ANGELUS TODAY
The Holy Father reflected on the Gospel today about Jesus dining at the house of a Pharisee and the lessons of humility and free generosity in the parables he told.
He also paid tribute to St. Louis IX of France who wrote about true humility, and on St. John the Baptist whose martyrdom the Church commemorates today.
He offered prayers and encouragement for the trapped miners in Chile, and recalled that in Italy, the Church marks the day to Safeguard Creation on Sept. 1.
Here is a full translation of the Holy Father's words today:
Dear brothers and sisters,
In the Gospel this Sunday (Lk 14, 1.71-14), we encounter Jesus as a guest at the home of a Pharisee leader. Observing how some guests chose to take the best seats at table, he recounted a parable that takes place during a nuptial banquet.
"When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not recline at table in the place of honor. A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited, and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say, 'Give your place to this man'... Rather, when you are invited, go and take the lowest place, so that when the host comes to you he may say, 'My friend, move up to a higher position" (Lk 14,8-10).
The Lord did not intend to give a lesson on etiquette nor on the hierarchy among diverse authorities. Rather, he insisted on a decisive point which is that of humility: "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted" (Lk 14,11).
This parable, in a deeper meaning, also makes us think of man's position in relation to God. 'The lowest place' may, in fact, represent the condition of mankind degraded by sin, a condition from which only the Incarnation of God's only begotten Son would raise him.
For this, Christ himself took "the lowest place in the world - the Cross - and by this radical humility he redeemed us and constantly comes to our aid" (Enc. Deus caritas est, 35).
At the end of the parable, Jesus suggests to the chief of the Pharisees that he invite to his table, not his friends, relatives or rich neighbors, but those who are poor and emarginated, who have no way to repay him (cfr Lk 14,13-14), so that the gift is free.
In fact, the true reward, in the end, will come from God "who governs the world, not we. We offer him our service only to the extent that we can, and for as long as he grants us the strength" (Enc. Deus caritas est, 35).
Thus once more, we look on Christ as a model of humility and gratuitousness: from him we learn patience when tempted, gentleness when offended, obedience to God in sorrow, in the hope that he who invites us to his banquet will say to us: "My friend, move up to a higher position" (cfr Lk 14,10). The true good, in fact, is to be near him.
St. Louis IX, King of France - whose liturgical feast we observed last Wednesday - put into practice what was written in the Book of Ecclesiastes: "The more you are great, the more you are humbled, and you will find grace before the Lord" (3,18). Thus he wrote in his 'Spiritual testament to his son": If the Lord gives you prosperity, not only must you humbly thank him, but beware that you do not become worse through vainglory or in any other way - beware, then, of not opposing God or offending him with his own gifts" (Acta Sanctorum Augusti 5 [1868], 546).
Dear friends, today we commemorate the martyrdom of St. John the Baptist, the greatest of Christ's prophets, who renounced himself to make way for the Savior, and who suffered and died for the truth. Let us ask him and the Virgin Mary to lead us along the way of humility in order to be worthy of divine reward.
After the prayers, he said:
On September 1, the Day for Safeguarding Creation will be observed in Italy, promoted by the Italian bishops' conference. It is an occasion that has now become customary and which is important even on the ecumenical level.
This year, we are reminded that there can be no peace without respect for the environment. In fact, we have the duty to leave the earth to the new generations in a state that even they may live in it worthily and continue to conserve it. May the Lord help us in this task!
In his Spanish greeting, he had a special message:
In greeting the Spanish-speaking pilgrims taking part in this Marian prayer, I wish to remember with particular affection the miners who are trapped in the mine of San Jose, in the Chilean region of Atacama.
I commend them and their families to the intercession of St. Lawrence, assuring them of my spiritual closeness and continual prayers, so that they may remain calm as they await the happy ending to the work that is taking place to rescue them.
I invite everyone to accept the Word of God in order to grow in faith, humility adn generosity.
Sorry for being very late in making the Angelus post, as I was once again away for the whole day yesterday.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 30/08/2010 14:22]