Christians are called to serve, not to use others

Christians who use others, rather than serve others, seriously damage the church, said Pope Francis.

Christ's instructions to his disciples to "heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers and drive out demons" are the way to "a life of service" that all Christians are called to follow, the pope said. June 11 in the morning homily Mass at the Domus Sanctae Marthae.

"Christian life is for service," said the pope. "It is very sad to see Christians who, at the beginning of their conversion or awareness of being Christians, serve, are open to serve, serve the people of God and then end up using the people of God. This hurts so much, so so much harm to the people of God. The vocation is "to serve", not "to use". "

In his homily, the pope said that while Christ's instruction to freely give what has been freely given is for everyone, it is intended in particular "for us church pastors".

The clergy who "do business with the grace of God," warned the pope, cause much harm to others and especially to themselves and their own spiritual lives when they attempt to "corrupt the Lord."

"This relationship of gratuity with God is what will help us to have it with others, both in our Christian witness and in the Christian service and pastoral life of those who are pastors of the people of God," he said.

Reflecting on the reading of the Gospel of the day, in which Jesus entrusts the apostles with the mission of proclaiming that "the kingdom of heaven is at hand" and of doing it "without costs", the pope said that salvation "cannot be purchased ; it is given freely. "

The only thing God asks, he added, is "that our hearts are open".

“When we say 'Our Father' and pray, we open our hearts so that this gratuitousness can come. There is no relationship with God outside of gratuitousness, "said the pope.

Christians who fast, do penance or a novena to obtain "something spiritual or a grace" must be aware that the purpose of self-denial or prayer "is not to pay for grace, to acquire grace" but a means "to expand your heart for grace to come, ”he said.

"Grace is free," said Pope Francis. "May our life of holiness be this enlargement of the heart so that the gratuitousness of God - the graces of God who are there and who wants to give freely - can reach our hearts".