Pope Francis: Everything changes if you have really known Jesus

Before the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican this Sunday, Pope Francis encouraged them to ask themselves “who Jesus is for me and what place he occupies in my life,” because, he assured, “everything changes if you have really known Jesus.” .

In his words prior to praying the Sunday Angelus, the Holy Father pointed out that today’s Gospel, taken from chapter 8 of Mark, shows the Apostle Peter correctly asserting that Jesus is the Messiah, but shortly after, when the Lord speaks to them “of the suffering and death that await him, Peter himself opposes it, and Jesus harshly rebukes him: ‘Get behind me, Satan! – Satan tells him – ‘You think like men, not like God!’”

Francis then indicated that “by looking at the attitude of the apostle Peter, we too can ask ourselves what it really means to know Jesus. What does it mean to know Jesus?

Although “Peter responds perfectly, telling Jesus that He is the Messiah,” he noted, “behind these correct words there is still a way of thinking ‘according to men,’ a mentality that imagines a strong Messiah, a victorious Messiah, that cannot suffer or die.”

The Holy Father noted that this shows that Peter “has yet to change his mentality, he has yet to convert.”

“We too have learned something about God, we know the doctrine, we pray the prayers correctly and, perhaps, to the question of ‘who is Jesus for you?’ We respond well, with some formula that we have learned from the catechism. But are we sure this means really knowing Jesus?

To know Jesus, he stressed, “it is not enough to know something about Him, but it is necessary to follow Him, let ourselves be touched and changed by His Gospel. It is about having a relationship with Him, an encounter.”

“This encounter is necessary that changes life: it changes the way of being, it changes the way of thinking, it changes the relationships you have with your brothers and sisters, the willingness to welcome and forgive, it changes the choices you make in life. Everything changes if you have really known Jesus! Everything changes,” he assured.

The Pope then cited the Lutheran theologian and pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffern, murdered by the Nazis in 1945, who in his book Resistance and Yield. Letters and writings from prison (Resistance and submission: letters and notes from captivity) wrote: “The problem that never leaves me alone is knowing what Christianity really is for us today or who Christ is.”

The Holy Father lamented that “unfortunately, many no longer ask themselves this question and remain ‘quiet’, asleep, even far from God. It is important, however, that we ask ourselves: Do I let myself be worried, do I ask myself who Jesus is for me and what place does he occupy in my life?

“May our mother Mary, who knew Jesus well, help us with this question,” he encouraged.

Full text of Pope Francis’ words before the Angelus prayer

Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday!

The Gospel of the Liturgy of the day tells us that Jesus, after having asked the disciples what the people thought of Him, asks them directly: “And you, who do you say that I am?” (Mk 8,29). Peter responds on behalf of the entire group by saying, “You are the Messiah” (v. 30). However, when Jesus begins to speak of the suffering and death that await him, Peter himself objects, and Jesus harshly rebukes him: “Get behind me, Satan! – Satan tells him – “You think like men, not like God!” (v. 33).

Looking at the attitude of the apostle Peter, we too can ask ourselves what it really means to know Jesus. What it means to know Jesus.

In fact, on the one hand, Peter responds perfectly, telling Jesus that He is the Messiah. However, behind these correct words there remains a way of thinking “according to men”, a mentality that imagines a strong Messiah, a victorious Messiah, who cannot suffer or die. Therefore, the words with which Peter responds are “correct,” but his way of thinking has not changed. He has yet to change his mentality, he has yet to convert.

And this is an important message for us too. Indeed, we too have learned something about God, we know the doctrine, we pray the prayers correctly and, perhaps, to the question of “who is Jesus for you?” We respond well, with some formula that we have learned from the catechism. But are we sure that this means really knowing Jesus? In reality, to know the Lord it is not enough to know something about Him, but it is necessary to follow Him, allow yourself to be touched and changed by His Gospel. It is about having a relationship with Him, an encounter. I can know many things about Jesus, but if I have not found him, then I do not know who Jesus is. This encounter is necessary that changes life: it changes the way of being, it changes the way of thinking, it changes the relationships you have with your brothers and sisters, the willingness to welcome and forgive, it changes the choices you make in life. Everything changes if you have really known Jesus! Everything changes.

Brothers and sisters, the Lutheran theologian and pastor Bonhoeffer, a victim of Nazism, wrote: “The problem that never leaves me at ease is knowing what Christianity really is for us today or who Christ is” (Resistenza e Resa. Lettere e scritti dal carcere, Cinisello Balsamo 1996, 348) (Resistance and submission: letters and notes from captivity). Unfortunately, many no longer ask themselves this question and remain “quiet”, numb, even far from God. It is important, however, that we ask ourselves: Do I let myself be worried, do I ask myself who Jesus is for me and what place does he occupy in my life?

May our mother Mary, who knew Jesus well, help us with this question.

After the Angelus

Dear brothers and sisters:

I express my closeness to the populations of Vietnam and Myanmar, who are suffering from the floods caused by a violent typhoon. I pray for the deceased and for the injured and the displaced. May God sustain those who have lost their loved ones and their homes and bless those who are bringing help.

Yesterday, in Mexico City, Moisés Lira Serafín, priest, founder of the Congregation of the Missionaries of Charity of Mary Immaculate, who died in 1950, was beatified after a life dedicated to helping people progress in faith and in the love of the Lord. May his apostolic zeal stimulate priests to give themselves unreservedly for the spiritual good of God’s holy people. A round of applause for the new Blessed! I see the Mexican flags there…

Today in Italy we celebrate the Day of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) patients. I assure a memory in prayer for them and their families; I encourage research work on this pathology and voluntary associations.

And let’s not forget the wars that bloody the world. I think of the martyred Ukraine, of Myanmar, I think of the Middle East. How many innocent victims! I think of the mothers who have lost children in wars. How many young lives cut short! I think of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, found dead in September, along with five other hostages, in Gaza. In November of last year I met her mother, Rachel, who touched me with her humanity. I accompany her at this moment. I pray for the victims and remain close to all the families of the hostages. Let the conflict in Palestine and Israel end! Let the violence stop, let the hatred stop! Let the hostages be released, negotiations continue and peace solutions found.

I greet all of you, Romans and pilgrims from Italy and from so many countries. In particular, to the faithful of the parish of Saint Edwige Queen in Radom (Poland); to the group of Jesuit priests who have come to Rome for their studies; to the students of Stade (Germany); and to the participants of the foot relay from Rome to Assisi. And I greet the boys of the Inmaculada, who have had three ordinations in these days, congratulations!

I wish you all a happy Sunday. And please don’t forget to pray for me. Have a nice lunch and see you soon!