We publish the official English translation of Pope Francis’ homily during Mass for the feast of the Presentation of the Lord in St Peter’s Basilica in Rome. ***
Michel de Verteuil General notes Following on the Beatitudes, this Sunday’s gospel adds some more insights into the qualities of the followers of Jesus. It does this through three images – salt, light (in two phases) and a city built on a hilltop.
************************************************** Michel DeVerteuil General comments
On this Sunday the “continuous reading” of St Matthew’s gospel (see last week’s “guidelines”) leads us to the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus’ long discourse which runs from chapters 5 to 7 and has always been recognised as a summary of all his teaching.
Greeting
May Christ, the true light of the world, always brighten and inspire our lives.? May our faces reflect his warmth and love,? and may the Lord always be with you. R/ And also with you.
When asked our religion, most of us would describe ourselves as “Catholic” or “Christian.” But we would tend to back away from daring to call ourselves “disciple” or “follower.” That description rightly belongs to the great heroes of our faith: the apostles and holy men and women of the Gospel, the saints and martyrs, the Francises of Assisi, the Mother Teresas, the Thomas Mertons, the Dorothy Days, the Albert Schweitzers. Our lives are too ordinary, our professions too worldly to dare imagine that we are doing the work of the Gospel Jesus.
