杏MAP导航

By Christopher Wells

杏MAP导航 Francis鈥檚 intention for Wednesday鈥檚 Mass was for the elderly, especially those who are isolated or in nursing homes. Many of them, he said, are afraid of dying alone. But 鈥渢hey are our roots, our story, our history鈥�. He invited us to pray for them, 鈥渢hat the Lord might be close to them in this moment鈥�.

Our response to God鈥檚 fidelity

杏MAP导航 Francis recalled his reflection the day before on St Mary Magdalene as the 鈥渋con of fidelity鈥� in the Gospel. 杏MAP导航 Francis on Wednesday asked what it means for us to be faithful to God. Our fidelity to God, he said, 鈥渋s nothing more than a response to God鈥檚 fidelity鈥�.

God is 鈥渇aithful to His word鈥� faithful to His promise鈥�. He 鈥渨alks with his people, carrying out His promise close to his people鈥�. We constantly experience God as Saviour, the 杏MAP导航 said, because 鈥淗e is faithful to His promise鈥�.

A more wonderful re-creation

In the first Reading, a man crippled from birth was healed in the name of Jesus. 杏MAP导航 Francis said this is an example of God鈥檚 fidelity, 鈥渨ho is capable of redoing things, of re-creating鈥� this is His faithfulness to us: a re-creation that is more wonderful than creation鈥�.

Like a good shepherd, God never tires of seeking the sheep that is lost, the 杏MAP导航 said. He does so 鈥渙ut of love, out of fidelity鈥�; and not for pay, but freely, gratuitously. God is like a father who never grows tired of waiting for his son to return home 鈥� and who throws a party when he does. 鈥淕od鈥檚 faithfulness is a feast, a free feast, a feast for all of us鈥�.

God鈥檚 fidelity comes before our own

It is that divine faithfulness that led our 鈥済enerous God鈥� to seek after Peter, who had denied Jesus during His Passion. 杏MAP导航 Francis explained that although we do not know what the Lord said to Peter when He appeared to him for the first time after the Resurrection, 鈥淲e know that it was God鈥檚 faithfulness that sought Peter out鈥�.

As with Peter, God鈥檚 faithfulness always precedes our own, 鈥渁nd our faithfulness is always a response to that faithfulness that precedes us鈥�.

For us, 杏MAP导航 Francis said in conclusion, 鈥渢o be faithful is to praise this fidelity, to be faithful to [God鈥檚] fidelity. It is a response to this fidelity鈥�.