THE HOLY FATHER’S HOMILY
The Gospel
presents John [the Baptist] to us at the moment in which he gives
witness of Jesus. Seeing Jesus coming towards him, he says: “Behold the
Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I
said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, for He was before me’” (John 1:29-30).
This is the Messiah. He gives witness, and some disciples — disciples
of John –, hearing this testimony, followed Jesus. They followed behind
Him and were happy: “We have found the Messiah!” (John 1:41). They felt Jesus’ presence. But why did they find Jesus? Because a witness existed; there was a man who gave witness of Jesus.
It happens
so in our life. There are so many Christians that profess that Jesus is
God; there are so many priests that profess that Jesus is God, so many
Bishops … But do they all give witness of Jesus? Or is being Christian a
way of living as any other, as a fan of a team? “But yes, I’m Christian
…” Or as having a philosophy: “I observe these Commandments, I’m a
Christian, I must do this …” To be a Christian, first of all, is to give
witness of Jesus. – This is the first thing. And this is what the
Apostles did: the Apostles gave witness of Jesus, and because of this
Christianity spread throughout the world. Witness and martyrdom: they
are the same thing. One gives witness in little things, and some in
great things, they give their life in martyrdom, as the Apostles did.
However, the Apostles did not
take a course to become witnesses of Jesus; they didn’t study, they
didn’t go to university. They felt the Spirit within and followed the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit; they were faithful to this, but they
were all sinners! The Twelve were sinners. “No, Father, only Judas!” No,
poor thing … We don’t know what happened to him after his death,
because God’s mercy was there also at that moment. But they were all
sinners, all . Envious, there was jealousy between them.
“No, I must occupy the first place and you the second”; and two of them
spoke to their mother, asking her to go to speak to Jesus to give the
first place to her sons … They were like this, with all their sins. They
were also traitors, because when Jesus was seized, they all fled, full
of fear; they hid themselves, they were afraid. And Peter, who knew he
was the head, felt the need to get somewhat
closer to see what was happening. And when the priest’s servant said:
“But you also are …”, he said: “No, no, no!” He denied Jesus, betrayed
Jesus, Peter, the first Pope betrayed Jesus! And these were the
witnesses! Yes, because they were witnesses of the salvation that Jesus
brings and all, because of this salvation, were converted, they let
themselves be saved. It was good when, on the shore of the Lake, Jesus
wrought that miracle [the miraculous catch] and Peter said: “Depart from
me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord” ( Luke 5:8).
To be a witness does not mean to be a saint, but to be a poor man, a
poor woman who says: “Yes, I’m a sinner, but Jesus is the Lord and I
give witness of Him, and I try to do good every day, to correct my life,
to go on the right way.”
I would like
to leave you only one message. This, what I said, we all understand:
sinful witnesses. But, reading the Gospel, I don’t find a
[certain type of] sin in the Apostles. There were some violent ones,
who wanted to call down fire on a village that did not listen to them …
They had so many sins: traitors, cowards … But I don’t find a
[particular sin]: they were not gossipers, they did not speak badly of
others, they did not speak badly of one another. In this, they were
good. They did not “flay” one another. I think of our communities: how
many times, this sin , of “flaying one another,” of
gossiping, of believing oneself superior to another and of speaking
badly behind their back! In the Gospel, they did not do this. They did
bad things, they betrayed the Lord, but did not
. Also in a parish, in a community where it is known …
this one has cheated, this one has done that thing …, but then he goes
to confession, is converted … We are all sinners. However, a community
where there is gossip and gossipers, is a community that is incapable of
giving witness.
I would say
only this: do you want a perfect parish? don’t gossip,
don’t. If you have something against someone, go and say it to his face,
or tell the parish priest, but it among you.
This is the sign that the Holy Spirit is in a parish. We all have the
other sins. There is a collection of sins: one takes this, another takes
that, but we’re all sinners. But what destroys, like woodworm, is
gossip in a community behind one’s back.
On this day
of my visit, I would like this community to make the resolution not to
gossip. And when you get the desire to gossip, bite your tongue: it will
swell, but it will do you so much good, because in the Gospel these
witnesses of Jesus – sinners, they even betrayed the Lord, — never
gossiped about one another. And this is good. A parish where there is no
gossip is a perfect parish; it is a parish of sinners, yes, but of
witnesses. And this is the witness that the first Christians gave: “How
they love one another, how they love each other!” Love one another at
least in this. Begin with this. May the Lord give you this gift, this
grace — never, never talk about one another. Thank you.
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