POPE FRANCIS

MORNING MEDITATION IN THE CHAPEL OF THE
DOMUS SANCTAE MARTHAE

Christ is the door to the Kingdom

Monday, 22 April 2013

(by L'Osservatore Romano, Weekly ed. in English, n. 18, 1 May 2013)

Only one door opens to the Kingdom of God. And that door is Jesus. Anyone who tries to climb in by another way is “a thief”, or “a brigand”, or “a social climber who thinks solely of his own advantage”, prestige, and robs God of glory. At the Mass celebrated on Monday morning, 22 April, in the Chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae, Pope Francis once again proposed Jesus as the centre of human life and recalled that our religion is not “negotiable”. Present were a group of technicians from Vatican Radio and the staff of the Holy See Press Office, accompanied by Fr Federico Lombardi, Director, and Fr Ciro Benedettini, Vice-Director, and by Angelo Scelzo, second Vice- Director, in charge of journalist accreditations.

“‘He who does not enter the sheepfold by the door’ is not not the Shepherd”. Whoever does not enter the sheepfold by the door — whom he says “I am” — “‘but climbs in by another way is a thief and a robber’ (Jn 10:1)”, is someone who seeks his own advantage. But how can we be sure that Jesus is the true door? “Take the Beatitudes and do what the Beatitudes say”, was the Pope’s answer. And when someone suggests anything else, “do not listen: the door is always Jesus and those who enter by that door are not mistaken”. Jesus “is not only the door: he is the way, he is the road”. There are many paths that may be easier, but “they are not true. They are false. Only Jesus is the road. Some of you may ask, “Father are you a fundamentalist?”! No. Jesus said simply this: “I am the door”, “I am the way”, in order to give us life.

The Pope concluded by asking the faithful present to pray for the grace always to knock at that door and to say this prayer: Jesus, “you who gave your life for me, please let me in”.