The Catholic Mass is not
a show, Pope Francis said Wednesday.
Speaking at his weekly general audience in St Peter's Square,
the pope stressed the Mass meant going to Calvary and to joy,
that it was a memorial and celebration of the Easter message.
The Mass, Francis said, was "the memorial of Christ's
passover from death to life."
The Mass, underlined the pope "is not a show".
"We don't chat or take photos during the celebration because
it is the memorial of Jesus' Passion, which he accomplished for
us, in order to free us from oppression and to enter into the
promised land of eternal life," the pontiff said.
The Pope explained that in the Bible, a "memorial" is more
than a mere remembrance of a past event; It is he said, "the
making present of that event, which enables us to share in its
saving power."
Jesus, the Holy Father stressed, pours out his mercy upon us
at every celebration of the Eucharist, "in order to renew our
hearts, our lives and our entire world."
Every Mass, said Pope Francis, is a ray of the sun where
there is no sunset and participating in this celebration,
especially on Sunday, means entering into the Risen Lord's
victory, and being illuminated by his light".
By making present the Lord's paschal mystery, he continued,
"the Eucharist strengthens us to bear witness, like the martyrs
of old, to his triumph over death and to love others as he does,
freely giving of ourselves for their good."
Concluding his Catechesis, the Holy Father said, that when we
enter a church to celebrate Mass, let us think about Jesus
giving his life for us.
"The show disappears, the gossip, the comments and the things
that lead us away from this beautiful thing, which is the Mass,
the triumph of Jesus."
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