Pope Francis recalled this Sunday, March 21, during the prayer of the Angelus at the Vatican, that the cross “has become the quintessential emblem of Christians.”
He explained that those who come from countries and cultures where Christianity is little known and want to know more about Jesus, the first thing they see “in churches, in the homes of Christians, even in their own bodies” is the crucifix.
For this reason, he insisted on the importance of “the sign being consistent with the gospel,” because “the cross can only express unreserved love, service, and devotion: only in this way is the ‘tree of life’ of life superabundant.”
The pontiff, who again privately presided over the Angelus of the Apostolic Palace Library due to increasing restrictions in Italy due to the coronavirus pandemic, made this reflection in the passage of the Gospel of St. John, where he tells how a group of Greeks approached the apostle Philip and asked to see Jesus.
Jesus responds to this request “in a way that leads to reflection. It says: “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified […] If the grain of wheat does not fall to the ground and die, it is left alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. ‘
“These words,” the Pope stressed, “do not seem to respond to the request made by the Greeks. In fact, they go on. In fact, Jesus reveals that He, for every man who wants to seek Him, is the hidden seed ready to die to bear much fruit. As if to say: if you want to know and understand me, look at the grain of wheat that dies on the ground, look at the cross ”.
The Holy Father emphasized that today too many people, often without saying this implicitly, would like to “see Jesus”, to meet him, to know him. This makes us understand the great responsibility of our Christians and our communities. ”
“And we must answer with the testimony of a life that is given in service. It is about sowing the seeds of love not with words that the wind blows, but with concrete, simple and courageous examples ”.
In this way, Pope Francis emphasized, “The Lord, by his grace, makes us bear fruit, even when the earth is arid because of misunderstandings, difficulties, or persecutions.”
“Just then, in trial and in solitude, while the seed dies, is the moment when life rises, to bear ripe fruit in due time. In this canvas of death and life we can experience joy and happiness. of love “, he concluded.