«This is what we must yearn for: not power, but service. Service is the Christian lifestyle. It is not about a list of things to do, almost as if, once done, we can consider our turn over; those who serve with love do not say: “Now it will be someone else’s turn”. This is a thought for employees, not for witnesses.” Pope Francisin the mass celebrated on the Day dedicated to the missions, much desired by Allamano, one of the 14 canonized today, explains that «service is born from love and love knows no boundaries, it does not make calculations, it is spent and given. Love does not limit itself to producing to bring results, it is not an occasional performance, but it is something that comes from the heart, a heart renewed by love and in love.” The Pontiff, commenting during the celebration which was also attended by President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella, the passage in which James and John ask him to stand one on his right and one on his left recalls Jesus’ question: «What do you want me to do for you?» and underlines that it is a question that the Lord asks each of us. Just like that one: «Can you drink the same cup as me?». «Through these questions, Jesus brings out the bond and expectations that the disciples have towards him, with the lights and shadows typical of every relationship. In fact, James and John are linked to Jesus but have claims. They express the desire to be close to Him, but only to occupy a place of honor, to play an important role, to “sit, in his glory, on the right and on the left””, explains Francis. Evidently they think of Jesus as a victorious and glorious Messiah and expect Him to share his glory with them. They see Jesus as the Messiah, but they imagine him according to the logic of power. Jesus does not stop at the words of the disciples, but goes deep, listens and reads the heart. And, in the dialogue, through two questions, he tries to bring out the desire behind those requests.”
He questions them, as he does with us, to encourage them to change their gaze: «Reveal to them that He is not the Messiah they think; he is the God of love, who lowers himself to reach those below; who becomes weak to lift up the weak, who works for peace and not for warwho came to serve and not to be served. The cup that the Lord will drink is the offering of his life, given to us out of love, until death and death on the cross. And, then, on his right and on his left there will be two thieves, hanging like Him on the cross and not seated in the places of power; two thieves nailed with Christ in pain and not seated in glory. The crucified king, the righteous condemned, becomes the slave of all: this is truly the Son of God!
Jesus teaches us not to think according to the world’s criteria, “but according to the style of God, who makes himself last so that the last are raised up and become the first. And these questions of Jesus, with his teaching on service, are often as incomprehensible to us as they were to the disciples. But by following Him, walking in His footsteps and welcoming the gift of His love which transforms our way of thinking, we too can learn God’s style: service.” A service that «is born from love and love knows no boundaries, it does not make calculations, it is spent and given. It is not limited to producing to bring results, it is not an occasional performance, but it is something that comes from the heart, a heart renewed by love and in love. When we learn to serve, our every gesture of attention and care, every expression of tenderness, every work of mercy become a reflection of God’s love. And so we continue the work of Jesus in the world.”
The “disciples of the Gospel, who are canonized today, must also be seen from this perspective. Throughout the tormented history of humanity, they have been faithful servants, men and women who served in martyrdom and joy, like Manuel Ruiz Lopez and his companions. They are priests and consecrated women fervent with missionary passion, as Don Giuseppe Allamano, Sister Paradis Marie Leonie and Sister Elena Guerra. These new saints lived the style of Jesus: service. The faith and apostolate that they carried out did not fuel in them worldly desires and lust for power but, on the contrary, they became servants of their brothers, creative in doing good, steadfast in difficulties, generous to the end.”
At the end, before praying the Angelus, the Pontiff greets both Mattarella and the delegation from Uganda for the 60th anniversary of the canonization of his martyrs and asks that the authorities commit themselves to the protection of everyone, in particular he speaks of the Brazilian Yanomami population within whose tirbù the miracle attributed to the saint Allamano took place. And pray for the tormented Ukraine, for Palestine, for Israel, for Myanmar and for all the countries at war, invoking, once again, the gift of peace.
