Pope at Angelus: There is always the hope of redemption for a sinner

By Linda Bordoni

Pope Francis on Sunday invited Christians to be sincere before God about their difficulties, failings and weaknesses and shun hypocritical facades behind which to take cover from the qualms of their consciences.

Speaking during the Angelus in St. Peter’s Square, the Pope took his cue from the reading of the day from the Gospel of Matthew (Mt 21: 28-32) in which a father asks his two sons to go and work in the vineyard.

The one son refuses at first, but then thinks twice, and goes; the other instead responds ‘yes’, right away, but then does not go, the Pope recalled, before reflecting on the behaviour of the two.

Acknowledging that going to work in the vineyard requires sacrifice and sacrifice costs, the Pope said “The problem is not so much connected with their resistance of going to work in the vineyard as much as their sincerity, or lack thereof, with their father and with themselves.”

Pointing out that one son lies, while the other makes a mistake but remains sincere, the Holy Father noted that the one son not only does not want to do the father’s will, nor does he want to get into a discussion or talk about it.

Better a sinner than one who is corrupt

“Thus, he hides behind a ‘yes’, behind a false willingness that hides his laziness and saves face for the time being,” he said noting that “He gets by without conflict, but he cheats and deceives his father, disrespecting him in a way that is worse than had he responded with a blunt ‘no’”.

The problem with someone who behaves like this, the Pope continued, “is that he or she is not a sinner, but is corrupt because they lie with no difficulty to cover up and disguise their disobedience without welcoming any honest dialogue or feedback.”

Taking responsibility for one’s behaviour

The one son, Pope Francis continued, said a sincere ‘no’ but then had a rethink and went to work in the vineyard: “He is not perfect, but sincere.”

This son showed his reluctance but took responsibility for his behaviour, the Holy Father explained and ended up questioning himself, understanding his mistake and retracing his steps.

“He is a sinner, we could say, but he is not corrupt. And there is always the hope of redemption for a sinner,” he said.

But for the corrupt, it is much more difficult, he explained noting that his “false ‘yesses’, his elegant but hypocritical façades and his false pretences (…) are like a thick ‘rubber wall’, behind which he takes cover from the qualms of his conscience.”

Am I willing to say ‘yes’ each day to the Father?

The Pope then invited the faithful to ask themselves faced with the difficulty to live an honest and generous life, do they dedicate themselves to the will of the Father?

“Am I willing to say ‘yes’ each day, even if it costs? And when I fail, am I sincere before God about my difficulties, my failings, my weaknesses?” he said.

Am I willing to repent and retrace my steps when I make a mistake? the Pope continued, “Or do I pretend everything is okay and go through life wearing a mask, concerning myself only about appearing good and righteous?”

Let us ask ourselves he concluded: “Am I sinner,” or “is there something corrupt in me?”

May Mary, mirror of holiness, the Pope prayed, help us be sincere Christians.