5th Sunday in Ordinary Time (year A) [8 February 2026]

May God bless us and may the Virgin protect us! We are approaching Lent. Let us begin to prepare ourselves spiritually. After the sixth Sunday, on 15 February, we will enter Lent.

*First Reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah (58:7-10)

At first glance, this text might seem like a nice moral lesson, which would already be something. In reality, however, it says much more. The context is that of the end of the 6th century BC: the return from exile has taken place, but deep wounds remain, 'the devastation of the past' and ruins to be rebuilt. In Jerusalem, religious practice has been re-established and, in good faith, people are trying to please God. However, the prophet has a delicate message to convey: the worship that pleases God is not what the people imagine. The fasts are spectacular, but daily life is marked by quarrels, violence and greed. For this reason, Isaiah denounces a worship that claims to obtain God's favour without conversion of heart: 'You fast for strife and self-defeating arguments... Is this the fast that I choose?' (Isaiah 58:4-5).

We are faced with one of the strongest texts in the Old Testament, which shakes our ideas about God and religion and answers with great clarity a fundamental question: what does God expect of us? These few biblical verses are the fruit of a long maturation in the faith of Israel. From Abraham onwards, people sought what pleased God: first human sacrifices, then animal sacrifices, then fasting, offerings and prayers. But throughout this history, the prophets never ceased to remind the people that true worship cannot be separated from the daily life of the Covenant. This is why Isaiah proclaims: the fast that God desires is to loose the chains of injustice, to free the oppressed, to break every yoke. In God's eyes, every gesture that frees a brother or sister is worth more than the most austere fast. This is followed by a list of concrete actions: feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, welcoming the homeless poor, clothing the naked, and helping all human misery. It is here that the truth of faith is measured. Three observations conclude the message: First, these actions are an imitation of God's own work, which Israel has always experienced as liberating and merciful. Human beings are truly called to be the image of God, and the way they treat others reveals their relationship with Him. Second: when Isaiah promises 'the glory of the Lord' (v. 8) to those who care for the poor, he is not speaking of an external reward, but of a reality: those who act like God reflect His presence, becoming light in the darkness, because 'where there is love, there is God'. Thirdly, every gesture of justice, liberation and sharing is a step towards the Kingdom of God, that Kingdom of justice and love that the Old Testament awaits and that the Gospel of the Beatitudes presents as being built day by day by the meek, the peaceful and those who hunger for justice.

*Responsorial Psalm (111/112)

Every year, during the Feast of Tabernacles, a feast that still lasts a week in autumn, the whole people made what we might call their "profession of faith": they renewed their Covenant with God and recommitted themselves to respecting the Law. Psalm 111/112 was certainly sung on this occasion. The entire psalm is in itself a short treatise on life in the Covenant: to understand it better, you have to read it from the beginning. I will read you the first verse: 'Hallelujah! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who loves his will with all his heart!'. First of all, the psalm begins with the word Hallelujah, literally "Praise God," which is the key word of believers: when the man of the Bible invites us to praise God, it is precisely because of the gift of the Covenant. Then, this psalm is an alphabetical psalm: that is, it contains twenty-two verses, as many as there are letters in the Hebrew alphabet; the first word of each verse begins with a letter of the alphabet in alphabetical order. It is a way of affirming that the Covenant with God concerns the whole of man's life and that God's Law is the only path to happiness for the whole of existence, from A to Z. Finally, the first verse begins with the word 'blessed', addressed to the man who knows how to remain on the path of the Covenant. This immediately brings to mind the Gospel of the Beatitudes, which echoes the same term 'blessed': Jesus uses a word here that is very common in the Bible, but which unfortunately our English translation does not fully convey. In his commentary on the Psalms, André Chouraqui observed that the Hebrew root of this word (blessed is the man Ashrê hā'îsh) has as its fundamental meaning the path, the man's steps on the unobstructed road that leads to the Lord. It is therefore 'less about happiness than about the path that leads to it'. For this reason, Chouraqui himself translated 'Blessed' as 'On the way', implying: you are on the right path, continue. Generally, in the Bible, the word 'blessed' does not stand alone: it is contrasted with its opposite 'unhappy' (blessed is barùk and cursed is 'arūr). The general idea is that in life there are false paths to avoid; some choices or behaviours lead to good, others, on the contrary, lead only to unhappiness. And if we read the entire psalm, we realise that it is constructed in this way. Even the better-known Psalm 1 is structured in the same way: first it describes the good paths, the path to happiness, and only briefly the bad ones, because they are not worth dwelling on. Here, the good choice is already indicated in the first verse: 'Blessed is the man who fears the Lord!'. We find this expression frequently in the Old Testament: the 'fear of God'. Unfortunately, in the liturgical reading, the second part of the verse is missing; I will read it to you in its entirety: 'Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who loves his will with all his heart.' Here, then, is a definition of 'fear of God': it is love of his will, because one acts in trust. The fear of the Lord is not fear in a negative sense: in fact, a little further on, another verse makes this clear: "The righteous man... trusts in the Lord. His heart is secure" (vv. 7-8). The "fear of God" in the biblical sense is both an awareness of God's holiness, a recognition of all that He does for man and, since He is our Creator, a concern to obey Him: only He knows what is good for us. It is a filial attitude of respect and trusting obedience. Israel thus discovers two truths: God is the All-Other, but He also makes Himself All-Near. He is infinitely powerful, but this power is that of love. We have nothing to fear, because He can and wants our happiness! In Psalm 102/103 we read: "As a father's compassion is toward his children, so the Lord's compassion is toward those who fear Him." To fear the Lord means to have a respectful and trusting attitude toward Him. It also means "to lean on Him." This is the right attitude towards God, the one that puts man on the right path: "Blessed is the man who fears the Lord!" And this is also the right attitude towards others: "The righteous man, merciful, compassionate and just... he gives generously to the poor" (vv. 4, 8). The previous psalm (110/111), very similar to this one, uses the same words "justice, tenderness and mercy" for God and for man. Daily observance of the Law, in everyday life, from A to Z, as symbolised by the alphabet of the psalm, shapes us in God's likeness. I say likeness, because the psalmist reminds us that the Lord remains the All-Other: the formulas are not identical. For God, it is said that He is justice, tenderness and mercy, while for man, the psalmist says "he is a man of justice, tenderness and mercy", that is, these are virtues that he practises, not his intrinsic being. These virtues come from God, and man reflects them in some way. And because his actions are in the image of God, the righteous man becomes a light for others: 'he springs up in the darkness, a light for the upright' (v. 4). Here we hear an echo of the first reading from the prophet Isaiah: 'Share your bread with the hungry, bring the homeless poor into your house, clothe the naked... then your light will rise like the dawn' (58:7). When we give and share, we are more in the image of God, who is pure gift. To the extent that we are able, we reflect his light.

*Second Reading from the First Letter of Saint Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians (2:1-5)

