Cardinal Pietro Parolin celebrates mass on Sunday of divine mercy in the suffrage for Pope Francis, and recalls that Mercy offers Christians the gold thread which unites our lives to each other and to Christ.
By Devin Watkins
At Mass on the second day of the Novemdiales, or “nine days” of mourning for the late Pope Francis, Cardinal Pietro Paroline invited Christians to look at the infinite mercy of Christ for peace in the world and in our hearts.
In his homily, the 70 -year -old Cardinal of Italian origin was inspired by the Gospel of the day, who remembers the fear and the sadness of the apostles as they huddled in the upper chamber after the death of Jesus.
He said that this image represents the state of mind of the Church at the moment, while Christians were crying the pope, who died on Easter Monday and were buried on Saturday.
“The sorrow at his departure, the feeling of sadness that assaulted us, the agitation that we feel in our hearts, the feeling of perplexity,” he said, “we live all this, like the mourning apostles of the death of Jesus.”
However, said Cardinal Paroline, Christ comes precisely in this darkness to reveal himself in the glory of his resurrection and illuminates our hearts.
“Pope Francis has reminded us of this since his election and has often repeated it to us, placing at the center of his pontificate this joy of the Gospel,” he said.
Many young people were present at the second Mass of November, which took place during the jubilee provided for adolescents.
Cardinal Parolin urged young people to welcome the joy of Easter, even in the midst of the pain of loss, reminding them that Jesus always gives us “courage to live”.
Recalling the feast of divine mercy, the cardinal declared that the teaching of Pope Francis has emphasized the mercy of God, who has no limits and works to raise and renew us.
“Our affection for him, which manifests itself at that time,” he said, “must not remain a simple emotion of the moment. We must welcome his inheritance and be part of our lives, opening up to the mercy of God and also merciful to each other.”
Mercy, added Cardinal Parolin, “brings us back to the heart of faith” and helps us to interpret our relationship with God and our identity as church according to the categories of God, rather than those of the world.
“The good news of the Gospel is above all the discovery of being loved by a God who has compassionate and tender feelings for each of us, whatever our merits,” he said. “It also reminds us that our life is woven with mercy: we can only get up after our falls and look to the future if we have someone who loves us without limits and forgives us.”
Cardinal Parolin, who was Secretary of State under Pope Francis, noted that only mercy heals and creates a new world, turning out the fires of hatred and violence.
“The Risen Lord directs his disciples, his Church, to be instruments of mercy for humanity for those who wish to accept the love and forgiveness of God,” said the Cardinal. “Pope Francis was a brilliant witness of a church that leans with tenderness towards those who are wounded and heal with the Balm of Mercy.”
The late pope, he added, firmly believed that peace is not possible without recognizing each other and mutual forgiveness.
Turning to the employees of the Roman Curia and the state of the Vatican city, Cardinal Parolin thanked them for their tireless service in the Holy See.
“We confuse ourselves to the Blessed Virgin Mary, who was so devoted that he chose to be buried in the basilica of Saint Mary Major,” concluded Cardinal Parolin. “That she protected us, interced with us, watches over the Church and supports the journey of humanity in peace and fraternity.”
