Pope: "We are all sinners," but "the problem is not that we're sinners but that we don’t repent”, the problem is “being corrupt”

"We are all sinners," but "problem is not that we're sinners but that we don't repent", the problem is "being corrupt" and not being open to an "encounter with the Lord", as Peter was , who allowed himself to be "formed" by Jesus.  This was the focus of Pope Francis at morning Mass in the Santa Martha residence.

Vatican Radio reports that today's Gospel was at the center of the Pope's homily in which the Risen Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves him. "It 'a dialogue of love between the Lord and his disciple," said Francis, who then traced the history of Peter's encounters with Jesus, from that first "Follow Me" , to his new name "You will be called Cephas, Rock", in short, his mission. 

Although "Peter did not understand ... his mission was before him." Then, when Peter recognizes Him as the Christ and immediately denies Him on the Way of the Cross, Jesus who says, "Get behind me, Satan!" and "he accept this humiliation." Peter - said the Pope - often "believed himself to be good", in Gethsemane he is "fiery" and "takes up the sword" to defend Jesus, but then denies Him three times. And when Jesus looks at him with a gaze that is "so beautiful", Peter cries.

"Jesus in these meetings is maturing Peter's soul, Peter's heart," maturing him in love. So Peter when he hears Jesus ask him three times: "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" he is ashamed, because he remembers the three times he had said he did not know Him. "Peter was grieved because for the third time he asked him, 'Do you love me?'. This pain, this shame ... A great man, Peter ... this sinner, a sinner. But the Lord makes him feel, and he makes us feel too, that we are all sinners. The problem is not that we are sinners: the problem is not repenting of sin, not being ashamed of what we have done. That's the problem. Peter has this shame, this humility, no? Sin , Peter's sin, is a fact that together with Peter's big heart, leads him to a new encounter with Jesus, to the joy of forgiveness. "

The Lord does not abandon his promise, when he had told him, "You are a rock," and now He tells him: "Feed my sheep" and he "surrenders His flock to a sinner." "Peter was a sinner, but not corrupt, eh? Sinners, yes, everyone: corrupt, no. I once knew a priest, a good parish priest who worked well; he was appointed bishop, and he was ashamed because he did not feel worthy, he was spiritually tormented. So he went to his confessor. The confessor listened to him and said: "Do not worry. If after everything Peter did, they still made him Pope, you go right ahead! .  Because that's the way God is.  This is the way the Lord is. The Lord makes us mature through our many encounters with him, even with our weaknesses, when we recognize them, even with our sins ...".

Peter "allowed himself to be formed" by his "encounters with Jesus" and this "is useful for all of us, because we are on the same path". "Peter is great" not "because he was good" but because "he was noble, he had a noble heart, and this nobility brings him to tears, leads him to this pain, this shame and also to take on his job of feeding the flock".

"We ask the Lord today - he concluded - that this example of the life of a man who continually encounters the Lord, and the Lord who purifies him, who helps him mature through these encounters, help us to us to move forward, seeking the Lord and encountering Him, to be open to an encounter with Him.  What is most important is to be open to encountering the Lord: He always seeks us, He is always close to us. But often, we look away because we do not want to talk to the Lord or to encounter the Lord. Encountering the Lord, but more importantly, being open to the Lord: this is true pardon.  This is the grace that Peter teaches us.  Let us ask for this grace today".