 Saint Paul, as he often does, proceeds by contrasts: the first contrast is that the mystery of God is completely different from the wisdom of men; the second contrast concerns the language of the apostle who proclaims the mystery, which is very different from beautiful human speech and eloquence. Let us take up these two contrasts: the mystery of God / human wisdom; Christian language / eloquence or oratory. First contrast: the mystery of God or human wisdom. Paul says that he came 'to proclaim the mystery of God'; by mystery we mean God's 'merciful plan', which will be developed later in the Letter to the Ephesians (Eph 1:3-14): this plan is to make humanity a perfect communion of love around Jesus Christ, founded on the values of love, mutual service, gift and forgiveness. Jesus already puts this into practice throughout his earthly life. We are therefore very far from the idea of a powerful God in the military sense, as some sometimes imagine. This mystery of God is realised through a 'crucified Messiah', which is completely contrary to human logic, almost a paradox. Paul affirms that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah, but not as expected: he was not expected to be crucified; according to our logic, the crucifixion seemed to prove the opposite, because everyone remembered a famous phrase from Deuteronomy: whoever was condemned to death by the law was considered cursed by God (Dt 21:22-23). Yet, this plan of the almighty God is nothing less than Jesus Christ, as Paul says. In witnessing to his faith, Paul has nothing to proclaim but Jesus Christ: He is the centre of human history, of God's plan and of his faith. He wants to know nothing else: "For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ." Behind this phrase we can glimpse the difficulties of resisting the pressures, insults and persecutions already present. This crucified Messiah shows us true wisdom, the wisdom of God: gift and forgiveness, rejection of violence... the whole message of the Gospel of the Beatitudes. In the face of this divine wisdom, human wisdom is reasoning, persuasion, strength and power; this wisdom cannot understand the message of the Gospel. In fact, Paul experienced failure in Athens, the centre of philosophy (Acts 17:16-34). Second opposition: the language of the preacher or the art of oratory. Paul makes no claim to eloquence: this already reassures us, if we are not skilled orators. But he goes further: for him, eloquence, oratory, and the ability to persuade are actually obstacles, incompatible with the message of the Gospel. Proclaiming the Gospel does not mean showing off knowledge or imposing arguments. It is interesting to note that the word 'convince' contains the word 'win': perhaps we are in the wrong place if we think we are proclaiming the religion of Love. Faith, like love, cannot be persuaded... Try to convince someone to love you: love cannot be demonstrated, it cannot be reasoned. The same is true of the mystery of God: it can only be penetrated gradually. The mystery of a poor Messiah, a Messiah-Servant, a crucified Messiah, cannot be proclaimed by means of power: that would be the opposite of the mystery itself! It is in poverty that the Gospel is proclaimed: this should give us courage! The poor Messiah can only be proclaimed by poor means; the Messiah-Servant only by servants. Do not worry if you are not a great speaker: our poverty of language is the only one compatible with the Gospel. Paul goes further and even says that our poverty is a necessary condition for preaching: it leaves room for God's action. It is not Paul who convinces the Corinthians, but the Spirit of God, who gives preaching the power of truth, enabling Christ to be discovered. It follows that it is not the power of our reasoning that convinces: faith is not based on human wisdom, but on the power of the Spirit of God. We can only lend him our voice. Obviously, as with Paul, this requires an enormous act of faith: It was in my weakness, trembling and fearful, that I came to you. My language, my preaching had nothing to do with convincing wisdom; but the Spirit and his power were manifested, so that your faith might not be based on human wisdom, but on the power of God. When it seems that the circle of believers is shrinking, when we dream of powerful media, electronic or financial tools, it is good for us to feel that the proclamation of the Gospel is best suited to poor means. But to accept this, we must admit that the Holy Spirit is the best preacher, and that the witness of our poverty is the best preaching.

*From the Gospel according to Matthew (5:13-16)

If a lamp is beautiful, that is better, but it is not the most important thing! What is required first and foremost is that it gives light, because if it does not give good light, nothing can be seen. As for salt, its vocation is to disappear while performing its task: if it is missing, the dish will be less tasty. On closer inspection, salt and light do not exist for their own sake. Jesus says to his disciples: 'You are the salt of the earth... You are the light of the world': what matters is the earth, the world; salt and light matter only in relation to the earth and the world! By telling his disciples that they are salt and light, Jesus puts them in a missionary situation: you who receive my words become, for this very reason, salt and light for the world: your presence is indispensable. In other words, the Church exists only to evangelise the world. This puts us in our place! The Bible already reminded the people of Israel that they were the chosen people, but at the service of the world; this lesson also applies to us. Returning to salt and light: one may ask what the two elements to which Jesus compares his disciples have in common. We can answer that both are revelatory: salt enhances the flavour of food, light reveals the beauty of people and the world. Food exists before it receives salt; the world and beings exist before they are illuminated. This tells us a lot about the mission that Jesus entrusts to his disciples, to us: no one needs us in order to exist, but we have a specific role to play. Salt of the earth: we are here to reveal to people the flavour of their lives. People do not wait for us to perform acts of love and sharing, which are sometimes wonderful. Evangelising means saying that the Kingdom is among you, in every gesture, in every word of love, and "where there is love, there is God." Light of the world: we are here to enhance the beauty of this world. It is the gaze of love that reveals the true face of people and things. The Holy Spirit has been given to us precisely to be in tune with every gesture or word that comes from Him. But this can only happen with discretion and humility. Too much salt ruins the taste of food; too strong a light crushes what it wants to illuminate. To be salt and light, one must love deeply, truly love. Today's readings repeat this to us in different but consistent ways. Evangelisation is not a conquest; the New Evangelisation is not a reconquest. The proclamation of the Gospel takes place only in the presence of love. Let us remember Paul's warning to the Corinthians in the second reading: only the poor and the humble can preach the Kingdom. This presence of love can be very demanding, as the first reading shows: the connection between Isaiah and the Gospel is very significant. To be the light of the world means to be at the service of our brothers and sisters; Isaiah is concrete: sharing bread or clothing, breaking down all obstacles that impede human freedom. This Sunday's Psalm also says the same thing: 'the righteous man', that is, the one who generously shares his riches, is a light for others. Through his words and gestures of love, others will discover the source of all love: as Jesus says. Seeing the good that the disciples do, people will give glory to the Father in heaven, that is, they will discover that God's plan for humanity is a plan of peace and justice. On the contrary, how can people believe in God's plan of love if we, his ambassadors, do not multiply the gestures of solidarity and justice that society requires? Salt is always in danger of losing its flavour: it is easy to forget the powerful words of the prophet Isaiah, heard in the first reading; and it is no coincidence that the liturgy offers them to us just before the beginning of Lent, a time when we will reflect on what kind of fasting God prefers. One last observation: today's Gospel (salt and light) immediately follows the proclamation of the Beatitudes in Matthew last Sunday. There is therefore a link between the two passages, which can illuminate each other. Perhaps the best way to be salt and light is to live according to the spirit of the Beatitudes, that is, in opposition to the spirit of the world: to accept humility, gentleness, purity, justice; to be peacemakers in all circumstances; and, above all, to accept poverty and lack, with a single goal: 'so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven'. Additions: According to the Second Vatican Council document on the Church, Lumen Gentium, we are not the true light of the world; Jesus Christ is. By telling his disciples that they are light, Jesus reveals that it is God himself who shines through them, because in Scripture, as in the Council, it is always made clear that all light comes from God.

+Giovanni D'Ercole

Presentation of Jesus at the Temple [2 February 2026]

May God bless us and may the Virgin protect us! Here is also a brief commentary on the texts of the liturgy for the feast of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple.

*First Reading from the Book of the Prophet Malachi (3:1-4)

Malachi's text was written in a context of crisis: there was no longer a Davidic king, the people were subjugated by the Persians, and authority was in the hands of the priests. For this reason, the prophet insists on the covenant with the Levites, recalling its divine origin and denouncing its present corruption. The central announcement is the imminent coming of the Lord to his temple, also called the Angel of the Covenant: not a simple messenger, but God himself who comes to re-establish the Covenant. This coming is both desired and feared, because it is a coming of judgement that purifies: it does not destroy man, but eliminates the evil that is in him. Before this coming, God sends a messenger who prepares the way by calling for conversion. The New Testament will recognise John the Baptist as this precursor and Jesus himself as the Angel of the Covenant announced by Malachi. The message remains relevant today: God enters his temple to renew the Covenant, purify worship and lead his people back to fidelity of heart.

*Responsorial Psalm (23/24, 7, 8, 9, 10)

The poetic expression "Lift up your heads, O gates" (v. 9) is a hyperbole that celebrates the majesty of the "King of Glory," that is, God himself, who solemnly enters the Temple of Jerusalem. The gates do not simply open: they are lifted up, as if the building itself had to become larger to accommodate the divine presence. The psalm refers to the solemn dedication of the first Temple by Solomon (around 950 BC), when the Ark of the Covenant was carried in procession to the Holy City, accompanied by singing, music and sacrifices. The Ark, placed in the Holy of Holies under the wings of the cherubim, represented the invisible throne of God in the midst of his people. The cherubim, far from the imagery of little angels, were majestic and symbolic figures, a sign of divine sovereignty. The psalm seems to be structured as a liturgical dialogue between two choirs: one invites the gates to open, the other proclaims the identity of the king of glory as the strong and victorious Lord. The warrior titles remind us that God accompanied Israel in its struggles for freedom and survival: the Ark was the sign of his presence in the people's battles. Even after the disappearance of the Ark, especially after the Babylonian Exile, this psalm continued to be sung in the Temple. It was precisely the absence of the Ark that increased its spiritual value: Israel learned that God's presence is not tied to an object, however sacred and laden with memory. Over the centuries, the psalm took on a messianic meaning: the invocation 'let the King of glory enter' became an expression of the expectation of the Messiah, the definitive king who would defeat evil and inaugurate a renewed humanity. The 'Lord of hosts' came to be understood progressively as the God of the universe, no longer just the God of Israel but the Lord of all humanity. This is why the Christian liturgy sings this psalm on the feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple: it is a profession of faith that recognises in that child the true king of glory, God himself who enters his Temple and comes to meet his people.

