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Pope Francis celebrated a mass this Sunday with the new cardinals appointed on Saturday and warned them of the dangers of mediocrity for those who worry “only about having a peaceful life.”
During his homily, the Pope asked: “And if they await us in heaven, why live with earthly pretensions? Why worry about earning a little money, fame, success and everything fleeting? Why waste time? complaining? night while daylight awaits us? “.
Commenting on the apostles’ betrayal of Jesus after his death, the Pope warned that “there is a dangerous dream, the dream of mediocrity.”
Without impulses of love for God, without waiting for his novelty, people become “mediocre, lukewarm, worldly and that erodes faith because faith is the opposite of mediocrity,” he stressed.
The mass returned this Sunday, as during the consistory on Saturday, to be a ceremony marked by the covid-19 pandemic with only about 100 faithful, relatives and relatives of the new cardinals.
Among the 13 new cardinals were the archbishop of Santiago de Chile, the Spanish Celestino Aós, the emeritus bishop of San Cristóbal de las Casas (Mexico) and the Mexican Felipe Arizmedi Esquivel.
Due to the pandemic, two cardinals were unable to reach Rome, namely Cornelius Sim, Apostolic Vicar of Brunei and José F. Advincula, Archbishop of Capiz (Philippines).
Do not fall into “pessimism and apathy” with the pandemic situation
Pope Francis also asked this Sunday in the Vatican for greater sobriety, attention to neighbors and family prayer, when Christmas approaches, marked by the covid-19 pandemic.
After the Angelus prayer, from the window of the pontifical chamber, Francis appealed to the faithful so that, in this season of Advent, before Christmas, they also bring out “the good of the difficult situation imposed by the pandemic.” “Greater sobriety, discreet and respectful attention to the neighbors who need it and a few moments of simple family prayer. These three things will help us a lot, ”he said.
The Pope also acknowledged that the current moment, marked by the pandemic, “generates many concerns, fears and discomfort”, with the “risk of falling into pessimism, closure and apathy.”
“In the midst of the storms of life, God always reaches out to us and frees us from threats. It is up to us to cling to Him so as not to sink into the abyss and be found,” he added.
