杏MAP导航 Francis celebrates Mass for 500 years of Christianity in Philippines
By Devin Watkins
杏MAP导航 Francis on Sunday joined the Church in the Philippines in commemorating 500 years of Christianity in the Southeast Asian nation.
He celebrated Mass in St. Peter鈥檚 Basilica with several representatives of the Filipino Church, including Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, formerly the Archbishop of Manila.
Missionary disciples
In his homily, the 杏MAP导航 said Filipinos received the joy of the Gospel half a millennia ago, 鈥渁nd this joy is evident in your people.鈥�
鈥淲e see it in your eyes, on your faces, in your songs and in your prayers,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 want to thank you for the joy you bring to the whole world and to our Christian communities.鈥�
Recognizing the witness of faith Filipinos offer through their 鈥渄iscreet and hardworking presence鈥�, 杏MAP导航 Francis also urged them to 鈥減ersevere in the work of evangelization.鈥�
He said the Gospel message of God鈥檚 closeness must be constantly proclaimed to others, so that none might perish.
As the Church in the Philippines celebrates the quincentenary of her birth, the 杏MAP导航 urged Filipino Catholics to walk courageously along the path of missionary discipleship.
鈥淣ever be afraid to proclaim the Gospel, to serve and to love,鈥� he said. 鈥淲ith your joy, you will help people to say of the Church too: 鈥榮he so loved the world!鈥欌��
Jesus is source of our joy
Turning his reflections to the Sunday Gospel, 杏MAP导航 Francis pointed out that it contains the heart of the Gospel message. 鈥淕od so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son鈥� (Jn 3:16).
He added that the Gospel message is not an idea or doctrine, but Jesus Himself.
鈥淭he source of our joy is not an elegant theory about how to find happiness, but the actual experience of being accompanied and loved throughout the journey of life.鈥�
The Holy Father then spoke about two aspects of the day鈥檚 Gospel passage: 鈥淕od so loved鈥� and 鈥淕od gave.鈥�
鈥楪od so loved鈥�
杏MAP导航 Francis said that 鈥淕od so loved鈥� that He came to seek us out when we were lost and raise us up.
鈥淗e has always looked at us with love, and for the sake of love, He came among us in the flesh of his Son,鈥� said the 杏MAP导航. 鈥淚n Jesus, God spoke the definitive word about our life: you are not lost, you are loved. Loved forever.鈥�
He added that sometimes we prefer a 鈥済lum, sorrowful, and self-absorbed religiosity鈥�, even though the Gospel should 鈥渆nlarge our hearts and make us grasp the immensity of God鈥檚 love.鈥�
鈥楪od gave鈥�
杏MAP导航 Francis then reflected on the action of God鈥檚 love: 鈥淕od gave his Son鈥� for our salvation.
Love, noted the 杏MAP导航, takes us out of ourselves, and always seeks to give itself fully.
鈥淭hat is the power of love,鈥� he said, 鈥渋t shatters the shell of our selfishness, breaks out of our carefully constructed security zones, tears down walls and overcomes fears, so as to give freely of itself.鈥�
God鈥檚 love in Jesus, said 杏MAP导航 Francis, is so great that 鈥淗e cannot fail to give Himself to us.鈥�
Joy in self-giving
As we see in people who love one another and share their lives in love, he said, 鈥渢he more we love, the more we become capable of giving.鈥�
The 杏MAP导航 said that sometimes we seek joy in dreams of glory or in the false security of material possessions.
Yet, true joy can only be found in complete self-giving, as God shows in giving His Son.
鈥淟ife teaches us that true joy comes from realizing that we are loved gratuitously,鈥� concluded 杏MAP导航 Francis, 鈥渒nowing that we are not alone, having someone who shares our dreams and who, when we experience shipwreck, is there to help us and lead us to a safe harbor.鈥�
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