杏MAP导航

By Christopher Wells

杏MAP导航 Francis connected last week鈥檚 reflection to his catechesis for this week, saying that, we need forgiveness, every day, in the same way that we need our 鈥渄aily bread.鈥�

鈥淏ut even if we were perfect, even if we were 鈥榗rystalline saints鈥欌�� who never went astray, 鈥渨e would always remain children who owe everything to the Father鈥�, the 杏MAP导航 said, explaining how we are 鈥渋ndebted鈥� to God.

Pride: the most dangerous attitude

He warned against the sin of pride, 鈥渢he most dangerous attitude for every Christian life.鈥� Some sins, he said, are blatantly obvious, but some are insidious, 鈥渓urking in the heart without us even knowing鈥�. Pride is the worst of these, the 杏MAP导航 said; it is a sin 鈥渨hich can infect even people who live an intense religious life鈥�. Quoting the First Letter of St John, 杏MAP导航 Francis said, 鈥淚f we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves鈥�.

But, the 杏MAP导航 continued, although we are indebted to God because of our sins, we are debtors first of all 鈥渂ecause in this life we have received so much鈥� from God. Even when life is difficult, he said, 鈥渨e always have to remind ourselves that life is a grace, it is the miracle that God has extracted from nothing.

We can love because we were loved first

杏MAP导航 Francis noted that we are also indebted to God because none of us is able to love without the grace of God. The 杏MAP导航 described this as the mysterium lunae, the 鈥渕ystery of the moon鈥�, which does not shine with its own light, but can only reflect the light of the sun. If we love, the 杏MAP导航 said, it is because we were loved first. If we forgive, it is because we have been forgiven.

鈥淣one of us loves God as He has loved us鈥�, the 杏MAP导航 said. 鈥淚t is enough to place yourself before a crucifix to grasp the disparity: He has loved us, and He always loves us first鈥�.

杏MAP导航 Francis concluded by inviting us all to pray, 鈥淟ord, even the most holy among us do not cease to be debtors to you. O Father, have mercy on us!鈥