Pope at Angelus: Jubilee an opportunity to renew our encounter with Christ

By Linda Bordoni

Addressing the faithful ahead of the recitation of the Angelus prayer on Sunday, Pope Francis reflected on the Gospel passage from Luke that recounts Jesus’ visit to the synagogue in Nazareth.

He pointed to the moment when Jesus declared Himself the fulfilment of the prophecy of Isaiah, a declaration that surprised and challenged His listeners.

The Pope explained that this moment presented Jesus’ fellow townspeople with a decisive question: “Is He only the carpenter's son who arrogates to Himself a role that does not belong to Him, or is He truly the Messiah, sent by God to save the people from sin and all evil?”

Imagine the shock and bewilderment of the people of Nazareth, he added, “They thought they knew Him too well and this, instead of facilitating the opening of their minds and hearts, prevented them from doing so, like a veil obscuring the light.”

A timeless challenge

Even today, the Pope said, this Gospel passage invites believers to confront their own understanding of Jesus.

“This event also happens for us today,” he said, noting that we too can fall into the trap of thinking we already know Jesus.

“We have grown up with Him, in school, in the parish, in catechism, in a country with a Catholic culture... And so for us too, he is a Person who is close—'too' close,” he said.

The Pope encouraged Christians to ask themselves whether they truly recognize Jesus as the Son of God and Saviour.

“Do we sense the unique authority with which Jesus of Nazareth speaks?” he asked. “Do we recognize that He is the bearer of a proclamation of salvation that no one else can give us?”

Thus, the Pope invited us all to reflect on our need for salvation and explained that only when we acknowledge this can this year be a Year of Grace.

Turning to Mary

The Holy Father concluded by encouraging the faithful to seek guidance from Mary, the Mother of God.

“Let us turn confidently to Mary, Mother of God and our Mother, to help us recognize Jesus,” he said.