It is the last Sunday of the liturgical year and solemnity of Christ the King and at the Angelus the Pope comments on today’s passage from the Gospel which presents Jesus before Pontius Pilate to whom he was handed over to condemn him to death. «Between the two, however, a brief dialogue begins», states the Pope, «through Pilate’s questions and the Lord’s answers, two words in particular are transformed, acquiring a new meaning: the word “king” and the word “world”. At first Pilate asks Jesus: “Are you the king of the Jews?”. Reasoning as an official of the empire, he wants to understand if the man in front of him constitutes a threat, and for him a king is the authority that commands over all his subjects. In response, Jesus claims to be king, yes, but in a very different way! Jesus is king because he is a witness: He is the One who tells the truth. The royal power of Jesus, the incarnate Word, lies in his true and effective word, that transforms the world.”
The “world” of Pontius Pilate, Bergoglio explained, «it is the one where the strong wins over the weak, the rich over the poor, the violent over the meek. A world that unfortunately we know well. Jesus is King, but his kingdom is not of this world. The world of Jesus, in fact, is the new one, the eternal one, which God prepares for everyone by giving his life for our salvation. It is the kingdom of heaven, which Christ brings to earth by pouring out grace and truth. The world, of which Jesus is King, redeem creation ruined by evil with the strength of divine love that liberates and forgives, which gives peace and justice. Brothers and sisters, Jesus speaks to Pilate very closely, but he remains distant from him, because he lives in a different world. Their dialogue does not become an understanding, Pilate does not open up to the truth, even if he has it in front of him. He will have Jesus crucified, and will order to write on the cross: “The king of the Jews”, but without understanding the meaning of those words.”
The Pontiff invites us to ask ourselves: «Can I say that Jesus is my “king”? In what sense? Is His Word my guide, my certainty? Do I see in Him the merciful face of God towards me and towards every brother and sister?».
At the end of the Marian prayer, a Korean boy and a girl appeared next to the Pope from the window of the Apostolic Palace, who remained until the final greeting. «These two Korean boys today took the cross of World Youth Day, which will be in Seoul, and will take it to Korea to prepare for the day. An applause to the Koreans and also an applause to the young Portuguese who delivered the cross”, he said, addressing the faithful present in St. Peter’s Square, and adding that “today the 39th World Youth Day is celebrated in the particular Churches on the theme ” Those who hope in the Lord walk without getting tired.” Even young people get tired sometimes if they don’t hope in the Lord. I greet the delegations of Portugal and South Korea who passed the baton on the way to the WYD in Seoul in 2027.”
The Pope then confirmed that they will be canonized next year Pier Giorgio Frassati and the blessed Carlo Acutis and invited us to pray for the Myanmar: «Tomorrow Myanmar celebrates the National Day, in memory of the first student protest that led the country towards independence and in the prospect of a peaceful and democratic season, which it still struggles to achieve today. I express my closeness to the entire population of Myanmar, in particular to those suffering from the ongoing fighting, especially the most vulnerable: children, the elderly, the sick, refugees, including the Rohingya. To all the parties involved – added the Pontiff – I make a heartfelt appeal to silence the guns, open a sincere, inclusive dialogue, capable of ensuring lasting peace.”
Finally, the appeal to continue to pray «for the tormented woman Ukraine, who suffers so much for the PAlestina, for Israel, Lebanon, Sudan. We ask for peace.”