*Second Reading from the Letter to the Hebrews (2:14-18)

The Letter to the Hebrews was written in a climate of controversy: Christians of Jewish origin were accused of following a Messiah who could not be a priest according to the Law. The author responds by showing that Jesus fulfils the priesthood in a new and definitive way. Although he does not belong to the tribe of Levi, Jesus is a priest according to the order of Melchizedek, that is, in a more ancient and universal form. He does not reproduce the priesthood of the Old Testament, but brings it to fulfilment, realising its profound purpose. Jesus is a true priest because: he is fully in solidarity with humanity, sharing its weakness, suffering and death; he is in full communion with God, as his resurrection demonstrates; he re-establishes the Covenant, freeing humanity from fear and the slavery of death. Salvation is offered to all, but it concerns in particular the 'children of Abraham', that is, those who live in faith as trust. The Covenant is a free gift from God, but it requires a free response: to accept or reject it remains the responsibility of man.

*From the Gospel according to Saint Luke (2:22-40)

  The account of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple is constructed with great care and highlights two fundamental elements: the Law and the Spirit. In the first verses, Luke repeatedly emphasises the Law of Israel, not as a simple set of prescriptions, but as an expression of the faith and expectation of the people. Jesus' life begins within the faith of Israel: Mary and Joseph devoutly perform the prescribed gestures, placing the child within the history and hope of their people. Luke's first message is clear: the salvation of humanity is born within the Law of Israel. It is in this context that the Word of God became incarnate and that God's plan of love for humanity took shape. Immediately afterwards, Simeon enters the scene, guided by the Holy Spirit, who is also mentioned several times. It is the Spirit who reveals the identity of the child to him: Jesus is the Saviour prepared by God before all peoples. Simeon's words summarise the entire Old Testament as a long preparation for the fulfilment of salvation, which concerns not only Israel but all humanity. Israel is the 'glory' because it has been chosen as the instrument of universal salvation. The event takes place in the Temple of Jerusalem, a decisive place for Luke: here Malachi's prophecy about the Lord's sudden entry into his Temple is fulfilled. Jesus is recognised as the Angel of the Covenant, the Lord himself who comes to visit his people. The images of light and glory used by Simeon fit perfectly into this perspective. The story also recalls the Psalm of the 'king of glory': the long-awaited royal Messiah enters the Temple, not with outward power, but in the poverty of a newborn baby. Nevertheless, the scene is solemn and full of glory, because in that child is present all the expectation of Israel, represented by Simeon and Anna, figures of faithful hope. Simeon's canticle affirms that Jesus is the Messiah and the glory of God: with him, divine glory enters the Sanctuary. This means that Jesus not only brings the glory of God, but is the glory of God, is God himself present among his people. With his coming, the time of the Law reaches its fulfilment: the Angel of the Covenant has entered the Temple to give the Spirit, enlighten the nations and inaugurate the new time of universal salvation.

+Giovanni D'Ercole

(Mt 5:13-16)

«Beautiful Works» [which express fullness] are good works, enriched by the splendour of disinterest, listening, hospitality, prayer and humble dialogue, cordial fraternity.

The plural term (v.16) indicates our vocation to reinterpret in a personal way the Self-Portrait of Christ imprinted in the Beatitudes just proclaimed (vv.1-12).

We each have an irreplaceable role in the moments of equilibrium break and Exodus.

We are legitimized unconditionally.

God has respect for the shortcomings and the functions that are lacking: who knows what blissful novelties they hide and are preparing.

The Beatitudes have their own fragrance, but all personal. Their «salt» fights the insignificant of fatuous hopes.

And sons look far away, but they are with the "pasta"... remaining a living call: between God and man [who is himself even in fraternity] there is an inviolable bond.

In fact, «Light» is what doesn’t mix with things, but distinguishes them.

The Israelites considered themselves «Light of the world» for their devotion and impeccable religious practice.

For Jesus, the faithful and the Community are «Light» because they walk in the friendly glory of the Master.

The disciple and the Assembly are «Salt» because they appear in the world under any circumstance as those who give it meaning, Wisdom [from the Latin «sapĕre», to have flavour].

We are called to be a sign of a new Pact, because the unexpected Relation of the Mount that the Son proposes could no longer be contained in the First Covenant.

To the ancient needs of purification Christ replaces those of full fraternity, which in the enhancement of each person gives taste and (precisely) flavor, and becomes a lamp to our steps.

This "second Pact" doesn’t crush the believing people. Sign of a Father who recovers and infuses orientations to the individual path and to the Churches - not from the outside, but from our roots and as a leaven.

We become a living Beauty thanks to an activity that is imperfect but that has its influence on flowering, from within.

Thus preserving people from the unraveling of dehumanization and corruption - like «salt» with food.

«Salt and Light» are every little divine element that has its own Mystery and Appeal.

Our little candles can continue to thin out the darkness, but only until we put them under a «bushel» (v.15), that is, under a pedissee «measure» - wich is not the different, propulsive and always unprecedent one of the Beatitudes.

In Christ we are led to an evolutionary leap: we are Sapidity though minute of things, and limited Lights, yes - but not inhibited.

The life of Faith guides and stimulates the building of a realm of personal Taste and Love, without hysteria or intimate dissociations.

This adventure is configured as a New Alliance between soul, reality, global and local world, signs of time and Mystery.

Light of Freedom that coincides with our Vocation by Name. Intelligent energy that knows how to draw alternative life even from the wounds inflicted.

[5th ​​Sunday in O.T. (year A)  February 8, 2026]

Fullness of minimal and beautiful works, not small and insignificant

(Mt 5:13-16)

    "Beautiful works" [which express fullness] are good works, enriched by the splendour of selflessness, listening, hospitality, humble prayer and dialogue, and cordial fraternity.

The plural term (v. 16) indicates - beyond abilities and circumstances - our vocation to reinterpret in a personal way the Self-Portrait of Christ imprinted in the Beatitudes just proclaimed (vv. 1-12).

The theme of the passage is that of fidelity, which integrates and overcomes inconstancy - and the need to seal love with risk, which makes us authentic [last Beatitude: vv.10-12].

The Lord has a surprising trust, because his Plan is to become the flavour and fundamental orientation of human history - not only 'in favour of all', but for each individual (even those considered insignificant).

Of course, only Jesus is the liturgical Amen: the icon of fulfilled humanity, consistency of dedication, the Yes and the finality of the Promises.

But his story has always been contrary to the current mentality.

Therefore, even we - perhaps 'seen' as inadequate - can embody a path where the Gospel arises not only as something common, and therefore 'halfway'.

We each have an irreplaceable role in moments of disruption and Exodus.

We are legitimised without conditions.

God has respect for shortcomings and missing functions: who knows what blessed novelties they hide and are preparing.

In his commentary on the Tao (ii), Master Ho-shang Kung states:

'The original ch'i gives life to all creatures and does not appropriate them', that is, it does not go back, it does not confer the old, backward and fixed order. It does not run for cover; rather, it gives a charge - not partial, but vital and illuminating.

Of course, it is precisely in consumer goods that constant change lies: this confuses the conventional religious idea.

But the fact that our Vocation is: to be and become more and more the Source of Life like the Father, and signs of the Covenant between Heaven and earth (with equal dignity to the Son) values every small divine element in us, or that we promote in our brothers and sisters.

We cannot escape our essence, and we do so with passion - not out of an iron will to 'be' 'salt' and 'light' according to opinion.

