God does not conform to prejudices

The Son of God overturns every human plane: it is not the disciples who washed the feet of the Lord, but it is the Lord who washed the feet of the disciples. This is a cause of scandal and disbelief, not only at this time, at all ages, even today. "Francesco also a referable joke at the World Football Championship." see – he said – Brazilian flags. Courage – he added – there will be another time!

Vatican City (AsiaNews) – "God does not conform to prejudices" that "prevent us from grasping reality", but "invites us to badume a humble listening attitude and docile waiting, for the grace of God often presents itself in a surprising way, which does not correspond to our expectations. "This is what shows the attitude of the inhabitants of Nazareth before Jesus returning to his hometown, as the Gospel says of Mark (cf Mc 6,1-6) commented by Pope Francis at the Angelus

To the 20,000 people present in Saint Peter's Square for the recitation of the prayer Marian, Francis also recalled the "special day of prayer and reflection for peace" in the Middle East, celebrated yesterday in Bari and Sunday Mare ", dedicated to sailors and fishermen. "I pray – he said about it – for them and their families, as well as for the chaplains and the volunteers of the Apostleship of the Sea. A special memory for those who live in unfair work situations at sea as well as for those who pledge to liberate the seas from pollution. "

Earlier, speaking of Jesus' return to Nazareth, Francis had pointed out that" since he was gone and had begun to preach to neighboring villages and villages, he had not set foot in his homeland, so there would have been the whole country to listen to this son of the people, whose fame as that wise master and mighty healer now spread through Galilee and beyond, but what could be considered a success turned into a resounding rejection, to the point that Jesus could not perform any miracles there, but only a few healings. (see verse 5) The dynamics of this day is reconstructed in detail by the evangelist Mark: the people of Nazareth listen first and remain amazed; then he asks himself perplexed: "where do these things come from," this wisdom? and in the end he is scandalized, recognizing in him the carpenter, the son of Mary, whom they saw growing up (verses 2-3). Therefore, Jesus concludes with the expression that has become proverbial: "A prophet is scorned only in his homeland" (v.4) "

" We wonder: why the fellow citizens of Jesus spend they from wonder to disbelief? They make a comparison between the humble origin of Jesus and his present abilities: he is a carpenter, he did not study, but he preaches better than the scribes and does miracles. And instead of opening up to reality, they are outraged. According to the inhabitants of Nazareth, God is too great to lower himself to speak by such a simple man! This is the scandal of the incarnation: the disconcerting event of a God made flesh, who thinks with a human spirit, works and acts with human hands, loves with a human heart, a God who wrestles, eats and sleeps like any of us. The Son of God overthrows every human plane: it is not the disciples who washed the feet of the Lord, but the Lord who washed the feet of the disciples (see Jn 13.1-20). It is a cause of scandal and disbelief, not only at this time, at any age, even today. "

" The reversal made by Jesus commits his disciples from yesterday and today to a personal and community check. Nowadays, indeed, it may happen to feed prejudices that prevent us from grasping reality. But the Lord invites us to adopt a humble attitude of listening and docile waiting, because the grace of God is often presented in a surprising way, which does not correspond to our expectations. Let's think together with Mother Teresa of Calcutta. A tiny little girl, no one gave him ten lira who went to the streets to take the dying. "Yet this nun has done wonders."

"God does not conform to prejudices, we must strive to open our heart and mind, to welcome the divine reality that comes our way." to have faith: the lack of faith is an obstacle to the grace of God: many baptized live as if Christ did not exist: gestures and signs of faith are repeated, but they do not correspond not to true adherence to the person of Jesus, his gospel, but every Christian, every one of us is called to deepen this fundamental belonging, trying to observe it with a coherent conduct of life, whose common thread will always be charity.We ask the Lord, through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, to dissolve the hardness of hearts and the narrowness of the spirits, for we are open to his grace, to his truth and to his mission of goodness and mercy, which is addressed to all, without exclusion. "[19659003] And finally, a joke referring to the World Football Championship. "I see – he said – brazilian flags, and he added – there will be another time!"