杏MAP导航

By Devin Watkins

As he began Mass in the Casa Santa Marta on Wednesday morning, 杏MAP导航 Francis urged all nations to be united as they face the Covid-19 pandemic. He prayed especially for Europe.

鈥淎t this moment in which unity is very necessary between ourselves and between nations, we pray today for Europe, so that Europe might succeed in creating this fraternal unity dreamt of by the founding fathers of the European Union.鈥�

God loves us madly

In his homily, the 杏MAP导航 reflected on Jesus鈥� words to Nicodemus in the day鈥檚 Gospel (Jn 3:16-21): 鈥淕od so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis said this passage contains a wealth of theological revelation about Redemption.

He focused his attention on two aspects: the revelation of God鈥檚 love and the existential choice between light and darkness.

鈥淕od loves us,鈥� said the 杏MAP导航. 鈥淗e loves us madly. As one saint used to say, God鈥檚 love seems like madness.鈥�

Cross contains all Christian wisdom

The cross, said 杏MAP导航 Francis, is the highest expression of this love. He added that everything is revealed to those who contemplate the cross.

"So many people, so many Christians, pass time gazing at the Crucified... And there they find everything because they have understood. The Holy Spirit teaches them that therein lies all science, all of God鈥檚 love, and all Christian wisdom. Saint Paul speaks about this, explaining that all human reasoning is useful only up to a certain point. But true reasoning 鈥� the most beautiful way of thinking which also explains everything 鈥� is the cross of Christ, is Christ crucified, who is scandal and madness. But He is the way. And this is the love of God. God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son. Why? So that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life. This is the love of the Father who wants His children with Him."

Light over darkness

杏MAP导航 Francis then reflected on the choice between light and darkness. He said there are some people 鈥� 鈥渋ncluding us sometimes鈥� 鈥� who are unable to live in the light, because they have become accustomed to darkness.

鈥淟ight blinds them and they cannot see. They are like human bats: they can only move about during the night. We ourselves, when we are in a state of sin, find ourselves in this condition, unable to tolerate the light. It is easier to live in the darkness; light slaps us on the face and shows us what we don鈥檛 want to see.鈥�

Corruption blinds

Though it is difficult to face what the light reveals to us, said 杏MAP导航 Francis, it is worse when the eyes of the soul become ignorant of the light. 

鈥淪o many human scandals and corruption teach us this. Those who are corrupt do not know what the light is, and don鈥檛 recognize it.鈥�

Child of God鈥� Or bat?

杏MAP导航 Francis concluded inviting us to let the light of God鈥檚 love shine in our lives through the Holy Spirit. And we can ask ourselves:

鈥淒o I walk in the light or in darkness? Am I a child of God? Or have I ended up like a bat?鈥