Pope at Angelus: We are precious in God's eyes
By Deborah Castellano Lubov
Each day, let us make time to pray and reflect, in order to encounter the Lord Who loves us, Pope Leo XIV invited on Sunday during his midday Angelus address.
Addressing the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square, the Pope recalled the day's Gospel reading according to St. John in which John the Baptist recognized Jesus as the Lamb of God, the Messiah. John recognized Jesus as the Savior, proclaiming Jesus’ divinity and mission to the people of Israel. Then he stepped aside, having completed his task, and attested, “After me comes a man who ranks before me, for He was before me” (v. 30).
The Holy Father recalled that St. John the Baptist was a man whom the crowds dearly loved, to the point that he was even feared by the authorities in Jerusalem, and that it would have been very easy for him to exploit this fame. Instead, however, he did not succumb to the temptations of success and popularity, and rather, before Jesus, recognized his own littleness and made space for Jesus’ greatness.
"John knew that he was sent to prepare the way of the Lord, and when the Lord came, with joy and humility he acknowledged God’s presence and stepped out of the spotlight."
Important witness
"How important his witness is for us today!" Pope Leo insisted.
The Pope went on to say how often people turn to elements they think will make them happy, such as approval, consensus and visibility, but often they are met with suffering and division, "giving rise to lifestyles and relationships that are fragile, disappointing and imprisoning."
"In truth," Pope Leo argued, we do not need these “substitutes for happiness.'" "Our joy and greatness are not founded on passing illusions of success or fame, but," he said, "on knowing ourselves to be loved and wanted by our heavenly Father."
The love of which Jesus speaks, he noted, is the love "of a God who even today comes among us," not to "dazzle us with spectacular displays," but to "share in our struggles and to take our burdens upon Himself."
Precious in His sight
In doing so, the Pope said, he reveals to us the truth about who we are and how precious we are in his sight.
Before concluding, Pope Leo called on faithful to not be distracted from the Lord’s presence in our midst, and to "not waste our time and energies chasing after appearances."
"Rather," he urged, "let us learn from John the Baptist to remain vigilant, to love simplicity, to be sincere in our words, to live soberly, and to cultivate a depth of mind and heart."
And, he continued, "Let us be content with what is essential and make time each day, when possible, for a special moment to pause in silence to pray, reflect and listen – in other words, “to withdraw into the desert,” in order to meet the Lord and remain with Him."
The Holy Father concluded by imploring the Virgin Mary, model of simplicity, wisdom and humility, to help us in this resolve.
No comments:
Post a Comment