Pope's Angelus of 18 August 2019

Sunday, 18 August 2019

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

In today's Gospel passage (cf. Lk 12:49-53), Jesus warns his disciples that the time to decide has come. Indeed, his coming into the world coincides with the time for making decisive choices: the option in favor of the Gospel cannot be postponed. In order to better explain his message, he uses the image of the fire that he himself came to bring upon earth: "I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! (v. 49)”. These words are intended to help the disciples abandon every attitude of laziness, apathy, indifference, and closure so as to welcome the fire of God's love; a love which, as Saint Paul reminds us, "was poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit" (Rom 5:5). Because it is the Holy Spirit who makes us love God and our neighbor; we all have the Holy Spirit within us.

Jesus reveals to his friends – and also to us – his most ardent desire: to bring on earth the fire of the Father's love, which kindles life and by which humanity is saved. Jesus calls us to spread this fire throughout the world, thanks to which we will be recognized as his true disciples. The fire of love, kindled by Christ in the world through the Holy Spirit, is a limitless fire, a universal fire. This has been observed since the early days of Christianity: the witness of the Gospel spread like a beneficial fire, overcoming every division among individuals, social categories, peoples, and nations. The witness of the Gospel burns all forms of particularism and keeps charity open to all, with a single preference: that for the poorest and the excluded.

The adherence to the fire of love that Jesus brought to earth envelops our entire existence and requires worship of God and also a willingness to serve our neighbor. Adoration of god and willingness to serve our neighbor. The first, to adore God, also means learning the prayer of adoration, which we usually forget. That is why I invite everyone to discover the beauty of the prayer of adoration and to practice it often. And then the second, willingness to serve our neighbor. I think with admiration of so many communities and groups of young people who, even during the summer, dedicate themselves to serving the sick, the poor, and people with disabilities. Living according to the spirit of the Gospel requires that, in the face of the ever-changing needs which are emerging in the world, there be disciples of Christ who know how to respond with new charitable initiatives. In this way, the Gospel truly manifests itself as the fire that saves, that changes the world starting from the change which takes place in each person’s heart.

In this perspective, we can also understand Jesus’ other statement in today’s passage, which at first glance may disconcert us: "Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division." (Lk 12:51). He came to "separate with fire" good from evil, the just from the unjust. In this sense he came to "divide", to stir up "crisis" - but in a healthy way – in the lives of his disciples, breaking the easy illusions of those who believe they can combine Christian life with wordliness - Christian life with with compromises of all kinds, religious practices, and hateful attitudes. Some think it justifiable to combine true religiosity with superstitious practices: how many self-styled Christians go to the soothsayer to have their palms read! This is superstition - it is not of God. It is a question of not living hypocritically, but of being willing to pay the price of choices consistent with the Gospel. This is the attitude that each of us must seek after in life: consistency, consistency with the Gospel. Because it is good to call ourselves Christians, but above all we need to be Christians in concrete situations, witnessing to the Gospel which is essentially love for God and for our brothers and sisters.

May Mary, Most Holy, help us to allow ourselves to be purified of the fire brought by Jesus, in order to spread it through our lives and through decisive, courageous choices.

POST-ANGELUS

Dear brothers and sisters,

I extend a cordial greeting to all of you, the Roman faithful and pilgrims who have come from Italy and from various countries.

In particular, I greet the "Divine Love" group from Canada; the Scouts from Rio de Loba, in Portugal; and the faithful from Poland.

I wish you all a happy Sunday. Please do not forget to pray for me. Have a good lunch and goodbye!