Pope compares preparation for heaven to cataract surgery

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 4:51 pm by Deacon Greg Kandra

Pope compares preparation for heaven to cataract surgery 2016-09-30T16:51:52-04:00 Deacon Greg Kandra

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.

His homily from today:

Our journey of faith is not one of alienation, but prepares our hearts to see the beautiful face of God: this was Pope Francis’ message during Mass in the Domus Sanctae Marthae. On Friday Mass was attended by Staff from the Vatican Typography, the Vatican Labor Office and Vatican State Police. Emer McCarthy reports:

The Gospel of the day recounts Jesus saying to his disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled”.

“These words of Jesus are really beautiful words. In a moment of farewell, Jesus speaks to his disciples, really from the heart. He knows that his disciples are sad, because they realize that things are not going well. He says: Do not let your hearts be troubled. And he starts to talk like that, just like a friend, even with the attitude of a pastor. I say, the music in the words of Jesus is how the pastor should behave, like a shepherd with his sheep, right? … Do not let your hearts be troubled. Have faith in God, in me ‘. And what does he start to talk about? About Heaven, about the definitive homeland. ‘Have faith in me’: I remain faithful, it is as if he said that, right? … Like an engineer, like an architect He tells them what He will do: ‘I am going to prepare a place, in my Father’s house is my dwelling’. And Jesus goes to prepare a place for us. ”

Pope Francis asked: “What is that place like? What does ‘prepare a place’ mean? Does it mean renting a room up there? ‘Prepare a place’, means preparing our ability to enjoy the chance – our chance – to see, to feel, to understand the beauty of what lies ahead, of that homeland towards which we walk “.

“And all of Christian life is the work of Jesus, the Holy Spirit to prepare a place, prepare our eyes to be able to see … ‘But, Father, I see fine! I don’t need glasses! ‘: But that’s another type of vision …. Think of those who are suffering from cataracts and have to undergo an operation to remove them: they can still see, but after surgery what do they all say? ‘I never thought you could see so well without glasses!’. Our eyes, the eyes of our soul they need, they have to be prepared to contemplate the beautiful face of Jesus. Our hearing must be prepared in order to hear the beautiful things, the beautiful words. Above all our hearts must be prepared: prepared for love, to love more”.

In our life’s journey – said Pope Francis- the Lord prepares our hearts “with trials, with consolations, with tribulations, with good things”:

“The whole journey of life is a journey of preparation. Sometimes the Lord has to do it quickly, as he did with the good thief: he only had a few minutes to prepare him and he did it. But the normal run of things goes this way, no?: in preparing our heart, eyes, hearing to arrive in this homeland. Because that is our homeland. ‘But, Father, I went to a philosopher and he told me that all these thoughts are an alienation, that we are alienated, that life is this, the concrete, and no-one knows what’s beyond …’. Some think this is so … but Jesus tells us that it is not so and says, ‘Have faith in me’. This I tell you is the truth: I do not cheat, I do not deceive. ”

“Preparing for heaven – said the Pope – means beginning to greet him from afar. This is not alienation: this is the truth, this is allowing Jesus to prepare our hearts, our eyes for the beauty that is so great. It is the path of beauty and” the path to the homeland. ”

Pope Francis concluded with a prayer that the Lord will give us ” this strong hope,” the courage and the humility to allow the Lord to prepare “our eyes, our hearts, our hearing” for the heavenly homeland, “the definitive dwelling. So be it. “

Pope

Pope Francis

Previous Post

April 26, 2013

Bishop returns petition to gay man, with one comment

Next Post

April 26, 2013 Praying "under the covers" in an atheist country

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category "Mad Men" 9/11 advent All Things New Amazing video amazing videos amazon america Anglicans Anti-Catholicism art ascension thursday ash wednesday Atheists baltimore Bible Bishops Blogging bonnie engstrom Books bridgeport Brooklyn Chaplains children christian art christmas Church Churches CNEWA Converts criticism Deacons Death Penalty easter eastern christian Eastern Christians Ecumenism Education education Eucharist Europe euthanasia Evangelization Exorcism Family Feasts Gay rights Good Friday Great links Great Moments in Journalism Hanging with the saints heather renshaw Hispanic Catholics Hispanics History homelies Homilies Humor Hymn of the Week Immigration indianapolis Inspiration Interfaith news ireland Jesus Jews Journalism Judaism lent Liturgy logos Marriage Mary Media Medical news Mental health Middle East Monks Movies Music Muslims My world and welcome to it New Evangelization new york News Nuns Parenting Parish life peoria Persecution politics Politics Pope pope francis pope john paul Prayer Preaching Priests Pro-life Quote of the day radio rebecca frech ripp Ripped from the headlines rippred from the headlines Sacraments saints Scripture sex abuse Sex abuse crisis SEX ABUSE CRISIS TAGGED WITH: SEX ABUSE CRISIS The people in the pews the visitation project theatre This & that Thomas Merton Trappists TV Uncategorized uncategorized Vatican VATICAN vocation Vocations Voices & Views Women Worth a thousand words Writing Year of Faith year of mercy young people

Select a Month December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 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 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What did God use to guide the Israelites by night in the wilderness?

Select your answer to see how you score.

A torch A pillar of fire The moon A cloud

Books by This Author Books by Deacon Greg Kandra

See All Titles »