Nov 15, 2024 Written by 

God leads history

Today’s Gospel passage contains the first part of Jesus’ discourse on the end times, [according to] the writing of Saint Luke (21:5-19). Jesus made this proclamation while standing before the Temple of Jerusalem, and was prompted by the peoples’ words of admiration for the beauty of the sanctuary and its decorations (cf. v. 5). Then Jesus said: “the days will come when there shall not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down” (v. 6). We can imagine the effect these words had on Jesus’ disciples. However, he did not want to insult the temple, but rather make it understood — to them as well as to us today — that human structures, even the most sacred, are fleeting, and we should not place our security in them. How many supposedly definitive certainties have we had in our lives, which later were revealed to be ephemeral! On the other hand, how many problems have appeared to be a dead end, and then were overcome!

Jesus knows that there are always those who speculate about the human need for safety. For this reason, he says: “Take heed that you are not led astray” (v. 8), and guard against the many false Messiahs who will appear (v. 9). Even today there are these! And, he adds, do not be frightened and bewildered by wars, revolutions, and disasters, since even these are part of the world’s reality (cf. vv. 10-11). The history of the Church is rich with examples of people who withstood tribulations and terrible suffering with serenity, because they were aware that they were firmly in God’s hands. He is a faithful Father, an attentive Father, who does not abandon his children. God never abandons us! We must have this certainty in our heart: God never abandons us!

Remaining firm in the Lord, in this certainty that he does not abandon us, walking in hope, working to build a better world, despite the difficulties and sad circumstances which mark our personal and collective existence, is what really counts; it is how the Christian community is called to encounter the “day of the Lord”. It is precisely within this context that we want to place the undertaking that we have lived with faith during these months of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, which concludes today in the Dioceses of the world with the closing of the Holy Doors in the cathedral Churches. The Holy Year impelled us, on the one hand, to fix our gaze toward the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God and, on the other, to build a future on this earth, working to evangelize the present, so we can make it a time of salvation for everyone. 

In the Gospel Jesus encourages us to keep firmly in mind and in heart the certainty that God guides our history, and that he knows the final end of things and events. Under the the Lord’s merciful gaze, history unravels in flowing uncertainty, and weaves between good and evil. However, all that happens is contained within him. Let us pray to the Virgin Mary that she may help us, through the happy and sad events of this world, to firmly maintain hope in eternity and in the Kingdom of God. Let us pray to the Virgin Mary, that she may help us deeply understand this truth: that God never abandons his children!

[Pope Francis, Angelus 13 November 2016]

66 Last modified on Friday, 15 November 2024 05:13
don Giuseppe Nespeca

Giuseppe Nespeca è architetto e sacerdote. Cultore della Sacra scrittura è autore della raccolta "Due Fuochi due Vie - Religione e Fede, Vangeli e Tao"; coautore del libro "Dialogo e Solstizio".

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Justification incorporates us into the long history of salvation that demonstrates God’s justice: faced with our continual falls and inadequacies, he did not give up, but wanted to make us righteous (Pope Francis)
La giustificazione ci inserisce nella lunga storia della salvezza, che mostra la giustizia di Dio: di fronte alle nostre continue cadute e alle nostre insufficienze, Egli non si è rassegnato, ma ha voluto renderci giusti (Papa Francesco)
Against this cultural pressure, which not only threatened the Israelite identity but also the faith in the one God and in his promises, it was necessary to create a wall of distinction, a shield of defence to protect the precious heritage of the faith; this wall consisted precisely in the Judaic observances and prescriptions (Pope Benedict)
Contro questa pressione culturale, che minacciava non solo l’identità israelitica, ma anche la fede nell’unico Dio e nelle sue promesse, era necessario creare un muro di distinzione, uno scudo di difesa a protezione della preziosa eredità della fede; tale muro consisteva proprio nelle osservanze e prescrizioni giudaiche (Papa Benedetto)
Christ reveals his identity of Messiah, Israel's bridegroom, who came for the betrothal with his people. Those who recognize and welcome him are celebrating. However, he will have to be rejected and killed precisely by his own; at that moment, during his Passion and death, the hour of mourning and fasting will come (Pope Benedict)
Cristo rivela la sua identità di Messia, Sposo d'Israele, venuto per le nozze con il suo popolo. Quelli che lo riconoscono e lo accolgono con fede sono in festa. Egli però dovrà essere rifiutato e ucciso proprio dai suoi: in quel momento, durante la sua passione e la sua morte, verrà l'ora del lutto e del digiuno (Papa Benedetto)
Water is necessary to live but wine expresses the abundance of the banquet and the joy of the celebration. A feast without wine? I don’t know.... By transforming into wine the water from the stone jars used “for the Jewish rites of purification” (v. 6) — it was customary: to purify oneself before entering a home — Jesus effects an eloquent sign. He transforms the Law of Moses into Gospel, bearer of joy (Pope Francis).
L’acqua è necessaria per vivere, ma il vino esprime l’abbondanza del banchetto e la gioia della festa. Una festa senza vino? Non so… Trasformando in vino l’acqua delle anfore utilizzate «per la purificazione rituale dei Giudei» (v. 6) – era l’abitudine: prima di entrare in casa, purificarsi –, Gesù compie un segno eloquente: trasforma la Legge di Mosè in Vangelo, portatore di gioia (Papa Francesco)
Being considered strong, capable of commanding, excellent, pristine, magnificent, performing, extraordinary, glorious… harms people. It puts a mask on us, makes us one-sided; takes away understanding. It floats the character we are sitting in, above reality
Essere considerati forti, capaci di comandare, eccellenti, incontaminati, magnifici, performanti, straordinari, gloriosi… danneggia le persone. Ci mette una maschera, rende unilaterali; toglie la comprensione. Fa galleggiare il personaggio in cui siamo seduti, al di sopra della realtà
The paralytic is not a paralytic
Il paralitico non è un paralitico
«The Lord gave me, friar Francis, to begin to do penance like this: when I was in sins, it seemed too bitter to see lepers; and the Lord Himself brought me among them and I showed mercy with them. And moving away from them, what seemed bitter to me was changed into sweetness of soul and body. And then, I stayed a while and left the world» (FS 110)

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