Pope presides at Mass in Venice, calls for inclusion and hospitality
By Linda Bordoni
“Venice is called to be a sign of beauty available to all, starting with the last, a sign of fraternity and care for our common home,” said Pope Francis on Sunday to the some 10,500 faithful gathered in the city's St. Mark's Square for Holy Mass.
During the last event of his half-day visit to Venice, the Pope presided over Mass in the magnificent St. Mark’s Square, recalling the visit's theme: “Remaining united in the love of Christ.”
“Only by remaining united in Christ,” he said, can we bring the fruits of the Gospel into the reality we inhabit: fruits of justice and peace, fruits of solidarity and mutual care; carefully made choices to preserve our environmental and human heritage.”
Drawing from the Gospel of John, the Pope invoked the imagery of Jesus as the vine and believers as its branches.
"Remain in me, as I remain in you. […] Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit," he said, reminding the faithful never to sever their connection with the Lord.
Just as a vineyard requires diligent care to yield good fruit, so too do our lives flourish when nourished by the sap of God's love, he explained.
Connection with Jesus sets us free
Extending his train of thought to encompass the physical and historical landscape of Venice, which is linked to wine production, an activity that implies care for the “numerous vineyards that arose on the islands of the Lagoon and in the gardens between the city’s alleys, and those in which monks produced wine for their communities,” the Pope said, “it is not difficult to grasp the message of the parable of the vine and the branches: faith in Jesus, the bond with Him, does not imprison our freedom. On the contrary, it opens us to receive the sap of God’s love, which multiplies our joy, takes care of us like a skilled vintner and brings forth shoots even when the soil of our life becomes arid.”
Grow in action
The Holy Father elaborated further on the meaning of the theme of the visit, explaining that, "Remaining united to Christ means to grow in relationship with Him, to converse with Him, to embrace His Word, and to follow Him on the path of the Kingdom of God."
It calls us, he said, to continual growth, engagement, and action. To remain in the Lord is to embark on a journey of discipleship, where we embrace His teachings, embody His love, and bear fruits of justice, peace, and solidarity in our communities.
And against the backdrop of Venice's unique beauty, Pope Francis issued an urgent call to action. Highlighting the many challenges facing the city, from climate change and environmental degradation to social fragmentation and cultural erosion, he called for “carefully-made choices to preserve our environmental and human heritage.”
“We need our Christian communities, neighbourhoods, and cities to become welcoming, inclusive, and hospitable places,” he said.
The metaphor of the vine and the branches, he added, “can also be considered while thinking of this city built on water, recognized for its uniqueness as one of the most picturesque places in the world.
“Venice is one with the waters upon which it sits. Without the care and safeguarding of this natural environment, it might even cease to exist. Similarly, our life is also immersed forever in the springs of God’s love,” the Pope said.
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