In his homily at Casa Santa Marta, the Pope said that Christians often reject God's generosity out of selfishness or fear.
POPE FRANCIS
'It is so difficult to listen to the voice of Jesus, the voice of God, when you believe that that the whole world revolves around you: there is no horizon, because you become your own horizon. And there is more behind all of this, something far deeper: fear of generosity. We are afraid of Godâ??s generosity. He is so great that we fear Him.â?
Lastly, Pope Francis said that salvation is something that can't be purchased, but rather a priceless gift.
EXCERPT OF THE POPE'S HOMILY
(Source: Vatican Radio)
'If the invitation had been for example: â??Come, I have two or three business friends from a foreign country, we can do something togetherâ??, no one would have excused themselves. But what shocked them was the gratuity. Being one among the others, thereâ?¦this form of egoism of being at the centre of everything..It is so difficult to listen to the voice of Jesus, the voice of God, when you believe that that the whole world revolves around you: there is no horizon, because you become your own horizon. And there is more behind all of this, something far deeper: fear of gratuity. We are afraid of Godâ??s gratuity. He is so great that we fear Him.â?
'We feel safer in our sins, in our limitations, but feel at home; leaving our home to answer God's invitation, go to Godâ??s house, with others? No. I'm afraid. And all of us Christians have this fear hidden deep inside ... but not too hidden. Catholics, but not too Catholic. Trusting in the Lord, but not too much. This 'but not too', marks our lives, it belittles us.â?
'Compel them, for here is the celebration. Gratuity. Compel that heart, that soul to believe in God's gratuity, that Godâ??s gift is free, that salvation cannot be bought: it is a great gift, the love of God ... is the greatest gift! This is gratuity. But we are a little afraid and this is why we think that we can obtain holiness with our own things and we become a little Pelagian eh! Holiness, salvation is gratuity.â?
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