Being a Christian means accepting God's invitation to believe in Jesus
and to celebrate with the whole church the joy of being saved, the pope
said Nov. 5 during his early morning Mass in the Domus Sanctae Marthae
where he lives.
The pope's homily, according to Vatican Radio, looked both at the
parable in the Gospel of St. Luke about the man who invited friends to a
banquet, but none of them showed up, as well as at the description in
the Letter to the Romans about how members of the church each have
different gifts to use for the good of all.
"A Christian is one who is invited," not to visit a shop or "take a
walk," but to join a celebration, the pope said. "The Christian is one
who is invited to a party, to joy, the joy of being saved and redeemed,
the joy of participating in the life of Jesus.
"A party is a gathering of people who talk, laugh, celebrate and are
happy," he said. "It's always a gathering of people. At least among
people who are mentally normal, I've never seen someone have a party
alone -- it would be a bit boring."
"The church isn't only for good people," the pope said, because "all of
us sinners have been invited" and called to form a community.
A Christian cannot say, "I'll go to the party, but only to the front
room with the three or four people I know," Pope Francis said. "You
can't do this in the church. Either you enter with everyone or you stay
outside. You can't choose; the church is for everyone, as I've said,
beginning with the marginalized. It is the church of all."
It's not enough to have received the invitation, he said. "There are
Christians who settle for being on the guest list," but don't show up
for the celebration, and "that isn't enough."
"To enter the church means being open to what the Lord Jesus asks of
us," accepting the gift of salvation and placing one's time and talents
at the service of the community, the pope said.
As for those who don't RSVP right away, Pope Francis said that God
"understand and waits, because he is merciful. But the Lord doesn't like
those who say 'yes' and then don't come, who pretend to thank him for
many things, but really follow their own path, who have good manners,
but do their own will and not the Lord's."