So, instead of yearning to return to functioning like everyone else or as before, we will begin to respect our own and others' retreats of the soul.

In its pauses and questions of meaning, it is nurturing the future of the Kingdom.

In Jesus' time, flames were obtained from fats: extinguishing a lamp with a breath meant filling the House with nauseating miasmas. 

This is what happens in a voluntarist and inattentive Church, when there is an excess of dirigisme that does not respect the unrepeatable vocational dignity - replaced by manners.

Every blade of grass makes its own distinct contribution to making the field green; this does not mean that it feels constrained - nor can it be extinguished or reduced by a pretentious and ostentatious context that would risk altering it.

The Beatitudes have their own fragrance, but it is entirely personal: it would be futile to attenuate their aroma by adding ordinary cream, which sweetens various dishes (but unifies their peaks). Or candyfloss, more suited to festivals of castagnole, castanets and firecrackers, and variety shows.

Their 'salt' combats the insignificance of vain hopes or those of others (béchamel sauce of appearances). It introduces an internal and savoury wisdom into the world of side dishes, salads, carousels and insipidities.

Children look far away, but they stay with the 'pasta'... remaining a living reminder: between God and man [who is himself even in brotherhood] there is an inviolable bond.

In fact, 'Light' is what does not mix with things, but distinguishes them.

This means that, without too many compliments, spiritual discernment must be wrested from the clutches of those who, out of quietism and in order not to cause annoyance to those complacent with power, mitigate and adapt, indeed hide the Gospel - turning it into a lullaby.

The parallel passage in Luke 11:33 concerns the reception of pagans: to bring 'light' to those who enter the House.

Matthew is primarily concerned with those who already dwell there: whose specific weight and life of relationships based on the conviviality of differences must become Light in itself - to allow everyone to understand the difference between the seeds of death and the paths of complete Life.

The Israelites considered themselves the 'Light of the world' because of their devotion and impeccable religious practice.

A great Roman parish priest told me that one of the things that had struck him on his travels in the USA was seeing too many Catholic citadels on top of hills, clearly visible to the eye but equally clearly equipped with everything - therefore detached, able to provide for themselves, closed to comparison with today's real urban life.

This approach is diametrically opposed to that of many evangelical communities, which are less conspicuous and do not seek to attract people with their external beauty. They are integrated into the fabric of the city and are therefore able to shed light on the daily lives of people seeking a personal and real relationship with God the Father.

For Jesus, the faithful and the community are 'Light' because they walk in the friendly glory of the Master.

He remains the slaughtered Lamb who becomes available food, and does not give the impression of magnificence or clamour; he does not shut himself up in fortresses, nor does he terrorise.

The disciple and the Assembly are 'Salt' because they appear in the world in all circumstances as those who give it meaning, Wisdom [from the Latin sapĕre, to have flavour].

We are called to be a sign of a new Covenant, because the unexpected Relationship of the Mountain that the Son proposes could no longer be contained in the First Covenant.

Christ replaces the ancient demands of purification with those of full brotherhood, which, in valuing each person, gives taste and (precisely) flavour, and becomes a lamp for our steps.

This 'second Covenant' does not crush the believing people. 

The inclination to unravel one's own evolution by becoming protagonists in the Name of the New Agreement will transmit illumination and fragrance to the journey.

In this way, we will allow ourselves to be moulded, yielding to our Core that wants to grow, express itself, and give space to the sides that are still in shadow.

Signs of a Father who recovers and instils guidance on the individual path and that of the Churches - not from the outside, but starting from our roots and like a leaven.

We become living Beauty thanks to an activity that is imperfect but has its influence on flowering, from within.

Thus preserving people from the decay of dehumanisation and corruption - like 'salt' with food.

In fact, if not properly understood thanks to the qualitative leap of Faith-love, even religious sense can channel women and men into a thousand streams of cunning...

Towards a decomposition of wisdom, and schematic, disembodied, insipid hastiness - as well as, unfortunately, indistinct fog.

'Salt and Light' are every small divine element already within us. Thus, any effort for beauty, solidity and variety will not be lost - although reduced and diminished: it has its own Mystery and Appeal.

Of course, even in traditional religion, the value of small things is not denied, but they remain small and fixed - without leaps.

In a climate where 'Ne quid nimis' [nothing excessive] prevails, the summary conditions all seem aimed at confirming the system of things and roles.

The cloak of customs weakens the peaks, relegates the personalities of simple people to restricted, insignificant areas, which urge them to invest their energies in vacuous, childish aspects.

The idiocy of certain details is always there, stifling evolution.

In Fede's experience, we do not despise even the smallest contribution to the construction of a Kingdom alternative to the current one - sometimes unifying, but based on nonsense and catwalks in obvious disrepair and stench.

Our candles can continue to dispel the darkness, but only until we place them under a 'bushel' (v.15), that is, until we give up, to put them under a slavish 'measure' - which is not the different, propulsive and always new measure of the Beatitudes.

In Christ, we are guided to an evolutionary leap: we are the minute Savouriness of things, and limited Lights, yes - but not inhibited, nor small and 'baby'.

The life of Faith guides and stimulates the building of a kingdom of personal Flavour and Love, without hysteria or intimate dissociations.

This adventure takes the form of a New Covenant between soul, reality, the global and local world, signs of the times and Mystery.

Light of Freedom that coincides with our Vocation by Name. Intelligent energy that knows how to draw alternative life even from the wounds inflicted.

The salt gone mad of religion without Faith: treating ourselves as sick people

(Mt 5:13)

One of the possible translations from the Greek of the expression in v. 13 [perhaps the most plausible] is: 'if the salt goes mad'.

Why does it go mad? It refers to personal harmony with the divine Covenant that dwells within us and to which we do not want to give space, even though it would be truly fulfilling.

All this because we are accustomed to living and feeding on external attitudes.

The Covenant would like to guide our little boat even in this time of recovery from the tragedies that are blocking the world, but it is made difficult by the recitation of scripts - by what 'must be done' according to previous ideas and routine.

This expression in Matthew 5:13 is the same as that of the 'foolish' man (Mt 7:26) who builds his house not on the Rock [of Freedom, which coincides with his Calling].

He also 'builds' ostentatious realities, but on unstable elements that we sometimes see as fragile, lacking in substance - therefore without a solid foundation. Rather, they are a reflection of handed-down thoughts, or of calculation and fantasy; excessively sophisticated.

It is also the age-old detachment between ritual devotion and concrete life, which the Christian community unfortunately sometimes demonstrates in the face of a world that awaits answers to needs that touch us and urgent hopes (not those of a 'flock' that we secretly dislike).

Instead, here and there, we would like to rebuild everything as it 'should be' and as it was before... In this way, we would continue carefree to pursue things that are now useless, neglecting the new reality and the essence of character.

Embryonic and genuine inclinations that would give weight to hidden resources, embedded in our cosmic being as creatures and in our most fragrant personal tendencies.

Internal powers that unblock situations.

The behaviour of those who have become accustomed to listening - and are eager not to celebrate the Presence of the Lord and live their faith intensely, but to return to 'mass' and the old containers - must not be so blatantly empty, duplicitous, formal and disinterested; so openly contradictory to the authentic Appeal, which the believer himself emphatically proclaims to believe in.

There is a Mystery to follow, which is leading to a different uniqueness. And it wants to draw alternative life - truly ours - precisely from the wounds inflicted.

Nothing to be done: the underlying lacerations remain permanently lurking - those caused by those who would like to engage in critical witness, but are not reborn in unique opportunities... and constantly find themselves prey to constructed ideas, rather than inspired (and in their intelligent energy).

In the expression 'salt that goes mad', the author evokes a sort of radical inner split, typical of the personal soul and the unknown Elsewhere that we would finally be called to welcome, instead of opposing.

The Secret that lurks in the present, in fact, can end up being trampled on by external factors, such as institutional expectations, which leave no room for the revolution of habits and goals.

One of these is the precious one of building a praying church in every home.

Even in our spiritual life, we often want to be like the devout models we have in mind, or even stronger (perhaps to resemble our guides).

These are thoughts that neither convince nor stir the heart. In reality, they become vocational blocks, inhibiting the primordial virtue that belongs to us - convincing, it would move us further.

