Pope Francis: Salvation is a gift to be received with a humble heart

March 25, 2014: "Salvation cannot be bought or sold", it is a gift to be received "with a humble heart" like that of Mary. This was Pope Francis message today at Mass celebrated at Casa Santa Marta, pointing out, in today's Solemnity of the Annunciation, how Mary's "obedience" untied the knot of Eve's disobedience.

The Pope, Vatican Radio reports, focused his homily on Adam and Eve, who in yielding to the seduction of Satan, believed themselves to be like God. That "pride of self sufficiency" resulted in them being expelled from Paradise. But the Lord did not abandon them on their journey, He promises them redemption and to always walk with them. "The Lord - said the Pope - accompanied humanity on this long journey. He made a people. He was with them". And that "path that began with disobedience, ends with obedience, with Mary's yes to the Announcement of the angel. The knot Eve tied with her disobedience - he said recalling St. Irenaeus of Lyons - was dissolved by Mary with her obedience. It is a journey,” he added, “in which the wonders of God multiply".

"The Lord walks with his people. And why does He walk with His people, with so much tenderness? To soften our hearts. He explicitly says: 'I will make your heart of stone a heart of flesh'. He softens our hearts to receive the promise He had made in Paradise. Sin enterd trhough one man, salvation through another. And He helped us all on this long journey to have a more human heart, closer to God, not so proud, not so self-sufficient".

And today, he continued, the liturgy speaks to us "of this stage in the journey of restoration", "it speaks of obedience, obedience to the Word of God". "Salvation can not be bought, it cannot be sold: it is gifted. It is freely given. We can not save ourselves: salvation is a gift, totally free. It cannot be bought with the blood of bulls or goats: it cannot be bought. All we need to enter into this salvation is a humble heart, a docile heart, obedient heart. Like that of Mary. On this journey of salvation, our model is God, his son, who did claim it as an inalienable right, to be equal with God, as Paul says".

The Pope focused on "the path of humility, humiliation". “This”, he said, "means simply saying: I am a man, I am a woman and you are God, and go before the presence of God, with obedience, docility of heart". “And for this”, he urged, "let us celebrate: celebrate this journey, from one mother to another mother, from one father to another father. Today we can embrace the Father, thanks to the blood of his Son, He has become as one of us, He saves us. This Father is waiting for us every day ... Let us look at the icon of Eve and Adam, let us look at the icon of Mary and Jesus, look at the course of journey of History with God and His people. Let us say, 'Thank you. Thank you, Lord, because you say to us today that you gift us salvation'. Today is a day to give thanks to the Lord".