Vatican City, 11 October 2014 (VIS) –
Today at midday, the Holy Father appeared at the window of his study
in the Vatican Apostolic Palace to pray the Angelus with the faithful
and pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square. Before the Marian
prayer, Pope Francis commented on the day's reading from the Gospel
of St. Matthew, in which God, represented by a king, gives an
invitation to participate in a wedding banquet; however, none of
those invited choose to attend, and some demonstrate indifference or
even annoyance. The Pope first remarked on the three characteristics
of the invitation: gratuitousness, amplitude, and universality. “God
is good to us”, he said. “He freely offers us His friendship. He
freely offers His joy and salvation. But very often we do not welcome
His gifts. We prioritise our material concerns, our own interests,
and even when the Lord calls us, many times it is as if this
irritates us”.
He continued, “Some of those invited
even mistreat and kill the servants who bring the invitation. But
despite the lack of response from those invited, God's project is not
interrupted. Faced with rejection from those He invites first, he is
not discouraged and does not cancel the feast, but instead extends
the invitation again, this time expanding it beyond reasonable
limits, sending His servants to the squares and crossroads to gather
together all the people they meet”.
“God's goodness has no limits, and
does not discriminate against anyone. This is why the banquet of the
gifts of the Lord is universal. It is universal for everyone. He
gives everyone the opportunity to respond to His invitation, to His
call; no-one has the right to feel privileged or to claim
exclusivity”. He concluded, “The goodness of God does not have
limits and does not discriminate against anyone. We are all called
upon to expand the Church to the dimensions of the Kingdom of God.
There is only one condition: put on the wedding garment: that is,
bear concrete witness to charity towards God and neighbour”.
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