Pope at the Angelus: adhering to the Gospel means giving oneself generously

Putting love to the Lord first

The first demanding request is “to place love towards him above family affections.” It is written in the Gospel “Whoever loves father or mother, […] son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me »: this does not mean, Francis explains,” underestimating “family ties, but living them in a” purified “way, avoiding that, put in the first place, they can” deviate from true good “. Corruption in different governments too – he says – often derives from a love and attachment to kinship and office:

We see it: some corruptions in governments come precisely because love of kinship is greater than love of the homeland and put relatives in charge. The same, with Jesus: when love is greater than Him it is not a good thing. We could all bring many examples in this regard. Not to mention those situations in which family affections are mixed with choices opposed to the Gospel. When, on the other hand, love for parents and children is animated and purified by the love of the Lord, then it becomes fully fruitful and produces fruits of good in the family itself and far beyond it.

True love for Jesus, the Pope reiterates, citing the reproaches that Jesus makes to the Doctors of the Law, therefore requires true love for parents, for children, but if “first we seek family interest, this always leads us on a wrong path” .

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Carry the cross without looking for shortcuts

Another full adherence that Jesus asks his disciples in today’s Gospel is at the Cross, that is, following him on the way that he himself walked “without looking for shortcuts”. “Whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me,” says the Pope, that “there is no true love without a cross, that is, without a price to pay in person”. And they say, he adds by the arm, many moms and dads who sacrifice so much for their children just for love:

And carried with Jesus, the cross is not frightening, because He is always at our side to support us in the hour of the toughest test, to give us strength and courage. You don’t even need to get excited to preserve your life, with a fearful and selfish attitude.

The Paradox of the Gospel, the gift of self

The “paradox of the Gospel” is right here, in losing one’s life to find it in fullness and we have, says Francis, many examples, in those who in these days are sacrificing themselves to help those involved in the pandemic:

How many people, how many people, are carrying crosses to help others, they sacrifice themselves to help others who need in this pandemic … But, always with Jesus, it can be done. The fullness of life and joy is found by giving yourself for the Gospel and for your brothers and sisters, with openness, welcome and benevolence.

The generosity of the Father and the gratitude of the children

And the “generous gratitude of God – adds Francis – takes into account even the smallest gesture of love and service rendered to the brothers” and teaches us to do the same, by education, but above all because we are Christians:

It is a contagious gratitude, which helps each of us to have gratitude to those who take care of our needs. When someone offers us a service, we must not think that everything is due to us. No. Many services are done for free. Think of volunteering, which is one of the greatest things that Italian society has. The volunteers … And how many of them left their lives in this pandemic. It is done out of love, simply out of service. Gratitude, gratitude, is first of all a sign of good education, but it is also a badge of the Christian. It is a simple but genuine sign of the kingdom of God, which is a kingdom of gratuitous and grateful love

And speaking off the cuff the Pope recounts the experience of a priest to whom a child gave all his savings for the poor: “small thing, but big thing”.

The Pope’s final prayer then goes to Mary Most Holy, who loved and followed Jesus to the cross, so that she may give us the availability of the heart before God, “letting – says Francis – let his Word judge our behavior and our choices”.

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