Not quiet Faith

Transmitted not to convince but to offer a Treasure

The Gospel of Mark was the first to be written. It is simple, a simple style, very close […] In the Gospel we have just read - which is at the end of the Gospel of Mark - there is the sending forth by the Lord. The Lord reveals Himself as Saviour, as the only Son of God; He revealed Himself to all Israel, all the people, especially and with more details to the apostles, to the disciples. This is the Lord’s farewell, the Lord is going away: He left and “He was taken up into heaven: there at the right hand of God He took His place (Mk 16:19). But before leaving, when He appeared to the eleven, He said to them: “Go into the whole world; proclaim the Good News to every creature” (Mk 16:15). This is the missionary dimension of faith. Either faith has a missionary dimension, or it is not faith. Faith is not something only for myself, so that I may grow with faith: this is a gnostic heresy. Faith always leads you to come out of yourself, to go out. The transmission of faith; faith must be transmitted, it must be offered, above all by witness: “Go, so that the people see how you live” (see v. 15).

Someone once said to me, a European priest, from a European city: “There is a lot of unbelief, a lot of gnosticism in our city. Because the Christians do not have faith. If they had it they would certainly give it to the people”. They lack this missionary dimension, because conviction is lacking at its root: “Yes, I am Christian, I am Catholic”, as if it were a social habit. On your identity card, your name is this and that, and “I am Christian”. It is a piece of information on an identity card. This is not faith! This is a cultural thing. Faith necessarily takes you out, it leads you to give it, because essentially faith must be transmitted. It is not something quiet. “Oh, so you mean, Father, that we all need to be missionaries and go to far-off countries?” No, this is a part of the missionary dimension. This means that if you have faith you must by necessity come out of yourself, and show your faith in society. Faith is social, it is for everyone. “Go into the whole world; proclaim the Good News to every creature” (Mk 16:15). This does not mean becoming someone who proselytises, as if you were recruiting people to a football team or to a non-profit organisation. It means that you show the revelation, so that the Holy Spirit might work in people through witness: as a witness, with service. Service is a way of life. If I say that I am a Christian, but I live like a pagan, that doesn’t work, that doesn’t convince anyone. If I say that I am a Christian, and I live like a Christian, this attracts. It is witness.

Once, in Poland, a university student asked me: “At university I have many atheist companions. What should I say to them to convince them?” “Nothing. The last thing you need to do is say something. Start to live, and they, seeing your witness, will ask you, ‘Why do you live this way?’”. Faith must be transmitted: not by convincing but by offering a treasure. “It is there, do you see it?” And this is also the humility Saint Peter spoke about in the First Reading: “Wrap yourselves in humility to be servants of each other, because God refuses the proud and will always favour the humble” (1 Pt 5:5). How many times in the history of the Church have movements and aggregations been born, of men and women who wanted to convince others, to convert them… True proselytes. And how did they end? In corruption.

This passage of the Gospel is so tender! But where is the certainty? How can we be sure that by going out of ourselves we will be fruitful in the transmission of the faith? “Proclaim the Good News to every creature” (Mk 16:15) and you will work wonders (see vv. 17-18). And the Lord will be with us until the end of the world. In the transmission of ideologies there are teachers but when I act out of faith, the Lord accompanies me. I am never alone in the transmission of faith. It is the Lord with me Who transmits faith. He promised: “I will be with you all days even till the end of the world” (see Mt 28:20).

Let us pray to the Lord that He help us to live our faith in this way: a faith with open doors, a transparent faith, not proselytism, but which shows itself: “I am this way”. And with this healthy curiosity, may He help others to receive this message that will save them.

[Pope Francis, St Martha's homily 25 April 2020]

63 Last modified on Friday, 03 April 2026 05:12

Rate this item

1
2
3
4
5

(0 votes)

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".

Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Latest from don Giuseppe Nespeca

Previous
« In daily life

Next
On the roads of man »

back to top

Work is part of God’s loving plan, we are called to cultivate and care for all the goods of creation and in this way share in the work of creation! Work is fundamental to the dignity of a person. Work, to use a metaphor, “anoints” us with dignity, fills us with dignity, makes us similar to God, who has worked and still works, who always acts (cf. Jn 5:17); it gives one the ability to maintain oneself, one’s family, to contribute to the growth of one’s own nation [Pope Francis]

Il lavoro fa parte del piano di amore di Dio; noi siamo chiamati a coltivare e custodire tutti i beni della creazione e in questo modo partecipiamo all’opera della creazione! Il lavoro è un elemento fondamentale per la dignità di una persona. Il lavoro, per usare un’immagine, ci “unge” di dignità, ci riempie di dignità; ci rende simili a Dio, che ha lavorato e lavora, agisce sempre (cfr Gv 5,17); dà la capacità di mantenere se stessi, la propria famiglia, di contribuire alla crescita della propria Nazione [Papa Francesco]

Dear friends, the mission of the Church bears fruit because Christ is truly present among us in a quite special way in the Holy Eucharist. His is a dynamic presence which grasps us in order to make us his, to liken us to him. Christ draws us to himself, he brings us out of ourselves to make us all one with him. In this way he also inserts us into the community of brothers and sisters: communion with the Lord is always also communion with others (Pope Benedict)

Cari amici, la missione della Chiesa porta frutto perché Cristo è realmente presente tra noi, in modo del tutto particolare nella Santa Eucaristia. La sua è una presenza dinamica, che ci afferra per farci suoi, per assimilarci a Sé. Cristo ci attira a Sé, ci fa uscire da noi stessi per fare di noi tutti una cosa sola con Lui. In questo modo Egli ci inserisce anche nella comunità dei fratelli: la comunione con il Signore è sempre anche comunione con gli altri (Papa Benedetto)

«Doctrina eius (scilicet Catharinae) non acquisita fuit; prius magistra visa est quam discipula» [Pope Pius II, Canonization Edict]

«Doctrina eius (scilicet Catharinae) non acquisita fuit; prius magistra visa est quam discipula» [Papa Pio II, Bolla di Canonizzazione]

In this passage, the Lord tells us three things about the true shepherd: he gives his own life for his sheep; he knows them and they know him; he is at the service of unity [Pope Benedict]

In questo brano il Signore ci dice tre cose sul vero pastore: egli dà la propria vita per le pecore; le conosce ed esse lo conoscono; sta a servizio dell'unità [Papa Benedetto]

Let us permit St Augustine to speak once more: "If only good shepherds be not lacking! Far be it from us that they should be lacking, and far be it from divine mercy not to call them forth and establish them. It is certain that if there are good sheep, there are also good shepherds: in fact it is from good sheep that good shepherds are derived." (Sermones ad populum, Sermo XLIV, XIII, 30) [John Paul II]

Lasciamo ancora una volta parlare Sant’Agostino: “Purché non vengano a mancare buoni pastori! Lungi da noi che manchino, e lungi dalla misericordia divina il non farli sorgere e stabilirli. Certo è che se ci sono buone pecore, ci sono anche buoni pastori: infatti è dalle buone pecore che derivano i buoni pastori” (S. Agostino, Sermones ad populum, I, Sermo XLIV, XIII, 30) [Giovanni Paolo II]

Jesus, Good Shepherd and door of the sheep, is a leader whose authority is expressed in service, a leader who, in order to command, gives his life and does not ask others to sacrifice theirs. One can trust in a leader like this (Pope Francis)

duevie.art

don Giuseppe Nespeca

Tel. 333-1329741

Disclaimer

Questo blog non rappresenta una testata giornalistica in quanto viene aggiornato senza alcuna periodicità. Non può pertanto considerarsi un prodotto editoriale ai sensi della legge N°62 del 07/03/2001.
Le immagini sono tratte da internet, ma se il loro uso violasse diritti d'autore, lo si comunichi all'autore del blog che provvederà alla loro pronta rimozione.
L'autore dichiara di non essere responsabile dei commenti lasciati nei post. Eventuali commenti dei lettori, lesivi dell'immagine o dell'onorabilità di persone terze, il cui contenuto fosse ritenuto non idoneo alla pubblicazione verranno insindacabilmente rimossi.