…On
God’s part, what is it that attracts Him? It is His love for us: we are His
children, He loves us and He wants to free us from evil, from sicknesses, from
death and take us to His House, in His Kingdom. “Out of pure grace, God
attracts us, to unite us to Himself” (Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii gaudium, 112). And there is
also love on our part, a desire: good always attracts us; truth attracts us;
life, happiness, beauty attract us. Jesus is the meeting point of this
reciprocal attraction, of this twofold movement. Jesus: He is God and man. God
and man. But, who takes the initiative? It is always God! God’s love always
comes before ours! He always takes the initiative. He waits for us, He invites
us, the initiative is always His. Jesus is God who became man. He was
incarnated and born for us. The new star that appeared to the Magi was the sign
of the birth of Christ. If they had not seen the star, those men would not have
set out. Light precedes us, truth precedes us, beauty precedes us. God precedes
us. The prophet Isaiah said that God is like the flower of the almond tree.
Why? Because the almond tree is the first to flower in that land. And God
always precedes, He always seeks us first. He takes the first step. God
precedes us always. His grace precedes us and this grace appeared in Jesus. He
is the epiphany. He, Jesus Christ, is the manifestation of the love of God. He
is with us.
The
Church is altogether within this movement of God towards the world: her joy is
the Gospel, it is to reflect the light of Christ. The Church is the people who
have experienced this attraction and carry it within, in the heart and in life.
“I would like -- sincerely -- to say to those who feel far from God and from
the Church -- to say respectfully -- to say to those who are fearful and
indifferent: the Lord calls you also, He calls you to be part of His people,
and He does so with great respect and love!” (Ibid., 113). The Lord calls you.
The Lord seeks you. The Lord waits for you. The Lord does not engage in
proselytism, He gives love, and this love seeks you, waits for you, you who at
this moment do not believe or are far away. And this is the love of God.
-Pope
Francis, Angelus Address, Solemnity
of the Epiphany of the Lord
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