Christ calls us to acknowledge our unfettered uniqueness and unpredictable eccentricity - the only factor for recovery.

Exceptionality that for Him is not a disturbance, but an authentic resource.

We do not know how He will guide us and where He will lead us; what new eras (which will open up Other, and we do not know) He will allow us to enjoy, proceeding in the adventure of the Beatitudes just proclaimed (vv. 1-12).

This is the profound experiential difference between religiosity and Faith.

The latter corresponds to us because it is lovable in its intimacy. It does not take a pessimistic view of the tide of life.

It focuses on the innate perfection of our ways of being, however unique and unexpected.

In short:

We are not people to be cured. In terms of vocation, each of us is already mysteriously gifted and perfect.

By truly entrusting ourselves to the Call by Name instead of to identifications that plagiarise and leave us brooding in vain, we will reach the fullness of being.

The golden age will coincide with the time of experiences that make us feel completely alive.

Even moments of emptiness will serve to regenerate us and shift our perspective. We will realise that nothing is missing.

Instead, by entrusting our story to the narrow-minded idea of perfection and old situations to be regained, multiplying resolutions with expectations that do not concern us, we will only succeed in shattering ourselves.

In this way, we will never feel satisfied with the growth of the sense of immensity in our particular being and development.

The great Models (which then betray us) force us into criticism and the anxiety of chasing after things - to treat ourselves as if we were sick: full of discord within our souls and torment in our minds.

It is the madness of the obvious, which through conformist quietude or a crazy expenditure of energy promises to take possession of who knows what, but does not make the germinal leap of the life of Faith.

Spousal trust and creative gesture that wants to welcome everything: states of discomfort, aspects in shadow, nascent tides - and expand Happiness.

Lumen Fidei

1. The light of faith: with this expression, the tradition of the Church has indicated the great gift brought by Jesus, who, in the Gospel of John, presents himself thus: 'I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness' (Jn 12:46). St Paul also expresses it in these terms: "And God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts" (2 Cor 4:6). In the pagan world, hungry for light, the cult of the Sun God, Sol invictus, invoked at sunrise, had developed. Even though the sun rose every day, it was well understood that it was incapable of shining its light on the whole of human existence. The sun, in fact, does not illuminate all of reality; its rays are incapable of reaching the shadow of death, where the human eye is closed to its light. "Because of their faith in the sun," says St Justin Martyr, "no one has ever been seen ready to die." Aware of the great horizon that faith opened up for them, Christians called Christ the true sun, "whose rays give life." To Martha, who weeps for the death of her brother Lazarus, Jesus says: "Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?" (Jn 11:40). Those who believe see; they see with a light that illuminates the entire path, because it comes to us from the risen Christ, the morning star that never sets.

An illusory light?

2. Yet, when we speak of this light of faith, we can hear the objection of many of our contemporaries. In the modern age, it was thought that such a light might have been sufficient for ancient societies, but that it was not needed in the new era, for man who had become an adult, proud of his reason, eager to explore the future in new ways. In this sense, faith appeared to be an illusory light, preventing man from cultivating the audacity of knowledge. The young Nietzsche invited his sister Elisabeth to take risks, travelling "new paths... in the uncertainty of independent progress". He added: 'At this point, the paths of humanity diverge: if you want to achieve peace of mind and happiness, have faith, but if you want to be a disciple of truth, then investigate'. Believing would be opposed to seeking. From this point onwards, Nietzsche developed his criticism of Christianity for diminishing the significance of human existence, robbing life of novelty and adventure. Faith would then be like an illusion of light that prevents our journey as free men towards tomorrow.

3. In this process, faith ended up being associated with darkness. It was thought that it could be preserved, that a space could be found for it to coexist with the light of reason. The space for faith opened up where reason could not illuminate, where man could no longer have certainties. Faith was then understood as a leap into the void that we take for lack of light, driven by a blind feeling; or as a subjective light, perhaps capable of warming the heart, of bringing private consolation, but which cannot be offered to others as an objective and common light to illuminate the path. Little by little, however, it became clear that the light of autonomous reason cannot sufficiently illuminate the future; in the end, it remains in darkness and leaves man in fear of the unknown. And so man has given up the search for a great light, for a great truth, to be content with the small lights that illuminate the brief moment, but are incapable of opening the way. When light is lacking, everything becomes confused; it is impossible to distinguish good from evil, the road that leads to the goal from the one that makes us walk in repetitive circles, without direction.

A light to be rediscovered

4. It is therefore urgent to recover the character of light proper to faith, because when its flame is extinguished, all other lights also lose their vigour. The light of faith has a unique character, being capable of illuminating the whole of human existence. For a light to be so powerful, it cannot come from ourselves; it must come from a more original source, it must come, ultimately, from God. Faith is born in the encounter with the living God, who calls us and reveals his love to us, a love that precedes us and on which we can rely to be steadfast and build our lives. Transformed by this love, we receive new eyes, we experience that in it there is a great promise of fulfilment, and the future opens up before us. Faith, which we receive from God as a supernatural gift, appears as a light on the road, a light that guides our journey through time. On the one hand, it comes from the past; it is the light of a founding memory, that of the life of Jesus, where his fully trustworthy love, capable of overcoming death, was manifested. At the same time, however, since Christ is risen and draws us beyond death, faith is a light that comes from the future, opening up great horizons before us and leading us beyond our isolated 'I' towards the breadth of communion. We understand then that faith does not dwell in darkness; that it is a light for our darkness. Dante, in the Divine Comedy, after confessing his faith before St Peter, describes it as a "spark, / which expands into a lively flame / and sparkles in me like a star in the sky". It is precisely this light of faith that I would like to speak about, so that it may grow to illuminate the present and become a star that shows us the horizons of our journey, at a time when humanity is particularly in need of light.

(Lumen Fidei)

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In this Sunday’s Gospel the Lord Jesus tells his disciples: “You are the salt of the earth.... You are the light of the world” (Mt 5:13,14). With these richly evocative images he wishes to pass on to them the meaning of their mission and their witness.

Salt, in the cultures of the Middle East, calls to mind several values such as the Covenant, solidarity, life and wisdom. Light is the first work of God the Creator and is a source of life; the word of God is compared to light, as the Psalmist proclaims: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Ps 119[118]:105).

And, again in today’s Liturgy, the Prophet Isaiah says: “If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday” (58:10). 

Wisdom sums up in itself the beneficial effects of salt and light: in fact, disciples of the Lord are called to give a new “taste” to the world and to keep it from corruption with the wisdom of God, which shines out in its full splendour on the Face of the Son because he is “the true light that enlightens every man” (Jn 1:9). 

United to him, in the darkness of indifference and selfishness, Christians can diffuse the light of God’s love, true wisdom that gives meaning to human life and action, in the midst of the darkness of indifference and selfishness.

[Pope Francis, Angelus, 6 February 2011]

Dear Young People! 

1. I have vivid memories of the wonderful moments we shared in Rome during the Jubilee of the Year 2000, when you came on pilgrimage to the Tombs of the Apostles Peter and Paul. In long silent lines you passed through the Holy Door and prepared to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation; then the Evening Vigil and Morning Mass at Tor Vergata were moments of intense spirituality and a deep experience of the Church; with renewed faith, you went home to undertake the mission I entrusted to you: to become, at the dawn of the new millennium, fearless witnesses to the Gospel. 

By now World Youth Day has become an important part of your life and of the life of the Church. I invite you therefore to get ready for the seventeenth celebration of this great international event, to be held in Toronto, Canada, in the summer of next year. It will be another chance to meet Christ, to bear witness to his presence in today’s society, and to become builders of the "civilization of love and truth". 

2. "You are the salt of the earth... You are the light of the world" (Mt 5:13-14): this is the theme I have chosen for the next World Youth Day. The images of salt and light used by Jesus are rich in meaning and complement each other. In ancient times, salt and light were seen as essential elements of life. 

