The Gospel, then the appeal of the 23 deacons (three Italians, from Rome, Bologna and Salerno) to be ordered. Pope Francis, from the Gemelli hospital bed he follows and prays he wanted to send his homily, to be read to Monsignor Rino Fisichella. The pro-prefect of the Dicastery for evangelization, section for the fundamental issues of evangelization in the world, which presides over the Jubilee dedicated to these ministers, recalls how, “in the Eucharistic celebration where communion takes on the fullest and most significant dimension , We hear Pope Francis closer to us, present in the midst of us ». Calls everyone to a more intense prayer “because the Lord assist him at the moment of proof and the disease” And then add the word of the pontiff to the deacons. Francesco focuses his homily on the word “Free”. A “fundamental dimension of Christian life and your ministry” which proves to be in three aspects: “Forgiveness, the disinterested service and communion”. Forgiveness is “an essential task of the deacon. In fact, it is an indispensable element for any ecclesial path and condition for every human coexistence. Jesus indicates the need and scope when he says: “Love your enemies” ». To make communion, to grow together, “sharing lights and shadows, successes and failures of each other, it is necessary to be able to forgive and ask for forgiveness, re -establishing relationships and not excluding from our love even those who strike us and betray us. A world where for opponents there is only hatred is a world without hope, without a future, destined to be torn to torn by wars, divisions and selling endless, as unfortunately we see even today, at many levels And in various parts of the world ». Forgiveness, however, prepares “a welcoming, safe house in the future in us and in our communities”. The deacon is “committed to seeing – and to teach others to see – in all, even in those who make a mistake and make a sister and brother injured in the soul suffer, and therefore in need more than anyone of reconciliation, driving and help”.
The second point, that of the disinterested service, tells us that “for the deacon, this attitude is not an accessory aspect of its action, but a substantial dimension of its being. In fact, he consecrates himself to be, in the ministry, “sculptor” and “painter” of his father’s merciful face, Witness of the mystery of God-Trinity ». And remember when, on the way of Jerusalem, Jesus explains to the disciples, who discussed who of them was the greatest, that “the son of man (…) did not come to be served, but to serve and give the own life in redemption for many ». Therefore “the free work you do”, underlines the pope’s homily speaking to the deacons, “as an expression of your consecration to the charity of Christfor you the first announcement of the word, a source of trust and joy for those who meet you. Accompany it as much as possible with a smile, without complaining and without seeking awards, one in support of others, also in relations with the bishops and priests, “as an expression of a church committed to growing in the service of the kingdom with the enhancement of all degrees of the ordered ministry “». This is how “your aging agreed and generous will be a bridge that unites the altar to the road, the Eucharist with people’s daily life; Charity will be your most beautiful liturgy and the liturgy your most humble service ».
Finally «the gratuitousness as a source of communion. Give without asking for anything in return unites, creates bonds, because it expresses and feeds a being together that has no other end if not the gift of self and the good of people. San Lorenzo, your patron, when he was asked by his accusers to deliver the treasures of the Church, showed them the poor and said: “Here are our treasures!”. This is how communion is built: saying to the brother and sister, with the words, but above all with the facts, personally and as a community: “For us you are important”, “We love you”, “we want to participate in our journey e of our life “. You do this: husbands, fathers and ready -made grandparents, in the service, to widen your families to those in need, where you live ».
In the homily, the Pope still explains that “your mission, which takes you from the company to introduce you to it again and make it more and more a welcoming and open place to everyone, is one of the most beautiful expressions of a synodal and” outgoing “church. Soon some of you, receiving the sacrament of the order, will “descend” the steps of the Ministry. Deliberately I say and I emphasize that they will “descend”, and not that they will “ascend”, because with the ordination you do not go up, but you go down, get small, you lower yourself and undress. To use the words of Saint Paul, the “man of earth” abandon himself in the service, and we are covered, in the charity, of the “man of heaven” ». For this reason it is necessary to meditate “all of what we are about to do, while we rely on the Virgin Mary, servant of the Lord, and San Lorenzo, your patron. They help us to live each of our ministry with a humble and full of love and to be, in gratuity, apostles of forgiveness, disinterested servants of the brothers and manufacturers of communion ».
