Vatican
City, 11 May 2014
(VIS)
– At midday today, after celebrating Mass for the ordination of
thirteen new priests, the Holy Father appeared at the window of his
study to pray the Regina Coeli with the faithful gathered in St.
Peter's Square. He commented on today's Gospel reading, the parable
of the Good Shepherd, which exemplifies “the type of relationship
Jesus had with His disciples: a relationship based on tenderness,
love, mutual understanding and the promise of an incomparable gift.
'I came that they may have life and have it abundantly'”.
This bond, Francis said, “is the
model for relations between Christians and for all human relations”,
and although “today, too, many propose themselves as pastors for
our existence … only the Risen Christ is the true Pastor, able to
give us life in abundance”.
He invited all present to pray for the
pastors of the Church, for all the bishops, “including the bishop
of Rome, and for all priests. For all of them! In particular, let us
pray for the new priests of the diocese of Rome, whom I ordained this
morning in St. Peter's Basilica. A greeting to these thirteen
priests! May the Lord help us, as pastors, always to be faithful to
the Master and to be wise and enlightened guides for the people of
God entrusted to us. I ask you too to help us: help us to be good
pastors”.
In this regard, the Pope explained
that once he read a text by St. Caesarius of Arles, a priest of the
first centuries of the Church, who explained how the people of God
can help their pastor, with the following example: “When a calf is
hungry he goes to the cow, his mother, for milk. However, the cow
does not give it to him immediately; it almost seems as if she keeps
it for herself. And so what does the calf do? He nudges the cow's
udder with his nose, and in this way the milk comes. It is a
beautiful image. And this, says the saint, is what you must do with
your pastors: always knock at their door, at their heart, so that
they give you the milk of doctrine, the milk of grace and the milk of
guidance. I ask you, please, to trouble your pastors, to disturb
them, all of us, so that we can give you the milk of grace, doctrine
and guidance. Bother us! Think of that beautiful image of the calf
who nudges his mother to feed him”.
“This Sunday we celebrate the World
Day of Prayer for Vocations”, he continued. “This year's message
tells us that 'every vocation always requires an exodus from oneself
in order to centre one’s life on Christ and on His Gospel'.
Therefore, the call to follow Jesus is exciting and challenging at
the same time. ...Let us pray that, even in these times, many young
people may hear the voice of the Lord, that always risks being
suffocated by so many other voices”.
Following the Marian prayer, the
bishop of Rome greeted, amongst others, the neocatechumenal
communities that “on these Sundays during Easter time proclaim the
Risen Jesus in one hundred squares in Rome and in many cities
throughout the world. May the Lord give you the joy of the Gospel!
And carry on your good work!”. He also offered a special blessing
to the children who in these months have received or will receive
their First Communion, and finally he encouraged all present to
dedicate “a good memory or a prayer to all mothers. … Entrusting
them to the mother of Jesus, we pray to the Virgin for our mothers
and for all mothers. … A warm greeting to all mothers”.
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