2016-11-17

There is no worse pain than that of indifference. In his homily at Casa Santa
Marta, Pope Francis recalled Jesus' complaint against the people of Israel.
They turned their backs on the love of God, and did not recognize Christ as
the Messiah.

POPE FRANCIS

"Each of us can fall into the same sin of the people of Israel, the same sin
of Jerusalem, not recognizing the time in which we have been visited ûDo you
make a daily examination of conscience on this? Did the Lord visit me today?
Have I heard some call, some inspiration to follow Him more closely, to do a
work of charity, to pray a little more? I mean, so many things to which the
Lord invites us every day to meet with us.ö

The pope said that this "story of infidelity, of not recognizing the caresses
of Godö is what causes the most pain to the heart of Jesus Christ.

EXTRACTS OF THE HOMILY IN ENGLISH
(Source: Vatican Radio)

"That is what pains the heart of Jesus Christ, this story of infidelity, this
story of not recognizing the caresses of God, the love of God, a God in love
with you who is looking for you, and desirous of seeing you happy. Jesus saw
in that moment [when, shortly before His passion, He wept over JerusalemÆs
sinfulness] what awaited him as the Son û and He wept ... æbecause they did
not recognize the time of their visitation.Æ. This drama has not only happened
in history and ended with Jesus. It is the drama of every day. It is even my
drama. Can any of us really say, æI know how to recognize the hour in which I
have been visited? does God visit me?Æö

"Each of us can fall into the same sin of the people of Israel, the same sin
of Jerusalem, not recognizing the time in which we have been visited û and
every day the Lord visits us, every day He is knocking at our door û but we
must learn to recognize this, that we not end up in that so painful a
situation: æThe more I loved them, as I called them, the more they fled from
meÆ. æBut I am sure of  things. I go to Mass, I'm sure ...Æ. Do you make a
daily examination of conscience on this? Did the Lord visit me today? Have I
heard some call, some inspiration to follow Him more closely, to do a work of
charity, to pray a little more? I do not know, so many things to which the
Lord invites us every day to meet with us.ö

"Jesus wept not only for Jerusalem, but for all of us. He gives His life, that
we might recognize his visitation. St. Augustine said a word, a very strong
sentence: æI am afraid of God, of Jesus, when He passes!Æ But why are you
afraid? æIÆm afraid I will not recognize it!Æ If youÆre not careful with your
heart, you'll never know if Jesus is visiting you or not. May the Lord give
all of us the grace to recognize the times we have been visited, we are
visited and shall be visited, so that we open the door to Jesus and so ensure
that our heart is more enlarged by love, and that we might therefore serve the
Lord Jesus in love.ö
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