杏MAP导航

By Robin Gomes

杏MAP导航 Francis took the inspiration of his homily from the day鈥檚 First Reading, which speaks of the great joy with which David and all the people of Israel were celebrating the return of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem following its capture.

Celebrating God鈥檚 nearness

The people felt that God was close to them and they celebrated, the 杏MAP导航 said and leading the procession was King David who sacrificed an ox and a fatling.  He joined the people shouting, singing and dancing "with all his might".

The fact that God was with them was the cause of their celebration, the 杏MAP导航 said.  David dances before the people expressing his joy without feeling shy.  The 杏MAP导航 said it is the spiritual joy of encountering the Lord, of His return to the people.  David loves the Lord, and he is happy and joyful to bring back the ark of the Lord with dancing and singing like all the people.

The 杏MAP导航 pointed out that we also experience this joy and celebrate when "when we are with the Lord" in our parishes or villages.  In this regard, he recalled that at the time of Nehemiah, in the Old Testament, people wept with joy when the book of the law was found, and they continued their celebration at home.

Contempt of joy

Continuing David鈥檚 story, the 杏MAP导航 said that one of his wives, Michal, Saul鈥檚 daughter, reproached him with contempt saying he was dancing shamelessly like a vulgar, like one of the people.

The 杏MAP导航 described Michal鈥檚 reaction as contempt of 鈥済enuine religiosity鈥� and spontaneity of joy of being with the Lord.  But David explained to her that he was rejoicing in the Lord as the ark was back home.   The Bible says that Michal was punished for this and did not bear children.  Without joy in the heart, the 杏MAP导航 said, a Christian is not fruitful.

Joyful evangelizers move forward

杏MAP导航 Francis further explained that celebration is not only expressed spiritually but becomes sharing. After the blessing, David distributed to each person 鈥渁 loaf of bread, a cut of roast meat and a raisin cake鈥�, so that everyone could celebrate in their homes. "The Word of God is not ashamed of celebration,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 said, warning, at the same time, of the danger of a joy that goes beyond limits, believing this is everything.

The Holy Father recalled his predecessor, Saint 杏MAP导航 Paul VI in his Apostolic Exhortation "Evangelii Nuntiandi," saying 鈥渢he Gospel will not go forward with boring, bitter evangelizers鈥�. 鈥� It will only go forward with joyful evangelizers, full of life.鈥�  The 杏MAP导航 thus urged for the joy of receiving the Word of God, the joy of being Christians, the joy of going ahead, the ability to celebrate without being ashamed and not being like Michal, formal Christians, prisoners of formalities.