杏MAP导航 canonizes founder of Scalabrinians, Salesian pharmacist
By Sophie Peeters
杏MAP导航 Francis presided over the beatification mass of now-Saints Bishop Giovanni Battista Scalabri and Salesian Brother Artemide Zatti in Saint Peter's Square on Sunday. The Mass was co-celebrated by Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, with fifty thousand faithful participating.
In his homily, 杏MAP导航 Francis reflected on the Gospel of Luke which tells the story of the ten lepers who, after crying out to Jesus for mercy, were healed, with only one Samaritan realizing his healing and turned around 鈥減raising God with a loud voice鈥� (Lk 17:15).
The 杏MAP导航 invited the faithful to reflect on two aspects of the Gospel: walking together and giving thanks.
The importance of walking together
Leprosy, 杏MAP导航 Francis noted, is a disease that isolates those ill from others, forcing those who have the illness to remain together on the 鈥渕argins of social and even religious life.鈥�
This image of solidarity within desolation is also meaningful for us to reflect upon: if we can recognize our own illness as sinners in need of God the Father鈥檚 great mercy, then we can once more become like brothers and sisters, 鈥渕indful that all of us are vulnerable within and in need of healing.鈥�
Walking together is a key cornerstone of the Church and is something we can ask ourselves: in our own lives within our families, our workplace, and where we spend our time, are we truly capable of listening and being open and inclusive to all 鈥渋n the service of the Gospel,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 asked the faithful.
In his homily, the 杏MAP导航 challenged us to 鈥渁lways be inclusive鈥� in the Church and society, 鈥渨hich is still marred by many forms of inequality and marginalization.鈥�
Furthermore, in off-the-cuff remarks, 杏MAP导航 Francis said the exclusion of migrants today in Church and society is "scandalous" and "criminal."
Learning to give thanks to God
In the Gospel, only one leper, realizing he was cured, turned back to praise God and show gratitude, with the others going along their way.
杏MAP导航 Francis said it is the Samaritan who dares to go back to Jesus in order to enter into a relationship with him to 鈥渟tart a journey of thanksgiving:鈥� Jesus Himself, the Samaritan realized, is 鈥渕ore important than the healing he received.鈥�
This can be a great lesson for us, the 杏MAP导航 continued, as so often we fall way to the 鈥渘asty spiritual disease鈥� of taking everything for granted, including our relationship with God.
The ability to give thanks rather, allows us to recognize the presence of God in our lives and the importance of others, of our families.
Two holy men of faith
Recalling the examples of the two newly-named Saints, 杏MAP导航 Francis said each of these two holy men reminds us 鈥渙f the importance of walking together and being able to give thanks.鈥�
Both dedicated their lives to a Church that was inclusive and without barriers, as Saint Scalabrini cared a great deal for migrants and Saint Zatti cared greatly for the sick, taking upon himself the wounds of others.
The 杏MAP导航 noted how today, here in Europe, there is one migration causing "so much pain:" the migration of Ukrainians fleeing the war.
In conclusion, the 杏MAP导航 encouraged us to ask the Saints to help us 鈥渨alk together, without walls of division鈥� in order to be able to 鈥渃ultivate that nobility of soul,鈥� that is, gratitude.
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