Pope's homily: God is a Father who weeps for His children and never rejects them





During his daily morning Mass at the Vatican, Pope Francis explained that God is a father who weeps for His children and never rejects them, not even the most rebellious.

Pope Francis gave the example of King David, who cried when his son Absalon died. He also referenced Jairus, the head of a synagogue who cried to Jesus after losing his daughter.

POPE FRANCIS
"And with these two icons let’s say: ‘I believe in God the Father…’. And let’s ask the Holy Spirit, because it’s only He, the Holy Spirit, who teaches us to say  ‘Abba, Father!’ It’s a grace. To be able to say to God ‘Father’ with our hearts. Is a grace of the Holy Spirit. Let’s ask Him for this.”

Pope Francis added that God waits for His children just like the father in the parable who waits for his prodigal son, in spite of behavior. He concluded that priest and bishops should embrace the same spiritual parenthood.

SUMMARY OF THE POPE'S HOMILY
(Source: Vatican Radio)

"While he was walking away, he was saying: ‘My son, Absalom. My son! My son, Absalom! If only I had died instead of you! Absalom, my son! My son!’ This is the heart of a father, who never disowns his own son. ‘He’s a bandit, he’s an enemy. But he is my son!’ and David does not disown his fatherhood: he weeps.. David weeps twice for his children: On this occasion and another time when the son from his adultery was about to die. On that occasion too, he fasted and did penance in order to save the life of the son. He was a father!”

"For them, the most important thing is their son, their daughter! There is nothing else. This is the only important thing! This makes us think about the first thing that we say to God in the Creed: "I believe in God the Father..” This makes us think about the fatherhood of God. But God is like this. God is like this with us! ‘But, Father, God doesn’t weep!’ But yes, he does! Remember Jesus how he wept when looking at Jerusalem. ‘Jerusalem, Jerusalem! How many times have I wished to gather your children, like the hen who gathers her chicks under her wings’. God weeps! Jesus has wept for us! And that weeping of Jesus is exactly that of a Father who weeps, who wants everybody with him.”

"Let’s go home today with these two icons: David who mourns and the other, Jairus, the head of the Synagogue, who throws himself in front of Jesus, without being afraid or ashamed to become the laughing stock of others. It was their children, the son and the daughter who mattered. And with these two icons let’s say: ‘I believe in God the Father…’. And let’s ask the Holy Spirit – because it’s only He, the Holy Spirit – who teaches us to say "Abba, Father!’ It’s a grace! - to be able to say to God ‘Father’ with our hearts is a grace of the Holy Spirit. Let’s ask him for this.”

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