VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis offered his early morning Mass for
journalists and members of the media who, despite the risks, work tirelessly to
inform the public of the ongoing pandemic.
"Let us pray today for the men and women who work in the
communications media," the pope said May 6 at the start of his
livestreamed Mass in the chapel of his residence, the Domus Sanctae Marthae.
"In this time of pandemic, they take many risks and there is
much work. May the Lord help them in their work of always transmitting the
truth," he said.
In his homily, the pope reflected on the day's Gospel reading
from St. John, in which Jesus proclaims that "whoever believes in me
believes not only in me, but also in the one who sent me."
"I came into the world as light, so that everyone who
believes in me might not remain in darkness," Jesus said.
In presenting himself as the light, the pope explained, Jesus
also promises to illuminate peoples' lives through his word, which the apostles
are called to proclaim throughout the world.
While there are those who "cannot accept the light" and
"are slaves to darkness," Christ continues to offer his light, which
"makes us see freedom, it makes us see the truth, it makes us see the path
on which to go," the pope said.
Pope Francis said that St. Paul had this experience of passing
from darkness to light after he was blinded when Jesus appeared to him on the
road to Damascus.
"It is also our journey, which we sacramentally received in
baptism," the pope said. "That is why, in the first centuries,
baptism was called 'The Illumination' because it gave you light," he said.
"That is why in the baptism ceremony, we give a lit candle to the father
and mother, so that the little boy or girl is illuminated. Jesus brings the
light."
Nevertheless, there are sins that blind men and women to the
light of Christ and "sicken the eyes of faith," including vices, pride
and a worldly spirit that lead one to "hide behind others to remain safe
in darkness."
Those who choose to remain in darkness, he added, are like
"spiritual mafias" that are "always looking for someone else to
give them cover so they can remain in darkness."
The light of Jesus can be uncomfortable at times, he said,
because it "makes us see so many ugly things inside us that we don't want
to see."
"We think about our vices, we think about our pride, we
think about our worldly spirit: these things blind us, they take us away from
the light of Jesus," he said.
Pope Francis said that Jesus came into the world to "save us
from the darkness that we have within us, from the darkness of daily life, of
social life, of political life, of national and international life."
"We are not afraid of the Lord," the pope said.
"He is very good, he is gentle, he is close to us. He has come to save us.
We are not afraid of the light of Jesus."