Pope on Angelus: Like Jesus, dare to commit “crimes” for love

When commenting on the treatment of the leper, Francis invited believers to “take offense” with the gospel: to violate our selfishness to “contaminate” themselves with the pain and suffering of another.

Bianca Fracalvieri – Vatican City

On Sunday for the second consecutive Sunday in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis said that the Sunday in Rome was sunny and very cold.

Before the Marian prayer, the pontiff commented on this VI Sunday gospel in simple time, in which Jesus was told to heal the leper. In this episode rooted in Mark, Francis identifies two “crimes”: Jesus and the leper approaching Jesus, who is moved by compassion, touches him to heal.

The first change is of the leper: at that time, they were considered impure and excluded from social life, for example, they could not enter the synagogue. This disease was considered divine punishment, but in Jesus, he can see another face of God: not the God who punishes, but the Father of mercy and love, who frees us from sin and gives us from His mercy Never turns out. “Jesus’ attitude attracts him, leaves him to himself and trusts him with his painful story”, Francisco commented.

Listen to the full report with the voice of Pope Francis

Um aplauso esta misericordiosos admit

“Allow me an idea here for the many good confessing priests who have this attitude: to attract those who feel mercy with tenderness to annihilate their sins … those confectors at whose hands I don’t have a whip, but get them, listen and say that God is good, that God always forgives, that he never forgives.

In saying these words, the pontiff asked for applause – that too, for all appreciative traders.

The second transition is of Jesus: While the law forbids touching lepers, they are touched, reach out and touch them to heal them. It is not limited to words only, but touches it. Contact with love means establishing a relationship, entering communism, joining another’s life, even sharing his wounds. With this gesture, Jesus demonstrates that God is not indifferent, he does not maintain a “safe distance”; On the contrary, it makes contact with compassion and touches our lives to heal it.

“This is God’s style: closeness, compassion and tenderness. Crime of God: He is a great criminal in this sense. “

Today, the pope regrets, many are still suffering from the disease and others with social and even religious prejudices. But no person is immune to experiencing wounds, bankruptcies, suffering, selfishness that turns us away from God and others.

God “contaminates himself with our wounded humanity

In the face of all this, Francis explains, Jesus declares that God is not an idea or abstract doctrine, but rather one who “corrupts” himself with our wounded humanity and is not afraid to come into contact with our wounds.

“But father, what are you saying?” Which god is profaned? I am not saying this, but Saint Paul: was sinned. He who is not a sinner, who cannot sin, has become a sin. See how God was corrupted to approach us, to have mercy, and to understand his tenderness. Proximity, compassion and tenderness ”

Social customs, prestige and selfishness often prevent us from hiding our pain and engaging ourselves in the suffering of others.

Instead, Francis invited believers to seek grace from the Lord to live out these two “crimes” of the gospel.

“She is a leper, so that we can have the courage to come out of our isolation and feel sorry for ourselves or cry over our failures instead of remaining, go to Jesus as we are. And then the guilt of Jesus: a love that inspires us to go beyond conventions, which removes the prejudices and fears of us getting into the lives of others. We learn to be transgender like these two: like a leper and like Jesus. ”