Pope Francis invites believers to overcome prejudice and fear of getting involved in the lives of others and to follow the example of Jesus who shares our wounds and heals our lives.
By Linda Bordoni
Reflecting on the evangelical reading of the day (Mc 1: 40-45), Pope Francis spoke of how the Lord approached us, tore down every barrier, and touched our lives to heal them.
Speaking on Angelus Sunday in St. Peter’s Square, the Pope recalled reading the Gospel that day, which tells of the meeting between Jesus and the sick man who had leprosy.
He mentioned that lepers were considered unclean and, according to the prescriptions of the Law, were marginalized and excluded from any human, social and religious relationship.
But Jesus, the Pope said, allowed man to draw near to Him, even to the point of reaching out and touching Him.
“This is how He fulfills the Good News He proclaims: God has come close to our lives, He is moved to compassion because of the fate of wounded humanity, and He comes to break down every barrier that prevents us from being in relationship with Him, with others. . and with ourselves, “said the Pope.
Two “iniquities”
Pope Francis explained that in this episode, the apostle highlights two “sins”:
“The first violation is that of the leper,” he said, who “despite the prescriptions of the law, comes out of his isolation and goes to Jesus.”
He explained that man’s illness was considered a divine punishment, but, “in Jesus, he can see another aspect of God: not the God who punishes, but the Father of compassion and love who frees us from sin and never excludes us. at His mercy ”.
The sick man, the Pope continued, is thus able to come out of isolation, because in Jesus he finds God who shares his pain.
“The second violation is that of Jesus: even though the Law forbade the touch of lepers, He is moved, reaches out His hand, and touches Him to heal Him. He does not limit himself to words, but touches him “, he explained.
To touch with love, continued Pope Francis, means “to establish a relationship, to enter into communion, to get involved in another person’s life even to the point of sharing your wounds.”
With this gesture, he said, Jesus reveals that God is not indifferent, he does not keep a “safe distance”: “He comes out of compassion and touches our lives to heal her tenderly.”
This, the Pope said, “is the“ style ”of God: closeness, compassion, and tenderness: the“ violation ”of God. In this sense, He is a great transgressor.
Don’t be afraid of “contamination”
Condemning the fact that in today’s world, so many of our brothers and sisters suffer marginalization and exclusion due to social stigmas, the Pope has invited believers to break down these barriers and get involved in their lives.
He said that Jesus tells us that God “is not an abstract idea or doctrine, but the One who contaminated He himself with our human wounds and is not afraid to come into contact with our wounds. “The pope urged Christians to overcome selfishness, calculations or fears that prevent them from getting involved in the suffering of others.
Instead, he said, let us ask the Lord for the grace to find the courage to come out of our isolation and self-commission and open our hearts to “a love that transcends conventions, that transcends prejudice, and the fear of engaging in the lives of others. ”
Pope Francis concluded: “Let us learn to be ‘sinners’ like these two: like the leper and like Jesus.”