Pope Francis warned this Sunday of a “curse” that would be a “narrow-hearted” Church closed to the people, and called for unity in his sermon at Mass for the Fourth Day of the Word of God in St. Peter’s Basilica.
“If salvation is meant for everyone, even the most distant and erring, then the proclamation of the Word should be the main business of the church community. It would be, shall we say, a curse,” Francis warned.
The Argentine pontiff defended that the Word of God “is not only for the righteous, but for all” and called on his Church to “open up to the people.”
“He wants to reach those who are far away, heal the sick, save sinners, gather lost sheep, and lift up those whose hearts are weary and burdened (…) Let’s not forget this, God’s mercy to all,” he stressed.
Pope Francis also sent a message of unity at a time when tensions in the Vatican were more evident, especially after the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, citing the more conservative wing.
A frequent target of criticism from this wing, the Pope asserted in his sermon that the Second Vatican Council pointed the way forward: “All of us, including the pastors of the Church, are under the authority of the Word of God.”
“Not under our own tastes, inclinations and preferences, but under the one Word of God, which shapes us, converts us and asks us to unite into the one Church of Christ,” Francis warned.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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