杏MAP导航

By Vatican News staff writer

Greeting the faithful in Saint Peter鈥檚 Square on a sunny and sultry Roman Sunday, on the day鈥檚 Gospel reading which speaks about the crowds following Jesus, after they had witnessed the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves. However, the crowds did not grasp the meaning of what Jesus had done and appeared to be more concerned more about having their fill of material bread.

The 杏MAP导航 said we too risk from this same narrow mentality, what might be called an 鈥�idolatrous 迟别尘辫迟补迟颈辞苍鈥� he described as one where we seek God only for our own use and needs of the moment. This requires us to ask, 鈥渨hy do we seek the Lord?鈥�, he said, and to think about what are our true motivations, to consider if our faith concerns seeking God primarily when we need him and forgetting about Him when we are satisfied. The 杏MAP导航 said it is right to present our needs before God, but we need to understand that the Lord first of all 鈥渨ishes to live with us...in a relationship of love鈥�, and to know that in response to our prayers He 鈥渁cts far beyond our expectations鈥�. True love is all gift, not expecting a favor in return, the 杏MAP导航 observed, and the relationship with God 鈥済oes beyond the logic of interest and calculation.鈥�

In the today鈥檚 Gospel reading, the crowds then ask Jesus what they can do then to accomplish the works of God. The 杏MAP导航 said it was as if they were asking how we go from a faith that is only conerned about our immediate needs to one that pleases God. Jesus鈥� answer, the 杏MAP导航 said, is 鈥渢hat the work of God is to welcome the One whom the Father has sent, that is, Himself, Jesus.鈥�  The key here is 鈥渨elcoming Jesus into our lives, living a story of love with Him鈥�, the 杏MAP导航 pointed out, saying only Jesus can purify our faith and strengthen our 鈥渓oving relationship鈥� with Him. He summed it up: 鈥渂efore the things we receive and do, there is Him to love鈥�.

This same thinking applies also to our human and social relationships, the 杏MAP导航 added, saying we need to be aware when we risk using others for our own interests. In society we need to keep people at the centre of our concern rather than simply interests, he stressed. In conclusion, before leading the recitation of the Angelus, he said, 鈥渓et us welcome Jesus as the bread of life and, starting out from our friendship with Him, learn to love each other鈥� freely and abundantly, looking to the example of the Blessed Virigin Mary 鈥渨ho lived the most beautiful story of love with God鈥� and can help us receive this grace.