In his reflection this Sunday before the Angelus prayer, Pope Francis told the faithful that Christ is not a memory of the past, but the God of the present, of each one’s today.
Before thousands of faithful present in Saint Peter’s Square, the Pontiff recalled the passage from the Gospel of Matthew in which Christ asks the disciples who the people say he is, and the answer is insufficient since it is not “only a character from the past” like the great prophets.
“That is why, immediately afterward, the Lord asks the disciples the decisive question: ‘And you, who do you say that I am?’. Who am I to you now? Jesus does not want to be a protagonist of history, but a protagonist of your present, of my present; not a distant prophet, but the near God”, stressed Pope Francis.
“ Christ is not a memory of the past, but the God of the present. If he were just a historical character, imitating him today would be impossible: We would find ourselves facing the great ditch of time and, above all, before his model, which is like a very high and unreachable mountain; eager to scale it, but without the necessary capacities or means”, he continued.
Instead, the Pope stressed, “Jesus is alive, let us remember this, Jesus lives in the Church, in the world, he accompanies us, he is by our side, he offers us his Word and his grace, which illuminate and comfort us on the way: He An expert and wise guide, he is happy to accompany us on the most difficult trails and on the most impassable ascents”.
Francis also remarked that “on the path of life we are not alone, because Christ is with us and helps us to walk, as he did with Peter and the other disciples” and Jesus “is not a deceased hero, but the Son of God alive, made man and come to share the joys and hardships of our journey”.
After encouraging not to be discouraged by challenges, the Holy Father exhorted: “Let us look at Jesus, who walks alongside us, who welcomes our frailties, shares our efforts and rests his firm and gentle arm on our weak shoulders. With Him close, let us also reach out to one another and renew our trust: with Jesus, what seems impossible alone with Him is no longer so!
The Pope then encouraged the question of who Jesus is for each one. “ For me, who is Jesus? A great character, a point of reference, an unattainable model? Or the Son of God, who walks by my side, who can take me to the pinnacle of holiness, which I am unable to reach alone?
“Jesus is really alive in my life, is he my Lord? I entrust myself to him in moments of difficulty. Do I cultivate his presence through the Word and Sacraments? Do I allow myself to be guided by Him, together with my brothers and sisters, in the community?” questioned the Pontiff.
“May Mary, Mother of the Way, help us feel her Son alive and present with us,” he concluded.