In the first Angelus of 2015, Francis warns us against the ‘law that does not free, but imposes unbearable yokes’.
‘Brotherhood among peoples and no more wars’. The Pope, quoting the tolls of the ‘Mater Dolens’ bell in Rovereto, which remembers the fallen of all wars, repeated his ‘wish that there may be no more wars, but only the desire and commitment to peace and brotherhood among peoples’. He said that ‘peace is always, always possible and we must strive for it’. Francis spoke off the cuff, facing around 50 thousand people in St. Peter’s Square, adding that ‘prayer is the root of peace, it makes peace grow’. ‘Happy New Year everyone, may it be a peaceful year!’, wished the Pope for today’s World Peace Day.
Francis was in direct link with Rovereto, in Trentino, where the great bell tolls, which was made in honour of the fallen of all wars, and blessed by Pope Paul VI in 1965. He wished that ‘there may be no more wars, never again! But always the desire and commitment to peace and brotherhood among peoples’.
The Pope highlighted that the legalistic mind-set turns the law into an unbearable yoke. The fact that God became man, reminds us that every purpose of liberation needs to be a regeneration too. The Pope commented on the readings of the day, saying that, ‘Christ took on the human condition, freeing it from a close, legalistic and unbearable mind-set. Law free from grace becomes an unbearable yoke, and instead of doing us good, it hurts us. This is the purpose, for which God sends his Son on earth to become man. The purpose is liberation, better yet regeneration. Liberation of those who were under the yoke of the law. Redemption takes place with the death of Christ on the cross. But regeneration above all, ‘so that we may become His children’. Men really become children of God when they are joined with Him. This wonderful event happens with Baptism, which makes us living limbs in Christ and admits us into his Church’.
He then turns to the faithful and gives them homework. ‘I ask you again, who among you remembers the day they were baptised? Who remembers the date? Raise your hands… there are many…but not that many…’.
Pope Francis says that ‘for those who do not remember it, I will give them homework: look for the date and cherish it in your heart. Ask your parents and godparents. The anniversary of your Baptism is a feast day; it will be a good day to thank God’. Baptism ‘makes us living limbs in Christ and admits us into his Church’. The Pope added that ‘at the beginning of the new year, it is good for us to remember the day of our Baptism. Let us rediscover the gift we received through that Sacrament, which gave us a new life, a heavenly life’.
The Pope reiterates that ‘this happens through the Mother Church, which is modelled on Mother Mary. Thanks to Baptism, we are introduced into the communion with God and we are not at the mercy of evil and sin, but we receive love, tenderness and the mercy of the Heavenly Father’.
