In his Thursday morning Mass, Pope Francis talked about the characteristics that mark Christian identity. He said two indispensable traits are history and service.
POPE FRANCIS
'The Christian identity is service, not selfishness. Some may say, 'but father, we are all selfish.' Oh really? Well, it's a sin, a habit that we must break away from. Ask for forgiveness and may the Lord convert us. We are called to service. Being Christian is not about appearance, or even about social conduct. Itâ??s not about applying make up to the soul, so it can be a bit more beautiful. To be Christian is to do what Jesus did: Serve!â?
He then added that Christians are people of history, because they do not solely belong to themselves.
SUMMARY OF POPE'S HOMILY
(Source: Vatican Radio)
'The Christian is a man or woman of history, because he does not pertain to himself alone â?? he is inserted into a people, a people that is on a journey. One cannot imagine a Christian selfishness, no, this wonâ??t fly. The Christian is not a spiritual man or woman in a laboratory, [the Christian] is a spiritual man or woman inserted into a people, which has a long history and which continues to journey until the Lord returns.â? It is a 'history of grace, but also a history of sinâ?:
'So many sinners, so many crimes! Today, Paul mentions King David, a saint â?? but before he became a saint, he was a great sinner. A great sinner. Our history must take up both saints and sinners. My own personal history, the history of each one of us, must take up our sin, our own proper sin, and the grace of the Lord that is with us, accompanying us in our sin in order to forgive and accompanying us in grace. There is no Christian identity without history.â?
The second trait of Christian identity is service. 'Jesus washes the feet of the disciples, inviting them to do as He has done: to serveâ?: 'Christian identity is service, not selfishness. â??But Father, we are all selfish.â?? Ah, really? It is a sin, a habit we have to break away from. Ask for forgiveness, that the Lord will convert us. We are called to service. Being Christian is not about appearance, or even about social conduct, itâ??s not a little make-up for the soul, because it should be a little more beautiful. To be Christian is to do what Jesus did: serve!â?
