Homily of Pope Francis at the canonization of 14 new saints for the Catholic Church

On October 20, Pope Francis canonized 14 blesseds: the Italian priest Giuseppe Allamano, Sr. Elena Guerra, also Italian, Sister. Canadian Marie-Léonie Paradis and 11 martyrs murdered for their faith in Damascus, among whom were 7 Spanish friars.

Below is the homily delivered by the Holy Father:

To James and John, Jesus asks: “What do you want me to do for you?” (Mk 10,36). And immediately afterwards he urges them: “Can you drink the cup that I will drink and receive the baptism that I will receive?” (Mk 10,38). Jesus asks questions and, precisely in this way, helps us to discern, because questions make us discover what is inside us, they illuminate what we carry in our hearts and that sometimes we do not know.

Let us allow ourselves to be challenged by the Word of the Lord. Let’s imagine that you ask each of us: “What do you want me to do for you?” and the second question “Can you drink from my same chalice?”

Through these questions, Jesus reveals the bond and expectations that the disciples have of him, with the lights and shadows typical of any relationship. In fact, James and John are united to Jesus, but they have pretensions. They express the desire to be close to Him, but only to occupy a place of honor, to play an important role, so that He may grant them to sit one on His right and the other on His left, when He is in His glory (cf. Mc 10,37). Evidently, they think of Jesus as the Messiah, as a victorious and glorious Messiah, and they expect Him to share His glory with them. They see the Messiah in Jesus, but they imagine him according to the logic of power.

Jesus does not stop at the words of the disciples, but goes deeper, listens and reads the hearts of each one of them and also each one of us. And in the dialogue, through two questions, he tries to bring to light the desire that exists within those requests.

First he questions them: “What do you want me to do for you?”; and this question reveals the thoughts of their hearts, reveals the hidden expectations and dreams of glory that the disciples secretly cultivate. It is as if Jesus asked: “Who do you want me to be for you?” and, thus, unmasks what they really want: a powerful Messiah, a victorious Messiah who gives them a position of honor. And sometimes in the Church this thought comes: honor, power.

Then, with the second question, Jesus rejects this image of the Messiah and thus helps them change their way of seeing, that is, to convert: “Can you drink the cup that I will drink and receive the baptism that I will receive?” . With this, he reveals to them that He is not the Messiah that they think; He is the God of love, who lowers himself to reach the humble; who becomes weak to raise up the weak; who works for peace and not for war; that he came to serve and not to be served. The chalice that the Lord will drink is the offering of his life, it is his life given to us out of love, until death and a death on a cross.

And so, to his right and to his left there will be two thieves, crucified like Him on the cross and not seated on the thrones of power; two thieves nailed with Christ in pain and not seated in glory. The crucified king, the condemned just man becomes a slave to all: this is truly the Son of God! (cf. Mark 15:39). The winner is not the one who dominates, but the one who serves out of love. We repeat: the winner is not the one who dominates, but the one who serves out of love. The Letter to the Hebrews also reminds us: “we do not have a High Priest incapable of sympathizing with our weaknesses; On the contrary, he was subjected to the same tests as us” (4:15).

At this moment, Jesus can help the disciples to convert, to change their mentality: “You know that those who are considered rulers dominate the nations as if they were their owners, and the powerful make them feel their authority” (Mc 10.42). But it doesn’t have to be that way for those who follow a God who became a servant to reach everyone with his love. Those who follow Christ, if they want to be great, must serve, learning from Him.

Brothers and sisters, Jesus reveals the thoughts, reveals the desires and projections of our hearts, sometimes unmasking our expectations of glory, dominion, power and vanity. He helps us to think no longer according to the world’s criteria, but according to the style of God, who becomes last so that the last can be exalted and become the first. And these questions of Jesus, with his teaching on service, are often incomprehensible to us, as they were to the disciples. But by following Him, walking in His footsteps and welcoming the gift of His love that transforms our way of thinking, we too can learn God’s style: service. Let us not forget the three words that reveal God’s style of serving: closeness, compassion and tenderness. God becomes close to serve; he becomes compassionate to serve; It becomes tender to serve. Closeness, compassion and tenderness.

This is what we should long for: not power, but service. Service is the Christian lifestyle. This is not a list of things to do, as if, once done, we could consider our shift over; He who serves with love does not say: “now it will be someone else’s turn.” This is a way of thinking as employees, not as witnesses. Service is born from love and love knows no boundaries, it does not make calculations, it consumes and gives. Love is not limited to producing to obtain results, it is not occasional assistance, but something that is born from the heart, from a heart renewed by love and in love.

When we learn to serve, every gesture of attention and care, every expression of tenderness, every work of mercy, becomes a reflection of God’s love. And so all of us—each one of us—continue the work of Jesus in the world.

In this light we can remember the disciples of the Gospel who are canonized today. Throughout the eventful history of humanity, they were faithful servants, men and women who served in martyrdom and joy, like Brother Manuel Ruiz López and his companions. They are priests and consecrated women who are fervent—fervent—with missionary passion, like Father José Allamano, Sister María Leonia Paradis and Sister Elena Guerra. These new saints lived according to Jesus’ style: service. The faith and apostolate they carried out did not feed in them worldly desires or desires for power, but, on the contrary, they became servants of their brothers, creative in doing good, firm in difficulties, generous to the end.

Let us confidently ask for his intercession, so that we too can follow Christ, imitate him in service and become witnesses of hope for the world.