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The Pope’s words at the Angelus prayer, 25.11.2018

Before the Angelus

After the Angelus

At midday today, the Holy Father Francis appeared at the window of his study in the Vatican Apostolic Palace to pray the Angelus with the faithful and pilgrims gathered in Saint Peter’s Square.

The following is the Pope’s introduction to the Marian prayer:

 

Before the Angelus

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

The solemnity of Jesus Christ King of the Universe, which we celebrate today, is placed at the end of the liturgical year and recalls that the life of creation does not advance by chance, but rather proceeds towards a final destination: the definitive manifestation of Christ, Lord of history and of all creation. The conclusion of history will be His eternal kingdom. Today’s Gospel reading (cf. Jn 18: 33b-37) speaks to us about this kingdom, Christ’s kingdom, recounting the humiliating situation in which Jesus found Himself after being arrested in Gethsemane: bound, insulted, accused and brought before the authorities of Jerusalem. And then, he is presented to the Roman procurator, as one who attacks the political power, to become the King of the Jews. Pilate then carries out his inquest and in a dramatic interrogation asks Him twice if He is a King (cf. vv. 33b-37).

And Jesus first answers that His kingdom “is not of this world” (v. 36). He then affirms, “You say that I am a king” (v.37). It is clear from all His life that Jesus does not have political ambitions. Let us recall that after the multiplication of the loaves, the people, enthusiastic about the miracle, wanted to proclaim Him king, to overturn the Roman power and to re-establish the kingdom of Israel. But for Jesus the kingdom is something else, and it is certainly not achieved by revolt, violence and the force of arms. Therefore, He withdrew by Himself to the Mount in order to pray (cf. Jn 6: 5-15). Now, responding to Pilate, He makes him observe that His disciples have never fought to defend Him. He says, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders” (v. 36).

Jesus wishes to make it understood that beyond political power there is another, much greater one, that is not achieved by human means. He came to earth to exercise this power, which is love, testifying to the truth (cf. v. 37). It is a divine truth that is definitively the essential message of the Gospel: “God is love” (I Jn 4: 8), and wishes to establish in the world his kingdom of love, justice and peace. And this is the Kingdom of which Jesus is the king, and which extends to the end of time. History teaches us that kingdoms based on the power of weapons and on prevarication are fragile, and sooner or later collapse. But the Kingdom of God is based on His love and is rooted in hearts – the Kingdom of God is rooted in hearts – conferring to those who welcome Him peace, freedom and fullness of life. We all want peace, we all want freedom and we want fullness. And how is this done? Allow the love of God, the Kingdom of God, the love of Jesus to take root in your heart and you will have peace, you will have freedom and you will have fullness.

Jesus today asks us to let Him become our King. A king Who, by His word, His example and His life, immolated on the cross, saved us from death, and shows – this king – the way of the lost man, giving new light to our existence marked by doubt, fear and the trials of every day. But we must not forget that the Kingdom of Jesus is not of this world. He can give a new meaning to our life, at times harshly tried also by our mistakes and by our sins, only on the condition that we do not follow the logic of the world and of its “kings”.

May the Virgin Mary help us to welcome Jesus as the king of our life and to extend His Kingdom, bearing witness to the truth that is love.

 

After the Angelus

Dear brothers and sisters,

Yesterday, Ukraine commemorated the anniversary of the Holodomor, the terrible famine provoked by the Soviet regime which caused millions of victims. The image is painful. May the wound of the past be a call to all, so that these tragedies never again be repeated. Let us pray for that dear country and for the much-desired peace.

I greet all of you pilgrims, from Italy and from various countries: families, parish groups, associations. In particular, I greet the many choirs who have come for their Third International Convention in the Vatican, and I thank them for their presence and for their valuable service to the liturgy and to evangelization. Many thanks!

I greet the participants in the Congress on fertility, promoted by the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart on the fiftieth anniversary of the Encyclical Humanae vitae of Saint Paul VI; as well as the students of jurisprudence of the Roma Tre University, and the faithful of Pozzuoli, Bacoli and Bellizzi. I greet the members of the Ranchibile Institute of Palermo. And I compliment you, because you have been courageous to come here in this rain! You are brave! Well done!

I wish you all a good Sunday and please, do not forget to pray for me. Have a good lunch, and goodbye.