Pope Francis indicated, Sunday, March 21, during the angel’s prayer in the Vatican, that the cross “has become the emblem of Christians par excellence.”
He explained that for those who come from countries and cultures that little is known about Christianity and want to know more about Jesus, the first thing they see “in the churches, in the homes of Christians, and even in their bodies” is the cross.
For this reason, I insist on the importance of “the harmony of the sign with the Gospel,” because “the cross cannot help but express love, service and dedication without reservation: only in this way is the“ tree of life ”truly… excessive.”
The Pope, who once again presided over the angels in private from the library of the Apostolic Palace due to increased restrictions in Italy due to the coronavirus epidemic, made this meditation from a part of Saint John’s Gospel as he recounts how a group of Greeks approached the Apostle Phillips and asked to see Jesus.
Jesus responded to this request “in a thought-provoking way. It is like this:” The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified […] If the grain of wheat does not fall to the ground and dies, then it remains alone; But if it dies, it bears many fruits.
The Pope noted, “These words do not seem to respond to the request made by these Greeks. In fact, they go further. Indeed, Jesus reveals that, to every human who wants to search for him, he is the hidden seed ready to die to bear many fruits. As if you were saying: If you want to know and understand me, look at the grain of wheat that died on the ground, look at the cross.
The Holy Father emphasized that “many people today, often without implicitly saying it, wish to“ see Jesus ”, meet him, and know him. This makes us understand the great responsibility of Christians and our societies.
“We too must respond with the testimony of life that is offered in service. It is about sowing seeds of love not with words blown by the wind, but with concrete, simple and courageous examples.”
In this way, Pope Francis asserted that “God by His grace makes us bear fruit, even when the earth is barren due to misunderstanding, difficulties or persecution.”
“So precisely, in experience and in solitude, as the seed dies, is the moment when life sprouts, to bear the fruits ripe in time. It is in this network of death and life that we can experience joy and happiness. The true fertility of love,” he concluded.