"You are the salt of the earth...". One of the main functions of salt is to season food, to give it taste and flavour. This image reminds us that, through Baptism, our whole being has been profoundly changed, because it has been "seasoned" with the new life which comes from Christ (cf. Rom 6:4). The salt which keeps our Christian identity intact even in a very secularized world is the grace of Baptism. Through Baptism we are re-born. We begin to live in Christ and become capable of responding to his call to "offer [our] bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God" (Rom 12:1). Writing to the Christians of Rome, Saint Paul urges them to show clearly that their way of living and thinking was different from that of their contemporaries: "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect" (Rom12:2).

For a long time, salt was also used to preserve food. As the salt of the earth, you are called to preserve the faith which you have received and to pass it on intact to others. Your generation is being challenged in a special way to keep safe the deposit of faith (cf. 2 Th 2:15; 1 Tim 6:20; 2 Tim 1:14). 

Discover your Christian roots, learn about the Church’s history, deepen your knowledge of the spiritual heritage which has been passed on to you, follow in the footsteps of the witnesses and teachers who have gone before you! Only by staying faithful to God’s commandments, to the Covenant which Christ sealed with his blood poured out on the Cross, will you be the apostles and witnesses of the new millennium. 

It is the nature of human beings, and especially youth, to seek the Absolute, the meaning and fullness of life. Dear young people, do not be content with anything less than the highest ideals! Do not let yourselves be dispirited by those who are disillusioned with life and have grown deaf to the deepest and most authentic desires of their heart. You are right to be disappointed with hollow entertainment and passing fads, and with aiming at too little in life. If you have an ardent desire for the Lord you will steer clear of the mediocrity and conformism so widespread in our society. 

3. "You are the light of the world...". For those who first heard Jesus, as for us, the symbol of light evokes the desire for truth and the thirst for the fullness of knowledge which are imprinted deep within every human being. 

When the light fades or vanishes altogether, we no longer see things as they really are. In the heart of the night we can feel frightened and insecure, and we impatiently await the coming of the light of dawn. Dear young people, it is up to you to be the watchmen of the morning (cf. Is 21:11-12) who announce the coming of the sun who is the Risen Christ! 

The light which Jesus speaks of in the Gospel is the light of faith, God’s free gift, which enlightens the heart and clarifies the mind. "It is the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God on the face of Christ" (2 Cor 4:6). That is why the words of Jesus explaining his identity and his mission are so important: "I am the light of the world; whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (Jn 8:12). 

Our personal encounter with Christ bathes life in new light, sets us on the right path, and sends us out to be his witnesses. This new way of looking at the world and at people, which comes to us from him, leads us more deeply into the mystery of faith, which is not just a collection of theoretical assertions to be accepted and approved by the mind, but an experience to be had, a truth to be lived, the salt and light of all reality (cf. Veritatis Splendor, 88). 

In this secularized age, when many of our contemporaries think and act as if God did not exist or are attracted to irrational forms of religion, it is you, dear young people, who must show that faith is a personal decision which involves your whole life. Let the Gospel be the measure and guide of life’s decisions and plans! Then you will be missionaries in all that you do and say, and wherever you work and live you will be signs of God’s love, credible witnesses to the loving presence of Jesus Christ. Never forget: "No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a bushel" (Mt 5:15)! 

Just as salt gives flavour to food and light illumines the darkness, so too holiness gives full meaning to life and makes it reflect God’s glory. How many saints, especially young saints, can we count in the Church’s history! In their love for God their heroic virtues shone before the world, and so they became models of life which the Church has held up for imitation by all. Let us remember only a few of them: Agnes of Rome, Andrew of Phú Yên, Pedro Calungsod, Josephine Bakhita, Thérèse of Lisieux, Pier Giorgio Frassati, Marcel Callo, Francisco Castelló Aleu or again Kateri Tekakwitha, the young Iroquois called "the Lily of the Mohawks". Through the intercession of this great host of witnesses, may God make you too, dear young people, the saints of the third millennium! 

4. Dear friends, it is time to get ready for the Seventeenth World Youth Day. I invite you to read and study the Apostolic Letter Novo Millennio Ineunte, which I wrote at the beginning of the year to accompany all Christians on this new stage of the life of the Church and humanity: "A new century, a new millennium are opening in the light of Christ. But not everyone can see this light. Ours is the wonderful and demanding task of becoming its ‘reflection’" (No. 54). 

Yes, now is the time for mission! In your Dioceses and parishes, in your movements, associations and communities, Christ is calling you. The Church welcomes you and wishes to be your home and your school of communion and prayer. Study the Word of God and let it enlighten your minds and hearts. Draw strength from the sacramental grace of Reconciliation and the Eucharist. Visit the Lord in that "heart to heart" contact that is Eucharistic Adoration. Day after day, you will receive new energy to help you to bring comfort to the suffering and peace to the world. Many people are wounded by life: they are excluded from economic progress, and are without a home, a family, a job; there are people who are lost in a world of false illusions, or have abandoned all hope. By contemplating the light radiant on the face of the Risen Christ, you will learn to live as "children of the light and children of the day" (1 Th 5:5), and in this way you will show that "the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true" (Eph 5:9). 

5. Dear young friends, Toronto is waiting for all of you who can make it! In the heart of a multi-cultural and multi-faith city, we shall speak of Christ as the one Saviour and proclaim the universal salvation of which the Church is the sacrament. In response to the pressing invitation of the Lord who ardently desires "that all may be one" (Jn 17:11), we shall pray for full communion among Christians in truth and charity. 

Come, and make the great avenues of Toronto resound with the joyful tidings that Christ loves every person and brings to fulfilment every trace of goodness, beauty and truth found in the city of man. Come, and tell the world of the happiness you have found in meeting Jesus Christ, of your desire to know him better, of how you are committed to proclaiming the Gospel of salvation to the ends of the earth! 

The young people of Canada, together with their Bishops and the civil authorities, are already preparing to welcome you with great warmth and hospitality. For this I thank them all from my heart. May this first World Youth Day of the new millennium bring to everyone a message of faith, hope and love! 

My blessing goes with you. And to Mary Mother of the Church I entrust each one of you, your vocation and your mission. 

From Castel Gandolfo, 25 July 2001 

[Pope John Paul II, message for WYD Toronto 2002, from Castel Gandolfo, 25 July 2001]

In today’s Gospel Reading (cf. Mt 5:13-16), Jesus says to his disciples, “You are the salt of the earth. … You are the light of the world” (vv. 13-14). He uses a symbolic language to indicate to those who intend to follow him some criteria for living presence and witnessing in the world.

First image: salt. Salt is the element that gives flavour and which conserves and preserves food from corruption. The disciple is therefore called to keep society far from the dangers, the corrosive germs which pollute the life of people. It is a question of resisting moral degradation, sin, bearing witness to the values of honesty and fraternity, not giving in to worldly flattery of careerism, of power, of wealth. “Salt” is the disciple who, despite daily failures — because we all have them — gets up again from the dust of his errors, and begins again with courage and patience, every day, to seek dialogue and encounter with others. “Salt” is the disciple who does not look for consensus and praise, but strives to be a humble, constructive presence, faithful to the teachings of Jesus who came into the world not to be served, but to serve. And there is a great need for this attitude!

The second image that Jesus proposes to his disciples is that of light: “You are the light of the world”. Light disperses darkness and enables us to see. Jesus is the light that has dispelled the darkness, but it [darkness] still remains in the world and in individuals. It is the task of Christians to disperse it by radiating the light of Christ and proclaiming his Gospel. It is a radiance that can also come from our words, but it must flow above all from our “good works” (v. 16). A disciple and a Christian community are light in the world when they direct others to God, helping each one to experience his goodness and his mercy. The disciple of Jesus is light when he knows how to live his faith outside narrow spaces, when he helps to eliminate prejudice, to eliminate slander, and to bring the light of truth into situations vitiated by hypocrisy and lies. To shed light. But it is not my light, it is the light of Jesus: we are instruments to enable Jesus’ light to reach everyone.

Jesus invites us not to be afraid to live in the world, even if sometimes there are conditions of conflict and sin there. In the face of violence, injustice, oppression, the Christian cannot withdraw into self or hide in the security of his own enclosure; the Church also cannot withdraw into herself, she cannot abandon her mission of evangelization and service. Jesus, at the Last Supper, asked the Father not to take the disciples out of the world, to leave them, there, in the world, but to guard them from the spirit of the world. The Church expends herself with generosity and tenderness towards the little ones and the poor: this is not the spirit of the world, this spreads light, it is salt. The Church listens to the cry of the least and the excluded, because she is aware that she is a pilgrim community called to prolong Jesus Christ’s saving presence in history.

