Path of self-denial brings joy, fruitfulness, Pope reflects

Last updated on: March 6, 2014 at 11:05 pm by CNA Daily News

Path of self-denial brings joy, fruitfulness, Pope reflects 2014-03-06T23:05:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Vatican City, Mar 6, 2014 / 04:05 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- In his daily homily Pope Francis spoke of the Christian “style,” explaining that in order to be authentic, it must follow the path of Jesus in denying oneself, taking up the Cross, and practicing humility.

“And this style will save us, will give us joy and make us fruitful, because this path of denying oneself is there to give us life,” the Pope told those present in the Vatican's Saint Martha guesthouse on March 6.

Calling to mind the words of Luke's Gospel on Thursday, the pontiff repeated Jesus' words to his disciples, saying “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

Emphasizing how this is truly the “Christian style” because it was first put into practice by Jesus himself, the Pope observed that “We can't think of the Christian life apart from this path.”

“There is always this journey, a journey that He took first: the journey of humility, the journey, too, of humiliation, of denying oneself, and then rising.”

“But this is the path,” repeated the Pope, explaining that “without the Cross, the Christian style is not Christian, and if the Cross is a Cross without Jesus, it is not Christian. The Christian style takes the Cross with Jesus and goes forward,” but “not without the Cross, not without Jesus.”

Despite the fact that Jesus is one in being with the the Father, he gave us an example in denying himself and becoming “a servant for all of us,” the pontiff said. This “style will save us” give us “joy” and “make us fruitful.”

Highlighting how Jesus shows us this path in order to give us life, Pope Francis observed that it is completely “opposed to the path of selfishness, of being attached to all the good things for myself alone.”

“This path is open to others, because the path Jesus took – of abnegation – that path was to give life. The Christian style is precisely this style of humility, of mildness, of meekness.”

Quoting the Gospel passage once again, the pontiff stated that “whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,” because “if the grain of wheat does not die, it can't bear fruit.”

He then went on to describe that this death to self is a source of joy for Christians because the Lord himself “gives us joy” as long as we follow Jesus in the style of Jesus, rather than that of the world, adding that to follow Jesus means to walk his path as closely as one is able in order “to give life to others, not to give oneself life.”

Noting that often times we want to appear better or more important in the opinion of others out of selfishness, he emphasized that Jesus' way “is the spirit of generosity,” and drew attention to the book “The Imitation of Christ,” which gives the “good advice” to “love to be unknown and considered as nothing.”

Explaining that this is what “Christian humility” is, the Pope repeated that “this is our joy, and this is our fruitfulness: to go with Jesus.”

“Other joys are not fruitful” he observed, because “as Jesus said, they think only to gain the whole world, but in the end lose and ruin their lives.”

The Pope concluded his reflections by encouraging all, at the beginning of Lent, to “ask the Lord to teach us a little of this style of Christian service, of joy, of self-abnegation, and of fruitfulness with Him, as He desires.”

Vatican

Previous Post

March 6, 2014

Research finds link between oral contraception, multiple sclerosis

Next Post

March 6, 2014 Churches critical to development of South Sudan, author says

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much ____; apart from me you can do nothing.

Select your answer to see how you score.

Faith Peace Joy Fruit