During Holy Week, we should stop to think about how much "patience" God
has for each one of us. This was Pope Francis’s advice Monday morning for the men and women who work at the Vatican.
As has become tradition since his election, the Holy Father led Mass for Monday of Holy Week, in the small chapel of the Casa Santa Marta, where he is staying until renovation work is completed on the papal apartments.
Joining him Monday were also journalists from the Osservatore Romano. He said “The emblem of the infinite patience that God has for man is reflected in the infinite patience that Jesus has for Judas”.
Pope Francis was inspired by the scene of today's Gospel, in which Judas criticizes Mary, sister of Lazarus, for anointing Jesus' feet with three hundred grams of precious perfume: it would be better - says Judas – to sell it and give the proceeds to the poor. John noted in the Gospel that Judas was not interested in the poor, but in stealing the money.
Yet, Pope Francis said, "Jesus did not say: 'You are a thief.’”. Instead “he was patient with Judas, trying to draw him closer through patience, his love. During Holy Week, we would do well to think of the patience of God, the patience that God has with each one of us, with our weaknesses, our sins. "
"The patience of God is a mystery!", Pope Francis said. "How much patience he has with us! We do so many things, but He is patient”.
The Holy Father likened him to the father in the Gospel, who , "saw his son from afar, the son who had left him with all of his inheritance." And why, the Pope asked, did he see him from afar? "Because every day he went out to see if his child would return". This, Pope Francis affirmed, "is God's patience, this is the patience of Jesus."
He concluded: "Let us think of our personal relationship, in this week: How patient has Jesus been with me in my life? Just this. And then the words will rise from our hearts: 'Thank you, Lord! Thank you for your patience. "