杏MAP导航

By Vatican News

鈥淭oday I would like us to pray for the elderly鈥�, were 杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� first words as he began Mass at the Casa Santa Marta on Tuesday morning. They 鈥渁re suffering in a particular way at this moment: with great interior solitude, many times with a lot of fear. Let us pray to the Lord that He might be near our grandparents and all the elderly, that He might give strength to those who have given us wisdom, life, our story. May we also be near them with our prayer.鈥�

During his homily, 杏MAP导航 Francis reflected on Jesus鈥� teaching on forgiveness from the day鈥檚 Gospel from Matthew (18:21-35).

Fraternity attracts God鈥檚 goodness

杏MAP导航 Francis began his homily saying that Jesus left us a 鈥渃atechesis鈥� about fraternal unity. 鈥淚 assure you, when two or three of you agree, and ask for a grace, it will be granted you鈥�, he quoted (cf Mt 18:19).

鈥淯nity, friendship, peace among brothers attracts God鈥檚 goodness鈥�.

Forgive always

To Peter鈥檚 question about whether forgiving someone seven times was sufficient, the 杏MAP导航 said that Jesus鈥檚 response means that 鈥渨e always need to forgive鈥�.

鈥淚t's not easy to forgive because our self-centered hearts are always attached to hatred, revenge, resentment. We've all seen families destroyed by hatred鈥�. It gets passed down from one generation to the next. Siblings, who in front of a parent鈥檚 coffin, don't even greet each other because they're carrying past resentments. It seems that attachment to hatred is stronger than attachment to love.鈥�

God forgives and forgets

This is the devil鈥檚 鈥渢reasure鈥�, the 杏MAP导航 continued. He incites our hatred to destroy everything. It鈥檚 鈥渙ften even over small things鈥�, he said.

鈥淚t鈥檚 what destroyed this God who came not to condemn but to forgive. This God who is able to throw a feast for a sinner who draws near to Him and forget everything. When God forgives us He forgets all the evil we鈥檝e done. Someone has said it's God鈥檚 sickness. He doesn't have a memory. He can lose His memory in these cases. God loses his memory regarding the ugly story of so many sinners, of our sins. 鈥�. He only asks us to do the same, to learn how to forgive.鈥� 

Condition for going to heaven

杏MAP导航 Francis reminded us of another Gospel passage where we are asked to reconcile ourselves with someone who has something against us (Mt 5:24). 鈥淒on鈥檛 come to me with love for me in one hand and hatred for your brother or sister in the other鈥�, 杏MAP导航 Francis put on God鈥檚 lips.

鈥淔orgiving is a condition for going to heaven: the parable that Jesus tells us is very clear鈥�. The Lord teaches us this wisdom of forgiving which is not easy... When we go to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, let鈥檚 first ask ourselves: Do I forgive?  If I feel that I do not forgive, I can鈥檛 make believe that I鈥檓 asking forgiveness because I will not be forgiven. Asking forgiveness means forgiving. Both go together. They cannot be separated.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� prayer

杏MAP导航 Francis concluded his homily with the prayer:

鈥淢ay the Lord help us understand this, to lower our heads so as not to be proud but magnanimous in forgiving.鈥�

Adoration

At the end of Mass, the Blessed Sacrament was exposed for adoration. 杏MAP导航 Francis and the few other persons present, remained in adoration for several minutes. In giving the final blessings, 杏MAP导航 Francis blessed everyone with the Blessed Sacrament.