ROM, mda. This is one of those moments that makes me shiver with joy, this feeling of wanting to shout, cry, smile and pray, all at the same time. Two hours and 34 minutes after the start of the Palm Sunday celebration in St. Peter’s Square and the Radio Vatican commentators have already signed off with their customary “Laudetur Jesus Christus” and have switched to music in the last few minutes of the transmission. The people in St. Peter’s move towards the railings because they know: even though it is late and Francis, looked at his watch while he greeted the cardinals, he will move around the Square in his popemobile to greet the people… As he gets into the popemobile near the altar, the youth from Brazil to his left greet him by waving their hands – and in that moment everything changes. Pope Francis climbs down from the popemobile and heads, almost runs, towards these young people, who appear to have transformed into a single wave of joy. A moment of WYD Rio 2013 in St. Peter’s.
You can see that they weren’t expecting this. They jump with joy. He enjoys it…he greets them smiling, lets them take selfies with what seems to be every single cellphone in the Brazilian group, he has time, he is interested, he is – a father, an accomplice, overjoyed with the joy that surrounds him. In the middle of the square, one of the students from a school in Spain turns to his companion and says: “It’s true what they say. He loves us.”
‘Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven’
Pope Francis opened the Holy Week rites with the solemn liturgical celebration of Palm Sunday and the Lord’s Passion in St. Peter’s Square. The ceremony began with the blessing of the palms and olive branches placed next to the obelisk in the Square, which were taken in procession to the door of the Basilica. The youth of the Roman and other dioceses took part in the celebration as part of the XXIX World Youth Day, which this year has as its motto: “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.’
During a solemn moment, the Brazilian delegation handed over the World Youth Day Cross and Icon to a group of youth from Poland, where they will take on pilgrimage to Krakow, where the next WYD with the Pople will be held during the European summer of 2016.
After his meeting with the youth, he climbs again into the popemobile to drive around the Square and a significant portion of the Via de la Conciliazione, which was packed with people on this sunny Sunday. He drinks some mate [typical Argentinean drink] which has become an almost customary offering from some Argentinean pilgrims, he greets, kisses, blesses – and if he hasn’t already given so much, he goes around the Square a second time… “Who am I? Who am I before the Lord? Who am I before Jesus who enters Jerusalem in celebration? Am I able to express my joy, to praise him?” he said in his improvised sermon. The people in the Square express their joy, scream, clap, take photographs, cry with emotion, run, jump…pray.
Who am I before my Holy Father Francis?
“It would be good for us to ask just one question: Who am I? Who am I before my Lord? Who am I, before Jesus who enters Jerusalem amid the enthusiasm of the crowd? Am I ready to express my joy, to praise him? Or do I stand back? Who am I, before the suffering Jesus?” Words from his sermon that resound in the heart as we leave St. Peter’s…when it finally came time to go …and without wanting to, already below the colonnades with one last glance back to the Square, a question forms: Who am I before my Holy Father Francisco? Of course, I am among those who pray for him, who applaud him. But that is not enough. Covenant solidarity with Francis. Be his ally, offer him my eyes, my ears, my hands, my mouth, my solidarity projects, my solidarity house in the streets of Asunción, my heart, my entire self.
Guard, defend and use him as your instrument and possession, for the renewal of the Church, and give as the grace to renew ourselves in and with her…
Complete text of Pope Francis’ sermon
“This week begins with the festive procession with olive branches: the entire populace welcomes Jesus. The children and young people sing, praising Jesus.
But this week continues in the mystery of Jesus’ death and his resurrection. We have just listened to the Passion of our Lord. We might well ask ourselves just one question: Who am I? Who am I, before my Lord? Who am I, before Jesus who enters Jerusalem amid the enthusiasm of the crowd? Am I ready to express my joy, to praise him? Or do I stand back? Who am I, before the suffering Jesus?
We have just heard many, many names. The group of leaders, some priests, the Pharisees, the teachers of the law, who had decided to kill Jesus. They were waiting for the chance to arrest him. Am I like one of them?
We have also heard another name: Judas. Thirty pieces of silver. Am I like Judas? We have heard other names too: the disciples who understand nothing, who fell asleep while the Lord was suffering. Has my life fallen asleep? Or am I like the disciples, who did not realize what it was to betray Jesus? Or like that other disciple, who wanted to settle everything with a sword? Am I like them? Am I like Judas, who feigns loved and then kisses the Master in order to hand him over, to betray him? Am I a traitor? Am I like those people in power who hastily summon a tribunal and seek false witnesses: am I like them? And when I do these things, if I do them, do I think that in this way I am saving the people?
Am I like Pilate? When I see that the situation is difficult, do I wash my hands and dodge my responsibility, allowing people to be condemned – or condemning them myself?
Am I like that crowd which was not sure whether they were at a religious meeting, a trial or a circus, and then chose Barabbas? For them it was all the same: it was more entertaining to humiliate Jesus.
Am I like the soldiers who strike the Lord, spit on him, insult him, who find entertainment in humiliating him?
Am I like the Cyrenean, who was returning from work, weary, yet was good enough to help the Lord carry his cross?
Am I like those who walked by the cross and mocked Jesus: “He was so courageous! Let him come down from the cross and then we will believe in him!”. Mocking Jesus….
Am I like those fearless women, and like the mother of Jesus, who were there, and who suffered in silence?
Am I like Joseph, the hidden disciple, who lovingly carries the body of Jesus to give it burial?
Am I like the two Marys, who remained at the Tomb, weeping and praying?
Am I like those leaders who went the next day to Pilate and said, “Look, this man said that he was going to rise again. We cannot let another fraud take place!”, and who block life, who block the tomb, in order to maintain doctrine, lest life come forth?
Where is my heart? Which of these persons am I like? May this question remain with us throughout the entire week.
