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Homily of Minister General Bro. Giacomo Bini
The first reading we have heard, taken from the Acts of the Apostles, is animated by a particular missionary “movement”. Paul, Silas and Timothy are involved in their apostolic and missionary journey: They move from one city to another, they go to meet the people, they announce the Good News, they welcome and are welcomed... At each stage of their journey they go out to meet the men and women in the places where they live and are to be found: sacred and profane places, in synagogues and along the river, without exclusion of persons, whether they are Rabbis or the women of Philippi: “We sat down and preached to the women who had come to the meeting” (Acts 16,13).
For us also, today, it is important to go out to meet, to be able to sit, to place ourselves in the midst of people in simplicity in order to listen and to announce, through life and word, the Good News without fear. To be in the midst of others without pretences, without wishing to measure immediately the results achieved...
In Chapter 16 of the non-approved Rule, Francis reminds us that going out to others, towards those that are “different” to us in mentality, culture or religion, should be characterised by “Christian” living, by an empathy and friendship that evangelically makes us disposed to receiving and offering hospitality. Later, “when they see it pleases the Lord, let then announce the word of God” (Rnb 16,7): the announcement follows on the experience of life.
“When the Advocate comes... you too will be witnesses, because you have been with me from the outset” (Jn 15,26-27).
The certainty of the presence of the Spirit is our strength in the face of every difficulty; it is our courage in order to give witness to and to announce without fear. Hope is founded on fidelity to the Lord rather than on our capacities. Trials will not be lacking, but the Gospel guarantees us a positive future, thanks to the presence of the Lord and of His Spirit in our midst. “I have told you all this so that your faith may not be shaken” (Jn 16,1): lack of understanding, indifference and the violence of the world could cause scandal, doubts and questions in the believers; but the disciples will know how to face them with serenity and trust by remembering the “way of Jesus”, the gospel logic of the seed that dies in order to generate life.
Dear Brothers, the Chapter we begin today is the first of the third millennium: we live it with the echo of so much violence, war, the suffering of helpless innocents and inhumane poverty in our eyes and heart. We are surrounded by tensions, threats and blackmail: the Church continues to count its martyrs while meeting hostility, indifference, progressive loss of faith and the very many infidelities within itself. Our Order also is called to face crises of fidelity, of vocations, of structures, of relationships with the world...
- Like Paul, Silas and Timothy, we are called to take up courageously the apostolic journey towards new lands and new horizons, towards others and with others in Franciscan simplicity.
- The signs of the times are forcing us to analyse and interpret the changes going on without allowing ourselves to be passively instrumentalised by anti-gospel logic, by the predominant pseudo-values or by the infinite forms of alienation.
- The certainty of the presence of the Spirit in our midst, more powerful than ever in these days, will give us the light and the strength necessary to centre on new orientations that are opening up to us for a future of hope founded on fidelity to God.
May the Lord bless us and accompany us!
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