May the Blessed Virgin help us to be salt and light in the midst of the people, bringing to everyone, by example and word, the Good News of God’s love.

[Pope Francis, Angelus, 9 February 2020]

(Mk 6:30-34)

«Come yourselves aside, to a deserted place»: the explicit reference to the «desert» is that of Exodus - which recalls the time of first Love.

Experience of great Ideals that the path of Freedom could still infuse in a new People.

An offspring generated in silence, far from the hustle and bustle of idols: in guise of reflection and attention, sobriety of life, hospitality, real sharing.

Jesus is increasingly moving away from his environment, and does not want around him a horizon of elected, attracted by the suddenly exploded visibility - ending up considering themselves indispensable.

In fact, here they chase the many things to be done, but remain careless. They raise a great fuss, but stay in habit.

Then the Lord does not call «aside» for a "spiritual retreat". The apostles - who give themselves the air of ‘teachers’ (v.30) - receive the only task of «announcing», not of supervising, presiding over, coordinating others.

Even after failure in Nazareth (vv.1-6) - his heralds willingly confused the Servant who was educating them, for the victorious, hoped, respected, glorious Messiah.

That is why, faced with masses in need of everything, the Lord first «began to teach» (v.34).

In short, the young Rabbi must start all over again, in order to correct the illusory frivolities conveyed by the followers… maybe just to leave a trace, get recognized and succeed - with lost people!

Jesus’ closest collaborators had not yet understood that there is another World, evolutionary and upside down - but ignored.

For this reason they have a fortune of their own, but they produce a lousy evangelization; without creative energy.

The crowds thronging around the Lord still remained exactly such and as before: «like sheep that have no shepherd» (v.34). People steeped in dismay.

Despite the circle’s affirmation of the disciples who had focused on the model of subservience and prestige, humanity still cried out. 

Their ‘stability’ made others even more insecure.

It lacked all the friendship that nourishes more than food, a perception of adequacy that satisfies more than health; the adherence that conveys life.

And the sense of one’s own being born and seeking. The Encounter that makes one’s gaze shift; the intimately recognized union with the Truth.

Apostles or not apostles, without the very Person of Christ, those women and men who sought their roots would not have flourished - least of all starting from their own grey, fragile, lacklustre shades.

The deep demands of the troubled were absolutely intact, despite the leaders’ busy schedule - an intense occupation around... unfortunately artificial and inattentive, still ambiguous and immature, dirigiste and superficial.

This, on the other hand, is the real holiday, the authentic decisive Appointment: to remain with the right Person; the one that does not enervate with its external rhythms, nor does add confusion to confusion.

In short, in the [established or fashionable] reference, no person is cradled in his or her novelty, or balanced and regenerated.

Enough, then, of the many 'models' without soul or prophecy that reproach us - and the commonplaces that anaesthetise.

In fact, in each of us, every expedient or artifice triggers the opposite: a loss of capacity.

«Like sheep that have no shepherd» (v.34).

In preparing us for the metamorphosis that belongs to us, the Friend of the Journey does not always intend to analyse and control.

Thus he does not extinguish the small energies, the character, the unique projections, the silent actions, and the Enchantment.

Letting us breathe, only the authentic Shepherd collects our 'core' from dispersion, our Seed from fragmentation; our Flower, from life without intimate purpose.

[Saturday 4th wk. in O.T.  February 7, 2026]

Alone, and the true holiday that preserves the life force

(Mk 6:30-34)

Spy and interpretive key of the Gospel passage is the expression "in aloof" (v.31), which in the Gospels is everywhere used to indicate critical moments of misunderstanding or even open opposition between the Lord and the Apostles.

"Come ye apart, into a deserted place": the explicit reference to the "desert" is that of the Exodus - recalling the time of the first Love.

Experience the great Ideals that the path of Freedom could still instil in the New People.

Brought forth in silence, far from the hustle and bustle of idols: in the guise of reflection and attention, sobriety of life, acceptance, real sharing.

Jesus distances himself more and more decisively from his environment, and does not want around him a horizon of conceited chosen ones, attracted by the suddenly exploded visibility - they would end up considering themselves indispensable.

They would be overloaded with triumphalist and monopolistic platitudes - little attentive to the contents, their connection with the forms of implementation... and the social implications, such as bridging the gaps.

In fact, here they chase the many things to be done - also to make them positively more agile, of course - but they go haphazardly and regardless. Despite all the fuss and hosannas, they do not make sensible paths.

They are always there, even though they should go elsewhere; or vice versa.

All this perhaps precisely to consolidate ascents and positions from the earliest days, in the manner of certain life offices [still never questioned] or stages of careers that cannot be changed.

Conditions that make one artificial, and do not create intimate fulfilment, nor that of others. They raise a lot of fuss, but stay in the habit.

The problem they have in mind is wrong, and in spite of any sweats and little free time (or for themselves) they do not demonstrate a genuinely creative energy.

We see this.

So the Lord does not call 'aside' for a 'spiritual retreat' - to safeguard the stability of exhausted hierarchies, or for a moment of escapism that avoids the crush and its stress. But because something profoundly substantial does not add up.

One has to be self-critical.

In all four Gospels, only Jesus is the one who "teaches" [passim, Greek text].

The apostles - who give themselves the air of teachers (v.30) - are only given the task of "announcing", not of supervising, presiding over, coordinating others.

They have no title whatsoever to approach people thinking they have to convey a life tailored to their agenda, and a mind set on results [or banner membership].

After having called them to himself - because they are still far away - and sent them to proclaim their experience of freedom and the Good News on our behalf (vv.7-13), the Master does not seem very happy with what the apostles have preached.

So he imposes on them a test (so to speak) of basic catechism, just for his intimates.

Even after his failure even in Nazareth (vv.1-6) - his bannermen willingly mistook the Servant who was educating them for the victorious, hoped-for, respected, glorious Messiah.

For this reason, faced with the needy masses, the Lord first "began to teach" (v.34).

In short, the young Rabbi has to start again, in order to correct the illusory easiness conveyed by the followers. Maybe just to leave a trace, get recognised and succeed - with lost people!

The Tao Tê Ching writes (xxvii):

"He who travels well leaves neither furrows nor footprints [...] he who closes well uses neither bars nor stakes".

Master Ho-shang Kung comments:

'He who travels well in the Way seeks within himself, without going down the hall or out the door. Therefore he leaves no furrows or footprints'.

He adds:

"He who well closes his cravings through the Dao, preserves the life force".

Master Wang-Pi points out:

"He proceeds in accordance with spontaneity, without being cause or principle: therefore creatures reach their highest degree, without him leaving chariot furrows or footprints [...] he conforms to the spontaneity of creatures and neither institutes nor confers.

Jesus' closest collaborators had not yet realised that there is another World, evolutionary and inverted - but ignored.

That is why they have a fortune of their own, but produce very bad evangelisation.

The crowds thronging around the Lord were still exactly as they were before: "like sheep that have no shepherd" (v.34). Steeped in dismay.

In spite of the affirmation of the circle of disciples who had set their sights on the model of subservience and prestige, humanity was still crying out. 

Their stability made others even more insecure.

[We, too, want to discover personal wealth, not only that of the known 'pupils', the ever-neighbours, or the founders, the princes, the leaders].What was missing was the friendship that nourishes more than food, a perception of adequacy that satisfies more than health; the adherence that conveys life.

And the sense of being born and seeking. The encounter that shifts the gaze; the intimately recognised union with the Truth.

Apostles or no apostles, without the Person of Christ Himself, that people searching for their roots would not have flourished - least of all from their own grey, fragile, lacklustre hues.

The profound needs of the shaky ones were absolutely intact, despite the leaders' busy-ness around... unfortunately artificial and careless, still ambiguous and immature, dirigiste and superficial.

Extremities that even nowadays do not allow disoriented people to reach the highest degree of their being, because every pastoral expedient triggers the reverse: a loss of capacity.

