words, our hopes and our prayers.
Building peace! Being peacemakers! Let us therefore invoke peace and reconciliation
for those peoples presently experiencing violence, exclusion and war. Thank you,
dear Brothers! Thank you! Let us walk together behind the Lord, and let us always
be called together by him, in the midst of his faithful people, the holy People of
God, holy Mother the Church. Thank you!