杏MAP导航 Francis at Mass: 鈥榖y welcoming little ones we welcome Jesus'
By Sr Bernadette Mary Reis, fsp
杏MAP导航 Francis began the second day of his 25th Apostolic Journey to the Baltic States by celebrating Mass in Sàntakos Park, in Kaunas, Lithuania. His homily was inspired by the Gospel of the day from the liturgy of the XXV Sunday in Ordinary Time (Mk 9:30-37).
Jesus with his disciples
Jesus is at 鈥渁t the halfway point of his journey to Jerusalem, 杏MAP导航 Francis began. Since he knows that the finale 鈥渨ould entail moments of trial and grief,鈥� Jesus wants to prepare his disciples and 鈥渨anted them to renew their choice to follow him鈥�, 杏MAP导航 Francis said.
Lithuania鈥檚 disciples
杏MAP导航 Francis then compared what Jesus鈥� disciples faced with what Lithuania's disciples faced during their "experience of the cross鈥�.
Earlier generations still bear the scars of the period of the occupation, anguish at those who were deported, uncertainty about those who never returned, shame for those who were informers and traitors.
The First Reading (Wisdom 2:10-12), 鈥渟peaks of the just who are persecuted鈥or their goodness鈥�, 杏MAP导航 Francis continued.
How many of you can identify first hand, or in the history of some family member, with that passage which we just read?
the 杏MAP导航 asked. He then said that the people of Lithuania, who still shudder when they hear the word 鈥淪iberia鈥�, can say with James in the Second Reading: 鈥渢hey covet, they murder鈥︹�� (see 4:2).
Memories of the past
Seeking power, like the disciples did, 鈥渋s the sign of those who fail to heal the memories of the past,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 continued. Focusing only on those who were better, 鈥渨ho acted with greater dignity鈥� in the past, denies that history, the 杏MAP导航 said. He called that past 鈥済lorious鈥�, because it was filled with 鈥渟acrifice, hope and struggle with lives spent in service and fidelity to work鈥�.
Jesus鈥� antidote
Jesus gives an antidote to remedy this "struggle for power" and the "rejection of the sacrifice", 杏MAP导航 Francis explained. Jesus, the teacher, puts in their midst a 鈥渃hild who would earn a penny鈥� doing what no one else wanted to do. 鈥淲ho would Jesus place in our midst today, on this Sunday morning?鈥� the 杏MAP导航 asked 鈥攖he ethnic minorities, the unemployed, migrants, the elderly, the lonely, rootless young people?
The Church is called to place these people in the midst of the present-day disciples, 杏MAP导航 Francis said. Thus, no one can give the excuse that they haven鈥檛 seen them. Being on the move, going out, also means stopping at times, 鈥渢o set aside our worries鈥o notice鈥o listen鈥o accompany those left on the side of the road鈥�, the 杏MAP导航 said. Thus we learn, like the disciples did, 鈥渢hat in welcoming a little child, we welcome Jesus himself鈥�.
杏MAP导航 Francis concluded saying, that such a welcome allows Jesus 鈥渢o heal our memory鈥�, and 鈥渨e make it known to all that Jesus Christ is our true hope鈥�.
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