THE POPE TO NEW CARDINALS: BE BRINGERS OF CHARITY, YOU ARE ENTERING THE CHURCH OF ROME, NOT A COURT

Vatican City, 23 February 2014 (VIS) – “By his creative and renewing power, the Spirit always sustains the hope of God’s People as we make our pilgrim way through history, and ... he always supports the witness of Christians”, said Pope Francis to the cardinals created in yesterday's consistory, who concelebrated Holy Mass with him in St. Peter's Basilica this morning.

The Holy Father commented in his homily that this Sunday's readings in which Jesus calls for holiness are addressed to all of us, but in particular to the new cardinals: “Imitating the holiness and perfection of God might seem an unattainable goal. Yet, the first reading and the Gospel offer us concrete examples which enable God’s way of acting to become the norm for our own. … In the Gospel Jesus also speaks to us of holiness, and explains to us the new law, his law. He does this by contrasting the imperfect justice of the scribes and Pharisees with the higher justice of the Kingdom of God. The first contrast of today’s passage refers to revenge. 'You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth”. But I say to you … if anyone should strike you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also'. We are required not only to avoid repaying others the evil they have done to us, but also to seek generously to do good to them”.

“The second contrast refers to our enemies: 'You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy”. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you'. Jesus asks those who would follow him to love those who do not deserve it, without expecting anything in return, and in this way to fill the emptiness present in human hearts, relationships, families, communities and in the entire world. My brother Cardinals, Jesus did not come to teach us good manners, how to behave well at the table! To do that, he would not have had to come down from heaven and die on the Cross. Christ came to save us, to show us the way, the only way out of the quicksand of sin, and this way of holiness is mercy, that mercy which he has shown, and daily continues to show, to us. To be a saint is not a luxury. It is necessary for the salvation of the world. This is what the Lord is asking of us”.

“Dear brother Cardinals”, continued the Pope, “the Lord Jesus and mother Church ask us to witness with greater zeal and ardour to these ways of being holy. It is exactly in this greater self-gift, freely offered, that the holiness of a Cardinal consists. We love, therefore, those who are hostile to us; we bless those who speak ill of us ... We do not aim to assert ourselves; we oppose arrogance with meekness; we forget the humiliations that we have endured. May we always allow ourselves to be guided by the Spirit of Christ, who sacrificed himself on the Cross so that we could be 'channels' through which his charity might flow. This is the attitude of a Cardinal, this must be how he acts. A Cardinal – I say this especially to you – enters the Church of Rome, my brothers, not a royal court. May all of us avoid, and help others to avoid, habits and ways of acting typical of a court: intrigue, gossip, cliques, favouritism and partiality. May our language be that of the Gospel: 'yes when we mean yes; no when we mean no'; may our attitudes be those of the Beatitudes, and our way be that of holiness. Let US pray once more: “Merciful Father, by your help, may we be ever attentive to the voice of the Spirit”.

“The Holy Spirit also speaks to us today through the words of Saint Paul: 'You are God’s temple … God’s temple is holy, and that temple you are'. ... This temple of ours is defiled if we neglect our duties towards our neighbour. Whenever the least of our brothers and sisters finds a place in our hearts, it is God himself who finds a place there. ... A heart without love is like a deconsecrated church, a building withdrawn from God’s service and given over to another use”.

Pope Francis concluded his homily by asking the cardinals to remain close to him “with your prayers, your advice and your help … in order to serve the Gospel and to help the Church radiate Christ’s love in our world”.