“The Church begins there in the heart of the Father, who had this idea . . . of love.” Pope Francis said in the homily of today’s mass (Apr 24, 2013), and continues: “So this love story began, it is a story that has gone on for so long, and is not yet ended. We, the women and men of the Church, we are in the middle of a love story: each of us is a link in this chain of love. And if we do not understand this, we have understood nothing of what the Church is." “But how does it increase?” Pope Francis asked himself. “Jesus said simply: like the mustard seed, it grows like yeast in the flour, without
noise."
Very often we speak about the Church as if it is something not related to us, although we are Catholics, and say the Church should do this and the Church should do that… and we forget that the Church is not the building or the administration. It is you and me who profess our faith in God the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
His Holiness Pope Francis refers to it as an idea of love that started in the heart of God the Father. And we are this idea. As a creation of God we are already an idea of his love which He then gave flesh through our parents. As members of His family, the Church, we are again an expression of God’s love and a part of His love story which has not yet ended.
What struck me most in his homily were the words: “We, the women and men of the Church, we are in the middle of a love story: each of us is a link in this chain of love. And if we do not understand this, we have understood nothing of what the Church is.” Do you realize what is the Pope saying? He is saying to us, that you and I are a part of God’s love story, not as spectators, but as participants. And our participation is not that of an extra in a movie, but of a main character.
Although in the church we might have different roles but we are all important in the role that we play. We all have a vital role in this story. If a ring breaks, the whole chain suffers. All rings are important for the chain – no ring can say that it is more or less important because each ring is part of this chain.
When you say that the Church should do this and do that, you are either saying that you should be doing this and you should be doing that, or if you mean to say that the Church not including you, then you have missed the boat. You are supposed to be a part of God’s love story and yet you prefer not to be included in this wonderful experience. You want to be only a spectator sitting on a fence. And I am sorry for you.
It is like that you are invited to a sumptuous dinner, where you will be waited on by the host himself, and you decline the invitation. Yet you stay on the outside of the window of the dining hall looking in at the guests reveling in the host’s love and care. And the host still invites you to join in and you keep declining.
If you are truly in, are you enjoying this experience of love? If you are out, don’t you think that you’re missing the best part?
noise."
Very often we speak about the Church as if it is something not related to us, although we are Catholics, and say the Church should do this and the Church should do that… and we forget that the Church is not the building or the administration. It is you and me who profess our faith in God the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
His Holiness Pope Francis refers to it as an idea of love that started in the heart of God the Father. And we are this idea. As a creation of God we are already an idea of his love which He then gave flesh through our parents. As members of His family, the Church, we are again an expression of God’s love and a part of His love story which has not yet ended.
What struck me most in his homily were the words: “We, the women and men of the Church, we are in the middle of a love story: each of us is a link in this chain of love. And if we do not understand this, we have understood nothing of what the Church is.” Do you realize what is the Pope saying? He is saying to us, that you and I are a part of God’s love story, not as spectators, but as participants. And our participation is not that of an extra in a movie, but of a main character.
Although in the church we might have different roles but we are all important in the role that we play. We all have a vital role in this story. If a ring breaks, the whole chain suffers. All rings are important for the chain – no ring can say that it is more or less important because each ring is part of this chain.
When you say that the Church should do this and do that, you are either saying that you should be doing this and you should be doing that, or if you mean to say that the Church not including you, then you have missed the boat. You are supposed to be a part of God’s love story and yet you prefer not to be included in this wonderful experience. You want to be only a spectator sitting on a fence. And I am sorry for you.
It is like that you are invited to a sumptuous dinner, where you will be waited on by the host himself, and you decline the invitation. Yet you stay on the outside of the window of the dining hall looking in at the guests reveling in the host’s love and care. And the host still invites you to join in and you keep declining.
If you are truly in, are you enjoying this experience of love? If you are out, don’t you think that you’re missing the best part?
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