During the Epiphany Mass, Pope Francis pointed out that we can meet the Lord Jesus through “uneasy inquiries”, “risks of the journey” and “surprises of adoration”. “We must adore God, not false idols; we must adore God without succumbing to the past and the seductive but empty logic of evil,” said the Pope.
(Vatican News Network)Pope Francis presided over the Epiphany Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on January 6, commemorating the journey of the wise men who came to Bethlehem from the East. At the beginning of his homily at Mass, the Pope set his sights on “a rising star”, which points to Jesus who “comes to illuminate the nations and illuminate the darkness of mankind”. The most important question is: Where can I find Jesus? Following the teachings of the Magi, the Pope explained, we can see that “faith does not come from our merits or theoretical reasoning, but from the gift of God”. We also understand that the first “place” of encounter with the Lord Jesus is “uneasy inquiry”.
“From the beginning the Magi had the unease of the questioner. In their longing for the infinite, they scanned the sky, dazzled by the light of the stars, representing the tension to the transcendent that animates the journey of civilization,” said the Pope. and the constant search of our hearts. In fact, the star left precisely in their hearts the question: Where is the born? (cf. Mt. 2:2)”
Where is the fullness of life, where is the love that never dies?
“The journey of faith begins when, by the grace of God, we are restless in our hearts to keep our sanity; when we allow ourselves to be questioned, not content with the usual calm, but throw ourselves into the challenges of every day,” said the Pope. , the journey of faith begins when we stop staying in a neutral space and decide to step into the discomforts of life. These discomforts include relationships, surprises, the unexpected, The projects we want to advance, the dreams we want to realize, the fears we must face, the pains we must face. In these moments, those irrepressible questions arise in our hearts, prompting us to search for God: Where is my happiness? Where is my happiness? Where is the fullness of life I yearn for? Where is the love that never dies, never fades, never crumbles even in the face of fragility, failure, and betrayal? What opportunities lie hidden in my crisis and suffering?”
God lives in our restless inquiries
We have no shortage of “sedatives for the soul” and “substitutes” that “calm our restlessness” “to dispel these inquiries”, the Pope stressed: from products of consumerism to temptations of pleasure, from brilliant debates to idols of blessing worship. “It all seems to tell us: don’t think too much, go with the flow, and enjoy life!” We always try to keep our hearts in the comfort of a safe, but if the Magi did, they would never meet to the Lord Jesus”.
Therefore, we must not be “afraid to enter into such uneasy inquiries”. Pope Francis reminds us that it is these insecurities that “lead us to Jesus”. Well, there is another place where we can meet the Lord Jesus. This possibility, the Pope explained, is “the risk of the journey”. “In fact, the Magi did not stop there to look at the sky and contemplate the gleams of the stars, but ventured on a perilous journey where no safe way and no map could be given in advance. They wanted to know who was the King of the Jews, who in the Where it was born, where it was found. For this they asked Herod, who in turn summoned the chief priests and the scribes of the people. The Magi walked on journeys: most of the words that describe their actions are verbs. “
Faith grows in the process of going to God
Faith also cannot grow “without a continual journey and constant conversation with the Lord Jesus”. The Pope emphasized that “it is not enough to have some thoughts about God and some prayers for peace of conscience”, but also to be “a disciple who follows Jesus and his Gospel”:
The Pope said: “We must remember: Faith does not grow if it stands still; we cannot close faith in personal piety, or close it within the walls of the church, but bring it out and express it in the In life, we are constantly going to God, to our brothers and sisters. Let us ask ourselves today: Do I go to the Lord of my life and let Him be the master of my life? Jesus, who are You to me? Where are You telling me to go, What do you ask of my life? What choices do you invite me to make for others?”
The end of everything is to allow yourself to be embraced by God
After the unease of the inquiry and the risks of the journey, the Pope pointed to a third place of encounter with the Lord: the wonder of adoration. The Pope said: “After a long journey and a laborious search, the Magi entered the house and ‘seeing the Child and Mary his mother fell down and adored him’ (ibid.: verse 11). This is the decisive point: Our restlessness, our inquiry, our spiritual journey and the practice of faith must converge in the adoration of the Lord Jesus. There the Magi find the center of the source, for everything springs from there, because the Lord Jesus inspires in us Feeling, feedback and action. Everything comes from there and is fulfilled there, because the purpose of everything is not to achieve personal goals and enjoy personal glory, but to meet God and receive His love, which is our hope Provides the foundation that frees us from sin, opens our hearts to love, and empowers us to build a fairer and more loving world.”
jesus is the radiant morning star
“Faith is a journey, a process of pilgrimage, an experience of starting and starting again.” The Pope mentioned, “If we don’t put Jesus at the center and worship Him, there is no point in promoting pastoral work.” Today, the Lord Jesus invites us to learn from the Magi: bow down like the Magi and worship Him. Surrender to God in amazement. We are to worship God, not our egos; we are to worship God, and not false idols who seduce us with the magic of prestige and power, the allure of fake news; A thing of the past and a seductive but hollow logic of evil. “
Finally, the Pope urged everyone to “open your hearts to meet the uneasiness, pray for the courage to embark on the journey, and end in adoration”. “Let us not be afraid! This is the path of the Magi, the path of all the saints throughout history,” said the Pope.
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