杏MAP导航

By Linda Bordoni

Urging believers never to feel superior, 杏MAP导航 Francis said that in order to make a breach in people鈥檚 hearts and invite them to conversion, we must be meek and humble, following in the footsteps of Christ.

He was speaking during the homily at Mass at the Casa Santa Marta as he reflected on the Gospel reading of the day.

It tells, he said, of how Jesus sends his disciples into the world to bring healing, just as He Himself came into the world to heal, the 杏MAP导航 noted, 鈥渢o heal the root of sin in us鈥�, 鈥渢he original sin鈥�.

Healing, the 杏MAP导航 said, is a bit like 鈥渃reating from anew鈥�:

鈥淛esus recreated us from the root and then allowed us to move forward with his teaching, with his doctrine, a doctrine that heals鈥� he said.

But, the first requisite is that there be conversion.

鈥淐onversion is the first step of healing in the sense that it opens the heart so that the Word of God may enter鈥� he said.

The 杏MAP导航 compared it to seeking to be cured from a medical doctor saying that 鈥渋f someone is sick and refuses to go to the doctor he will not be healed鈥�.

He also noted that, as Christians, we may do many good things, but if our hearts our closed, it鈥檚 only a façade.

The shepherd must not seek the milk or the wool of the sheep

杏MAP导航 Francis then went on to say that in order 鈥渢o proclaim so that people may convert, one requires authority鈥� that comes from being like Jesus.  

In the Gospel, he said,  Jesus instructs the Apostles to 鈥渢o take nothing for the journey but a walking stick - no food, no sack, no money in their belts鈥�. In essence, he noted: poverty.  

The apostle must be a pastor, he said,  鈥渨ho does not seek sheep's milk, who does not seek sheep's wool" referring to the concept  as expressed by Saint Augustine explained that 鈥渢he shepherd who seeks milk seeks money, and the shepherd who seeks wool likes to dress with vanity鈥�.    

Inviting Christians to follow a path of 鈥減overty, humility, meekness鈥� he noted that Jesus told the Apostles 鈥淲hatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet鈥�, but do so with meekness and humility.

 鈥淚f an apostle, an envoy, one of us goes, with his nose in the air, believing himself superior to the others or because of self-interest looking for some human interest (鈥�) he will never heal anyone, he will never succeed in opening anyone's heart, because his word will have no authority鈥� he said.

Authority comes from being interested in people

After having exhorted to conversion, the 鈥淭welve drove out many demons鈥� and they could do so because they had the authority, the 杏MAP导航 said, to say 鈥淭his is a demon! This is a sin.鈥�

This authority, he said, is not the authority of someone who speaks down to people, but of someone who is interested in people.

鈥�Demons flee before humility, before the power of Christ鈥檚 name with which the apostle carries out his mission鈥� the 杏MAP导航 said, because demons 鈥渃annot bear that sins be healed鈥�.

We can all bring healing with a good word and patience

Then, the 杏MAP导航 said, the Apostles also 鈥渁nointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.鈥� The anointing, he explained, 鈥渋s the caress of God,鈥� so all apostles must learn 鈥渢his wisdom of God鈥檚 caresses鈥�.

He pointing out that all Christians can bring healing, not only priests and bishops: 鈥渆ach of us has the power to heal his brother or sister.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis concluded saying 鈥�We all need to be healed, and we can all heal others if we are humble and meek: with a good word, with patience, with a glance鈥�.