By Juliana Uzoka
Pope Francis emphasized that the inability to trust completely the manifestation of God’s divine presence in others, due to familiarity, could hinder spiritual growth.
Speaking at the Angelus on Sunday, the Holy Father highlighted the dangers of relegating others based on their background, calling such preconceptions a barrier that requires “true faith” and “prayer that opens our hearts” to overcome.
Referencing the day’s Gospel from John 6:41-51, Pope Francis recounted how Jesus’ contemporaries rejected His teachings about coming “down from heaven” because they were overtly familiar with His parentage and profession. This familiarity led them to doubt His divine claims.
Despite Jesus’ divinity, those who knew Him pointed to His mother, father and His work as a carpenter, concluding that God could not manifest Himself in such an ordinary way.
Pope Francis noted that John’s Gospel highlights the lack of faith among Jesus’ contemporaries, who, despite their religious diligence, did not even seek an explanation from Jesus. Instead, they murmured among themselves, reinforcing their own convictions and closing themselves off like an “impenetrable fortress.”
The Holy Father warned that this tendency could affect anyone who prays only to confirm their biases. “True faith and prayer open the mind and heart, they do not close them,” he said. “When you find a person with a closed mind and prayer, their faith is not true.”
Pope Francis urged the Christian faithful to embrace silence to better hear God’s voice and called the Blessed Virgin Mary to intercede for us, helping us “listen with faith to the Lord’s voice and to do His will courageously.”
Pope Francis urged the Christian faithful to embrace silence to better hear God’s voice and called on the Blessed Virgin Mary to intercede for us, helping us “listen with faith to the Lord’s voice and to do His will courageously.”
At the Angelus, Pope Francis also requested prayers for war-torn countries and regions embroiled in conflicts. He expressed deep sorrow for the 61 victims of a plane crash in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Friday, which claimed the lives of all aboard.
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