In his homily at the Sunday Mass of the Word of God, read by Archbishop Rino Fisichella, Pope Francis invites Christians to devote time to Holy Scripture and emphasizes that the Word of God is comforting, but also a call. to conversion.
By Lydia O’Kane
The Holy Mass on the 2nd Sunday of the Word of God was celebrated by Archbishop Rino Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization, replacing Pope Francis who is suffering a painful sciatica attack.
In his homily, read by Archbishop Fisichella, Pope Francis focused his attention on what Jesus he says i here He says so, as he proclaims the Kingdom of God.
What Jesus says
The Pope pointed out how Jesus begins his preaching with the words, “This is the moment of realization. The kingdom of God is near.”
He went on to say that the first message that came out of it was that “God is near and His kingdom has come down to earth.”
“The time of his distance ended when, in Jesus, he became man,” the Pope said.
God is near
He stressed that, “First of all, we must believe and proclaim that God has come to us, that we have been forgiven and have had mercy.”
The word of God, said Pope Francis, continues to tell us “Do not be afraid, I am with you. I am by your side and I will always be there.”
“In speaking to us,” said the Pope, “the Lord reminds us that He has brought us to His heart, that we are precious in His eyes, and that He holds us in the palm of His hand.”
“The word of God is of consolation but also of call to conversion,” Pope Francis said. “‘ Repent, ’says Jesus, immediately after proclaiming God’s nearness. “
Those who hear the word of God, Pope Francis stressed, “are constantly reminded that life does not consist in protecting us from others, but in finding them in the name of God near.”
No one is far from the heart of God
Putting your attention here Jesus speaks, the Pope noted that his first words were addressed to the Galilean fishermen, whom he described as “simple people.”
Pope Francis noted that Jesus began with people “not from the center, but from the periphery, and he did so to tell us also that no one is far from the heart of God.”
Highlighting the “particular power” that the word of God has, the Pope stressed how he can “touch each person directly.”
“The disciples would never forget the words they heard that day by the lake, next to their boats, in the company of their relatives and co-workers: words that marked their lives forever.” Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
“He did not appeal to them with lofty words and ideas,” Pope Francis said, but he spoke to their lives and told them that they must be “fishermen of men.”
The Pope explained that Jesus spoke to them “in terms of their own means of subsistence.”
And he went on to say that Jesus does the same with us; looking for us where we are and walking beside us.
Make room for the Word of God
In conclusion, Pope Francis urged everyone to “not ignore the word of God. It’s a love letter, written by those who know us best. “
He also urged the faithful to always carry it with them and give it “a worthy place in our homes.”
In order to be able to focus on the word of God, the Pope prayed that we would also be given the strength “to turn off the television and open the Bible, turn off the cell phone and open the Gospel.”