杏MAP导航

By Christopher Wells

鈥淚t is always joy that makes us young!鈥�

Youth and joy were prominent themes during 杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� visit to the parish of St Paul of the Cross, in the southwest part of Rome.

Incredulous "for joy"
 

In his homily at the parochial Mass, the Holy Father focused on the days鈥� Gospel reading. The disciples, he said, knew that Christ had risen, but the truth had not entered into their hearts 鈥� they accepted the truth intellectually, but they couldn鈥檛 believe it. 鈥淢aybe they preferred to keep that truth in their mind,鈥� he said. The 杏MAP导航 asked why they continued to have doubts, and answered from the Gospel: 鈥渢hey were incredulous for joy and were amazed.鈥�

This happens to us, too, the 杏MAP导航 says when someone gives us good news. We can hardly believe it. 鈥淲e do it to be sure, because, if this is true, it is a great joy.鈥� The disciples not only believed, but were convinced; and this, 杏MAP导航 Francis said, is the 鈥渞enewed youthfulness,鈥� mentioned in the Collect, which is a gift of the Lord.

Rejuvenated by the risen Christ
 

鈥淲e are in the habit of 鈥榞rowing old鈥� with sin,鈥� he continued. 鈥淪in makes us grow old; but Jesus, risen, alive, renews us!鈥� The fact of Jesus鈥� Resurrection is the primary truth of our faith. 鈥淟et us ask for the grace to believe that Christ is alive, and risen!鈥� 杏MAP导航 Francis emphasized the importance of going to Confession, where we are renewed, rejuvenated; and the importance of receiving Holy Communion. 鈥淲hen you go to Communion, are you sure that Christ is living there, is risen?鈥� he asked. Communion is not simply a piece of blessed bread, he insisted: 鈥淣o, it is Jesus! Christ is living, is risen in the midst of us, and if we do not believe this, we will never be good Christians, we couldn鈥檛 be.鈥�

He concluded his homily asking that we pray that our joy will not keep us from believing; for the grace to 鈥渢ouch Jesus鈥�: in prayer; in the Sacraments; in receiving His forgiveness, which renews the Church; in meeting the sick, prisoners, those most in need, children, the elderly. 鈥淚f we feel the desire to do something good,鈥� he said, it is Jesus, risen, who urges us to it. It is always the joy, the joy that makes us young!鈥