The cunningly opiate and artefactual festivals advocated by guides or approximate agencies are an expression of the normal religious side of the civilisation of the outside world.

Being with the Lord again... puts the mind right.

He alone opens wide the doorways of understanding and creates other options that correspond to us, in quintessence and hope - generating new answers to new questions, overcoming forced compactness.

This is the real holiday, the real decisive appointment: to stay with the right Person; the one who does not enervate with his wrong rhythms or add confusion to confusion.

Christ gathers our kernel from dispersion, our seed from fragmentariness [which hides behind the masks of pretended expertise]; our flower, from life without intimate purpose.

To seek oneself one must gather oneself together with Him - and verify oneself in the creative power of His Word, interpreted far from the commonplaces that anaesthetise.

The throng and the noise of the crowd, however naive, confuse ideas; they inculcate the vulgar plots of the earthly realm: not the style of the divine life, which entrusts us to our own unexpressed resources.

No more models. We need a real Witness, who corresponds, and becomes a companion on the journey.

We feel an incessant desire to be balanced in the identity of the concrete good. It lies beyond the fatuous, variant but immediately succulent traits of recognition.

Here, no person regenerates.

Only around our inner Friend do we become Body in serious, amiable and profound conversation; even in the noisy and confusing everyday.

After a day of worries, instead of TV anaesthetics and before epidermal things, let us be refreshed by this Contact that introduces us into the Banquet of Life (vv.35-44).

We will be recovered rather than condemned to pious futility - and never alone. Inside we have a Friend.

In short, in the reference [established or fashionable] no person is cradled in his novelty, or balanced and regenerated.

Enough, then, of the many 'models' without soul or prophecy that reproach us - and the commonplaces that anaesthetise.

In fact, in each of us, every expedient or artifice triggers the opposite: a loss of capacity.

"Like sheep that have no shepherd" (v.34).

In preparing us for the metamorphosis that belongs to us, the Friend of the Journey does not always intend to analyse and control.

Thus he does not extinguish the small energies, the character, the unique projections, the silent actions, and the Enchantment.

Letting us breathe, only the authentic Shepherd gathers our 'core' from dispersion, our Seed from fragmentation; our Flower, from life without intimate purpose.

To internalise and live the message:

How do you evangelise? Does Jesus speak in you or do you speak alone?

Authentic Contact

Come and see

[cf. Jn 1:35-42].

"Tithing hour" (v.39): in the Semitic mentality, sunset of the old and beginning of the new Day. It is approached dialogically, heart to heart; not according to the prescribed ancient order.

The Vocation is the discovery of the reason why we were born, of what we were made for, and it corresponds immediately - in an unprecedented, not cloying way - to the reality of a road travelled as if on foot.

On it, the call of the hearth of the Word gradually helps to understand our person and to define our exceptional mission.

God is the One who calls, so that without too much commentary we see into it, sense the impulses, develop a new outlook on things, grasp them as an Encounter, and let ourselves go.

Says the Tao Tê Ching (LVII): "From what do I know that this is so? From the present' - and Master Ho-shang Kung comments: 'Lao-tzu says: How do I know that Heaven's intention is this? I know it from what I see today'.

Such a scenario triggers in the soul a passion that sinks into the mystery, an energy that develops on this meaningful encounter and encounter with reality and new yet extravagant relationships, without exaggeration.The way of scrutinising the world anchored to small certainties of custom or thought will always make us be and do ordinary things, dictated by habit, prejudice, conditioned hopes (which do not belong to us).

If so, we will never move our inner eye to unknown processes and territories. If undertaken, they will introduce the heart to a kind of hermeneutic island, face to face with the invisible Friend who makes us feel at home.

Such paths together will not give us a priori the certainty that we are 'in the right', but that we are involved in the same spirit of the Nazarene - rebelling against the constraints we may already be putting ourselves in.

They entangle with entanglements his superior Voice, or the innate icon to be admired intimately, the figure of our Vocation.

The restlessness of the Waiting, its fantastic frenzies, those murmurs that seem to be in the air, are perhaps the expression of an unseen fairy tale that we do not know what it is - but our fascinating brother does.

On the contrary, we will be on the path marked out by always or by others, until his alternative vision launches us onto a path that is still dark instead of well illustrated (where everything is under control).

With excessive mental feedback we would get no further than vicious circles, or already adopted characters and defined roles - armour humiliating the Spirit, who does not like sphinxes impermeable to the dew of the coming tide.

Over-filtering and over-managing will not lead us to appreciate the value of the inner world and its presences, nor will it help us to perceive the meaning of encounters, the openness of the horizon of the proposals that life brings us to dismantle the imprinting we drag along.

The only therapy for jumping beyond the usual way of seeing things will be to shift the perspective, so that it makes us dissymmetrical and allows us to enter the field richer and more varied, outside the perimeter traced by conventions.

With Jesus we will embark on a path full of pitfalls, yet magical, because it is not taken for granted. With Him we will realise ourselves, our vocation and our own codes - but in the fullness of the polyhedron that is personal essence.

No one is without modulations to be discovered and activated; calibrated, anonymous and poor before the Lord and others. Hence, no one is destined to be a labourer or a functionary of archaic bandwagons - devoid of living figures and fantastic, magical, awe-inspiring inventiveness.

Even the dreamy tone of this narrative says so.

In a relationship of assiduity with Christ, it is his and our ideals outside the guidelines that characterise existence, which becomes red-hot starting from the soul... without first normalising it according to others' rules.

Beware, therefore, of constructing a conformist destiny of the penultimate hand, one that shatters one's whole life because it is chosen from what is common, external, accustomed and quiet, or vice versa delusional: criteria destined to collapse.

Nor does the Calling become a projection of ambition, suggested by vanity. Nor a reward for previous loyalties or behind performance.

First of all, a reading of oneself, a living listening to events (more intimate than conformist and outlined) as well as a participatory interpretation of reality, of the Word - and elastic reworking of moments, advice and relationships.

"Come and see" (v.39 Semitic undertone): perception, the glance that notices, is essential to understand who we are.

Nothing intimate, but nothing external - not even for the happenings outside us: we are those who develop innate images and Dreams.

God did not create us to stay on the ground, but to take flight. In fact, the Baptist had stopped (v.35 Greek text): "again he stood (there)".

Jesus, on the other hand, proceeds, is always moving; He Himself begins a new journey.

The comparison is stark. The old expectations come to a standstill - they have no strength left in them. That is why the first disciples of Jesus came from the school of John - where they had met.

After being a pupil of the greatest leader of his time, the new, young Rabbi sets out on his own.

He does so not to stand out from the others, but to proclaim the authentic heart of the Father, in his own figure: Word-formed Son, but who has only gradually assimilated the secrets of the human and spiritual journey.

It is an astonishing identity, that of the Lamb of God: his Person, event and Blood depict the Action of the Creator Spirit, who takes away the capacity of the forces of evil to do harm - not through immediate and prodigious shortcuts.

Purposes that are too close do not unite man and the world to God. They do not confirm the rightness and conformity of the great End and Source: the continuous Presence that accompanies our particular activity.

Every soul has an original physiognomy: it is in a special way, it has its own place and meaning.

The personal Calling is constitutive of this unrepeatable essence - which opens up the task of uniqueness - grammar of our language (even with ourselves) and interaction in the world; in the soul, of listening to God.

The unrepeatable Vocation is the only path to follow to read and encounter the genius of time before problems, and a kind of impulse; will and factor of recognition that accompanies and orients in them.

There may be an unforgettable day and hour in life, but the relationship of custom is essential.

A furtive encounter with the unstoppably moving Christ is not enough to 'look inside' and understand every decisive weight. And to become - like Simon - building stone that composes and is composed.

Here, even in seemingly unimportant situations, we are ourselves: we are cosmic and divine intention; we are immeasurably important.

Commenting on the same passage from the Tao (LVII) quoted above, Master Wang Pi points out: 'He who rules the world with the Way, exalts the root to make the branches grow.

Like an artistic vein.

To internalise and live the message:

What do you wait for from Jesus? Or do you give in and let him lead you? What do you think he would call you?