杏MAP导航

杏MAP导航

杏MAP导航: In deserts of poverty, volunteers offer signs of hope

Cardinal Michael Czerny, delegated by 杏MAP导航 Francis, presides over the Mass for the Jubilee of the World of Volunteering. He reads the 杏MAP导航's homily for the occasion in which he praises those who volunteer for their "generosity and commitment" that offers "hope to our entire society."

By Tiziana Campisi

The fluorescent uniforms of thousands of volunteers in Rome for the Jubilee of the World of Volunteering stood out in Saint Peter's Square during the Sunday Mass presided over by Cardinal Michael Czerny. Thirty thousand people participate in the Mass on the first Sunday of Lent, and their colorful jackets created a chromatic spectacle, along with the purple liturgical vestments worn for the season of Lent.

Over a hundred concelebrants 鈥� including cardinals, bishops, and priests 鈥� came for the liturgy presided over by Cardinal Michael Czerny, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. 杏MAP导航 Francis delegated Cardinal Czerny to preside since he has been in hospital since 14 February. But the 杏MAP导航鈥檚 spiritual presence among them in the celebration was symbolized in the papal banner with the papal crest displayed on the central loggia of Saint Peter's Basilica.

Thanks to the volunteers

In the homily prepared by 杏MAP导航 Francis, and read by Cardinal Czerny, the 杏MAP导航 focused on the beginning of the Lenten journey, but with special words for the volunteers from around the world visiting Rome on pilgrimage. The 杏MAP导航 recalled their service and commitment alongside so many people, 鈥渁ll those small gestures鈥� that 鈥渋n the deserts of poverty and loneliness鈥� help 鈥渁 new humanity blossom in the garden that is God鈥檚 dream, always and everywhere, for all of us.鈥�

鈥淚 thank you heartily, dear friends, because, following the example of Jesus, you serve your neighbours unstintingly. On the streets and in homes, in the company of the sick, the suffering and the imprisoned, with the young and the elderly, your generosity and commitment offer hope to our entire society.鈥�

Jesus shows the way through the desert

Commenting on the Sunday Gospel, the 杏MAP导航 recalled the temptations Jesus faced in the desert, where He is 鈥渓ed by the Spirit.鈥� And our Lenten journey begins here, 鈥渂y following the Lord there and sharing in that experience, which he transformed for our benefit.鈥� Because in that 鈥減lace of silence,鈥� which becomes 鈥渁 place of listening,鈥� the ability to listen is 鈥減ut to the test,鈥� and then we must choose 鈥渂etween two completely different voices.鈥� In the desert, Jesus experiences hunger and is tempted by the devil's words, but He rejects them.

鈥淲e too are tempted, yet are not alone. Jesus is with us, to guide us through the desert. The Son of God made man does not simply give us an example of how to combat evil. He gives us something much greater: the strength to resist its attacks and to persevere on our journey.鈥�

Three characteristics of temptation

, 杏MAP导航 Francis explains the three aspects of Jesus鈥� temptation and of our own: 鈥渋ts beginning, the way it takes place and its result,鈥� and invites everyone to compare these two experiences to find support in one鈥檚 own 鈥渏ourney of conversion.鈥� He then explains, regarding the beginning of the temptation, 鈥渢he Lord does not go into the desert to show the strength of his will, but out of filial openness to the Spirit of the Father, whose guidance he readily and freely accepts.鈥� On the other hand, our temptation 鈥渋s not intentional: evil is prior to our freedom, attacking it from within, like an inner shadow and a constant threat.鈥�

鈥淲henever we ask God not to lead us into temptation, we need to remember that he has already answered that prayer through Jesus, his incarnate Word, who remains with us always. The Lord is close to us and cares for us, especially in times of trial and uncertainty, when the tempter makes his voice heard.鈥�

The latter is 鈥渢he father of lies, perverse and perversive,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 clarifies, 鈥渇or he knows God鈥檚 word without understanding it. Quite the opposite: just as he had done since the days of Adam in the Garden of Eden, so he does now in the case of Jesus, the new Adam, in the desert.鈥�

Christ unites God and humanity

As for the way Christ is tempted, the 杏MAP导航 explained that it is 鈥渢hrough His relationship with God, His Father.鈥� He went on to say how 鈥渢he devil is the one who separates and divides, whereas Jesus is the one who unites God and man, the mediator.鈥� And if 鈥渋n his perversion, the devil wants to destroy that bond,鈥� Jesus makes it 鈥渁 relationship that embraces everyone, without excluding anyone鈥� and 鈥渁 gift that he shares with the world for our salvation.鈥�

鈥淵et just when the devil would have us believe that the Lord is far from us, and would tempt us to despair, God draws all the closer to us, giving his life for the redemption of the world.鈥�

Jesus defeats evil and redeems us

Jesus 鈥渧anquishes evil,鈥� this is 鈥渢he result of these temptations,鈥� concluded 杏MAP导航 Francis, 鈥淗e drives away the devil,鈥� who will however, as the Gospel says, 鈥渞eturn to tempt Him, waiting for 鈥榓nother opportunity,鈥欌€� that is, when 鈥渙n Golgotha, Jesus is tempted again: 鈥業f you are the Son of God, come down from the cross鈥欌€� But 鈥渋n the paschal mystery of His death and resurrection鈥� Christ definitively defeats 鈥渢he tempter.鈥� We, on the other hand, are not always capable of defeating temptations.

鈥淚n the face of temptation, we sometimes fall; we are all sinners. Our defeat, however, is not definitive, because following our every fall, God lifts us up by his infinite love and forgiveness. Our testing does not end in failure, because, in Christ, we are redeemed from evil.鈥�

In conclusion, the 杏MAP导航 underscored how 鈥淛esus himself opens up before us this new path of liberation and redemption鈥� and by following Him in faith 鈥渇rom drifters we become pilgrims.鈥�

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09 March 2025, 12:27