Pope Francis on Monday said Christian freedom is to be found in being docile to God’s Word.
Speaking
during his homily at morning Mass in Casa Santa Marta, the Pope said we
must always be ready to welcome the message of the Gospel and the
surprises that God has in store for us.
God’s
word is alive and full of strength, it discerns the sentiments of the
heart, but we must be open to receive it. Speaking to those present for
morning Mass in the Vatican, the Pope highlighted the need to really
welcome the message of the Gospel with an attitude of docility and
openness.
The Gospel – the Pope said – doesn’t just tell us the
things we want to hear. It is alive and strong and full of novelty;
God’s Word – he continued - is “free” and full of surprises because
“our God is the God of surprises, the God of the Revelation”.
And
urging us to be malleable and docile, he said we must ask ourselves
whether we adapt ourselves to the novelties of the Gospel? Or do we
process the message until it becomes something different to what God
wants it to be?
And Francis reflected on the first reading
of the day in which the prophet Samuel reprimands King Saul for not
obeying the voice of the Lord and for attempting to justify his
disobedience by masking his greed with generosity.
The Pope said it
is important is to have a docile and obedient heart, listening to the
voice of the Lord and doing what He commands us to do so that in obeying
Him, we share in His life and love.
And this he – continued – leads
us to reflect on the true meaning of Christian “freedom” and of
Christian “obedience”, both of which – he said - are to be found in the
Word of God and in the courage to really be open to his message.