Jesus calls us to be missionaries, Pope Francis reflects

Vatican City, Jul 7, 2013 / 09:12 am (CNA/EWTN News).- In his July 7 Angelus reflection, Pope Francis reminded those gathered in St. Peter’s Square that all of the faithful are called to be missionaries, spreading the Gospel message.

Reflecting on the day’s Gospel, he observed that “Jesus is not an isolated missionary, does not want to fulfill his mission alone, but involves his disciples.”

Not only does he call the 12 apostles, The Holy Father noted, but “He calls seventy-two others, and sends them into the villages, two by two, to announce that the Kingdom of God is near.”

“This is very beautiful! Jesus does not want to act alone. He has come to bring to the world the love of God and wants to spread that love with a style of communion and fraternity. For this reason, he forms immediately a community of disciples, which is a missionary community.”

However, the Pope cautioned, “the purpose is not to socialize, to spend time together – no, the purpose is to proclaim the Kingdom of God, and this is urgent! There is no time to waste in small talk, no need to wait for the consent of all – there is need only of going out and proclaiming.”

He pointed to the many missionaries that carry out this work of bringing Christ’s peace, healing and hope to remote areas of the world.

Observing that the 12 apostles represent the bishops, their successors, he reflected that the 72 disciples sent by Christ represent not only priests and deacons but also “catechists and lay faithful who engage in parish missions, those who work with the sick, with the various forms of discomfort and alienation, but always as missionaries of the Gospel, with the urgency of the Kingdom that is at hand.”

He added that the missionaries in the Gospel returned full of joy “because they had experienced the power of the Name of Christ against evil.” We must remember, however, that we are not the protagonists in mission work, but our joy is in the Lord and his grace.

After the Angelus, the Pope offered some thoughts on his new encyclical, “The Light of Faith,” which was released Friday.

“For the Year of Faith, Pope Benedict XVI had started this Encyclical, which follows on from those on charity and hope,” he remarked. “I picked up this project and I have finished it. I offer it with joy to the whole People of God.”

Pope Francis said that “especially today, we need to go to the essentials of the Christian faith, to deepen it, and to measure current issues by it.”

He added that the encyclical “can also be useful to those who are searching for God and for the meaning of life.”

“I put it in the hands of Mary, the perfect icon of faith, that it may bring in the fruits that the Lord wants.”

The Pope concluded his remarks by offering a special greeting to the youth of Rome who are preparing to travel to Rio de Janeiro for World Youth Day later this month, as well as to other religious groups gathered in Rome for meetings.

Former Popes John Paul II and John XXIII to be canonized

Vatican City, Jul 5, 2013 / 07:38 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis has approved the cause for canonization of two previous Popes, Blessed John Paul II and Blessed John XXIII.

The announcement was made on July 5, the same day as Pope Francis’ first encyclical, “The Light of Faith,” was released.

The previous steps towards Bl. John Paul II’s canonization had been completed in recent months.

In the case of Bl. John XXIII, however, only one miracle has been formally approved by the Vatican. Normally, two miracles must be approved before a person can be canonized.

Although such a decision is unusual, Vatican press office director Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J., explained that it is within the authority of the Pope to waive the second miracle for a canonization cause.

Since there was already one approved miracle that allowed Pope John XXIII to be beatified, the canonization will still be valid, even without a second miracle, he explained.

He also referenced talks among theologians about whether separate miracles for beatification and canonization are necessary.

Bl. John XXII is known for his encyclical, “Pacem in Terris,” and for calling the historic Second Vatican Council. The Church is currently celebrating the 50th anniversary of the council during the Year of Faith.

Bl. John Paul II became famous throughout the world during his 27-year papacy for his charismatic nature, his love of youth and his world travels, along with his role in the fall of communism in Europe. The beloved Polish Pope died in 2005, making his 2011 beatification one of the quickest in recent Church history.

Pope Francis is calling for a special Consistory of Cardinals so that the canonization of Bl. John Paul II may be discussed.

The date for the canonizations has not yet been determined and will be discussed during the Consistory, although Fr. Lombardi said he believes they will occur before the end of the year.

Take courage in your weakness, Pope Francis teaches

Vatican City, Jul 2, 2013 / 10:20 am (CNA/EWTN News).- During his homily at daily Mass in the Vatican's Saint Martha House, Pope Francis said Christians must have the courage to flee from the temptation to sin by turning to the Lord when they are weak.

“We are weak, but we must be courageous in our weakness. And often our courage must be expressed in escaping without looking back, so as not to fall into the trap of wicked nostalgia,” preached the Bishop of Rome July 2.

“Do not be afraid, and always look to the Lord,” he added.

The Mass was concelebrated by Cardinal Manuel Montiero de Castro, major penitentiary of the Apostolic Penitentiary, and by Archbishop Beniamino Stella, president of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy. It was attended by priests and employees of the two offices.

Pope Francis was reflecting on Lot's escape from Sodom, recounted in the first reading at the Mass. An angel urged Lot to flee, but he was slow to do so, carrying within himself an “inability to detach himself from evil and sin.”

Even when we wish to flee, there can be “something that pulls us back,” said Pope Francis. “It’s so hard to cut ties with a sinful situation. It is hard,” he affirmed.

The Roman Pontiff added, however, that “the voice of God tells us this word: 'Escape! You cannot fight there, because the fire, the sulfur will kill you. Escape!'”

He noted St. Therese of Lisieux, who said that “in some temptations, the only solution is to escape, to not be ashamed to escape, to recognize that we are weak and we have to escape.”

Pope Francis added that there is wisdom in the epigram “he who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day.”

Escape, he said, “to go forward along the path of Jesus.”

Lot was also advised by the angel not to look back at his familiar home, which demonstrates a nostalgia for sin which must be overcome. This is also seen, said Pope Francis, in the Hebrews' nostalgia for “the onions of Egypt” while they were in the desert.

“Longing made them forget that they ate those onions on the table of slavery.”

“Faced with sin, we must escape without any nostalgia.” This tendency to nostalgia for sin is twinned with a “temptation to curiosity,” he added.

“Curiosity does not help, it hurts,” exclaimed the Pontiff. The desire to know “what is this sin like” is a harmful curiosity, and we must “run away and … not look back,” he urged.

“We are weak, all of us, and we must defend ourselves.”

There can be also a temptation to fear, “to be afraid to move forward on the faith of the Lord.”

He stressed that there is a temptation that says it is “better to stay here,” in a place of familiarity and comfort. “But this is the slavery of Egypt.”

“I fear moving forward, I'm afraid of where the Lord will bring me,” the Pope said. “Fear, however, is not a good counselor.”

Faced with sin, nostalgia, and fear, our response must be a “looking to the Lord, contemplating the Lord.”

“This gives us the beautiful wonder of a new encounter with the Lord.”

In our temptations, we must have the courage to be humble and say to Christ, “Lord, I am being tempted: I want to stay in this situation of sin; Lord, I am curious to know about these things; Lord, I am afraid.”

This, the Holy Father taught, will lead to the “stupor of a new encounter with Jesus.”

“We must not be naive nor lukewarm Christians, but brave, courageous.”

“We are weak, but we must be courageous in our weakness.”