In slavery, Christ is liberation. Amid the scourge of war, Christ is hope. In the hour of sin, Christ is forgiveness.
Reflecting on one of the most tender passages in the Gospel, which is proclaimed this Sunday, Pope Leo said that "our journey of following Christ is not an asceticism that mortifies. Rather, it is a school of freedom that takes seriously the drama of history and continually sheds light on its meaning, especially in its darkest moments."
Below is the full translation of the brief reflection he offered on the Gospel before leading the midday Sunday Angelus with those gathered in St. Peter's Square.
This afternoon, the Holy Father will head to Castel Gandolfo, and the midday Sunday Angelus for the coming weeks will be led there.
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Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday!
In today’s Gospel reading (Mt 11:25–30) Jesus invites us to join him in praising the Father, “Lord of heaven and earth” (v. 25). The Son of God made man reveals his love by including all creatures in this act of thanksgiving.
The simplicity of such a spontaneous and joyful gesture reflects God’s way of acting: he delights in revealing himself “to infants,” while remaining hidden “from the wise and the intelligent” (v. 25). So filled are they with their own ideas that they fail to recognize the presence of Christ, the Messiah who comes to visit his people. Human wisdom thus becomes arrogance, and doctrine degenerates into pride. By contrast, God’s true wisdom is revealed in the humility of the Incarnation, and his teaching is addressed above all to those who struggle: “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens” (v. 28), says the Lord. Going to Jesus means responding to his love and sharing in his life, even to the cross, as he himself teaches: “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Mt 16:24). It is precisely this self-giving out of love that constitutes Jesus’ “yoke” (Mt 11:29), which is the essence of his teaching and the heart of his wisdom, ablaze with love for all.
Brothers and sisters, how can the weight of the cross be “easy” and “light” (v. 30)? For one reason alone: because the Lord himself carries it with us, never leaving us alone in what burdens us. As a true teacher, Jesus takes upon himself humanity wounded by evil in order to heal and care for it. The wisdom he gives us is therefore a proclamation of salvation, and his yoke lifts us up from every fall. For this reason, our journey of following Christ is not an asceticism that mortifies. Rather, it is a school of freedom that takes seriously the drama of history and continually sheds light on its meaning, especially in its darkest moments. Indeed, only in the cross of Jesus is evil overcome; only in his passion does our mortal weariness find consolation and redemption.
In slavery, Christ is liberation. Amid the scourge of war, Christ is hope. In the hour of sin, Christ is forgiveness. This is true wisdom and the path that we wish to walk together, united as disciples in his name. Jesus teaches us this as the Son, by becoming our brother. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, he reveals to the Church the truth about God and about humanity, for “no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him” (v. 27).
Dear friends, as we thank the Lord for the loving trust he has placed in us, let us ask Mary, Queen of Peace, to intercede for the good of the Church and of the whole world.
