杏MAP导航

By Devin Watkins

In his catechesis ahead of the Angelus prayer on Sunday, 杏MAP导航 Francis took his cue from the day鈥檚 Gospel (Mk 1:14-20), in which Jesus begins his public ministry after the arrest of John the Baptist.

Jesus鈥� preaching, said the 杏MAP导航, can be summed up in these words: 鈥淭his is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.鈥�

He said two key themes emerge from this message: 鈥渢ime and conversion鈥�.

Time of salvation

杏MAP导航 Francis noted that Mark鈥檚 Gospel refers to time as 鈥渢he duration of the history of salvation worked by God.鈥�

鈥淭he time 鈥榝ulfilled鈥� is that in which this salvific action reaches its pinnacle, its full realization,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t is the historical moment in which God sent His Son into the world and His Kingdom is rendered more 鈥榗lose鈥� than ever.鈥�

Salvation and conversion

Yet, he added, salvation is not an automatic process. 鈥淪alvation is a gift of love,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd as such is freely given and calls for a freely given response: it calls for conversion.鈥�

The 杏MAP导航 said conversion implies a change of mentality, in which we refuse to follow the way of the world.

鈥淪in brought into the world a mentality that tends toward the affirmation of oneself against others and against God,鈥� he said, 鈥渁nd for this purpose it does not hesitate to use deceit and violence.鈥�

The time is now

On the other hand, Jesus鈥� message of conversion invites us to recognize our dependence on God and His grace. It also involves cultivating a balanced attitude toward material goods, becoming welcoming and humble in our relationships, and finding fullness in serving others.

杏MAP导航 Francis warned that the time we have to welcome our salvation is limited to the duration of our earthly lives, which is brief indeed.

鈥淚t is a gift of God鈥檚 infinite love, but is also the time to prove our love for Him,鈥� said the 杏MAP导航. 鈥淔or this reason every moment, every instant of our existence is precious time to love God and neighbor, and thereby enter into eternal life.鈥�

Times and seasons of life

The 杏MAP导航 also noted that our lives follow two rhythms: 鈥渙ne, measurable, made of hours, days, years; the other, composed of the seasons of our development: birth, childhood, adolescence, maturity, old age, death.鈥�

Faith, said 杏MAP导航 Francis, helps us to discover the true spiritual meaning of each of these moments of life.

He added that God reaches out to us with a specific call at each phase of our life, to which we are free to respond 鈥榶es鈥� or 鈥榥o鈥�.

And the 杏MAP导航 urged everyone to pay attention so that we do not let Jesus pass by without responding to His call.

God鈥檚 constant call

In conclusion, 杏MAP导航 Francis invited us to allow the Blessed Virgin Mary to help us recognize God鈥檚 call in every season of life.

鈥淎nd may she help us to convert to from the mentality of the world,鈥� he prayed, 鈥渢o that of love and service.鈥