Vatican City, 1 November 2015 (VIS) –
This afternoon, on the Solemnity of All Saints, Pope Francis
celebrated Holy Mass in the monumental cemetery of Verano, followed
by a prayer for the deceased and the blessing of the tombs. The
cardinal vicar of Rome, Agostino Vallini, Archbishop Filippo Iannone,
vice regent of the diocese of Rome and pastor of San Lorenzo
Outside-the-Walls, and Fr. Armando Ambrosi concelebrated with the
Holy Father.
The Pope dedicated his homily to the
Sermon on the Mount, when Jesus taught the Beatitudes, the way to
true happiness, to the disciples and the multitude gathered on the
hill by the Sea of Galilee. “It is a difficult path to understand
as it goes against the grain, but the Lord tells us that he who takes
this path is happy; sooner or later he finds happiness”.
“'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for
theirs is the kingdom of Heaven'. We might ask ourselves how a person
who is poor of heart, whose only treasure is the Kingdom of Heaven,
can be happy. But the reason is precisely this: that having a
despoiled heart, free of many worldly things, this person is
'awaited' in the Kingdom of Heaven”.
“'Blessed are those who mourn, for
they shall be comforted'. He who in life has not experienced sadness,
anguish and pain will never know the strength of consolation. Happy
instead are all those who have the capacity to be moved, to feel the
pain that is in their life and in the life of others. They will be
happy, because the tender hand of God the Father will console and
caress them”.
“'Blessed are the meek'. On the
contrary, we are so often impatient, nervous, ready to complain. We
make so many demands of others, but when it is our turn, we react by
raising our voice, as if we were the owners of the world, while in
reality we are all children of God”.
“'Blessed are those who hunger and
thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied'. Those who have a
strong sense of justice, and not only towards others, but first of
all towards themselves, they will be satisfied, because they are
ready to receive the greatest justice, which only God can give”.
“And then, 'blessed are the merciful,
because they will obtain mercy'. Happy are those who are able to
forgive, who have mercy on others, who do not judge everything and
everyone, but who try to put themselves in the shoes of other people.
Forgiveness what we all need, without exception. This is why, at the
beginning of Mass we recognise ourselves for what we are, sinners”.
“'Blessed are the peacemakers,
because they will be called sons of God'. Let us look at the faces of
those who go around sowing discord: are they happy? Those who always
seek occasions to embroil, to take advantage of others, are they
happy? No, they cannot be happy. Instead those who every day seek
with patience to sow peace, are architects of peace, of
reconciliation: these are blessed, because they are true children of
our Father in Heaven, who always and only sows peace, sending His Son
into the world as a seed of peace for humanity”.
“This is the way of holiness, and it
is the very way of happiness”, concluded the Holy Father. “It is
the way that Jesus followed; or rather, He himself is Way. Those who
walk with Him and pass through Him enter into life, eternal life. Let
us ask of the Lord the grace to be simple and humble persons, the
grace to be able to weep, the grace to be meek, the grace to work for
justice and peace, and above all the grace to allow ourselves to be
forgiven by God so as to become instruments of His mercy. This is
what all the Saints did, those who have preceded us in the celestial
homeland. May they accompany us on our earthly pilgrimage and
encourage us to go forward”.
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