“Hope does not disappoint,” “Pilgrims of hope”: these are some of the reference points of the journey that we are all experiencing together, as a church, in this Jubilee, in this Holy Year; and the readings we have heard help us to understand that all this is indeed true! Therefore, our hearts must always be filled with trust in God and in God's plan, which always unfailingly comes to fruition, because it is God who guides history. So we must never lose this certainty, even in the most difficult moments, in the most complicated moments of our lives, when circumstances push us towards despair. Who among us does not experience moments of difficulty, moments of failure, moments of suffering, moments when we feel like we no longer understand anything! It seems that everything is against us. A bit like what happened to Saint Peter! Herod persecuted the Christians and Saint Peter was imprisoned, guarded by soldiers. It seemed that everything was over, but Peter was freed without any particular effort on his part, while he was sleeping. The one who was holding him prisoner was removed by God's intervention. However, the sacred author's note is interesting: while Peter was in prison, the entire Christian community was gathered together in prayer! In prayer!
So, on the one hand, we ask the Lord to confirm in us this conviction, namely that it is always He who guides history; history will achieve everything that is present in God's heart, everything that belongs to His will. And there is no impediment that can prevent this will from being fulfilled.
Peter and Paul! We recognize them as the pillars of the Church, in the sense that Jesus wanted to use Peter and Paul to build his church over time, throughout history. And today He uses all of us to build the Church—his body in history—in different situations! I would like to highlight a few aspects!
Meanwhile, as we know, Peter and Paul are two very different characters, as we clearly recognize them from what Scripture tells us about them. They are two pillars, but we should not think of them as two identical pillars, as we might see in a beautiful monument. Two perfectly identical pillars! No, these are two perfectly unequal pillars, each different from the other.
Peter was a fisherman; a very practical man, a very rough man, a person who was characterized by what we would call today “gut” reactions, very reactive. “Lord, I will follow you wherever you go, I will always be with you!” Jesus calms Peter: “You will deny me!”
Instead, Paul is the one who studied; he knows the Law and the Prophets! Paul is the one who develops Christian doctrine, teaching, and thought, starting from the teachings of Jesus.
Two very different characters whom Jesus brings together in the building of the Church. So what does this mean?
First of all, we must walk together, as we are doing these days! And in the Church there cannot be those who go their own way, people who are geniuses, those who solve everything for everyone! In the Church, we walk together, each with our own characteristics, each with our own gifts that are shared, composed, and then put to use! Gifts put to use for the cause of the Gospel, as I said at the beginning, spending our lives! Martyrdom is the characteristic that must unite all our differences! Martyrdom, that is, the gift, the offering of our lives to be spent for others for the sake of the Gospel, according to what is in God's heart, according to what is God's will. But here you are all experts, you are all theachers, from this point of view! However, allow me just to emphasize one aspect! Do not forget it, never forget it! When we place ourselves before God's will in order to know it, to grasp it, to live it concretely in our lives, we must always be clear about one distinction! According to the teaching, according to the spirituality of the Church, in God's will we distinguish between “a will in itself” and “a will for me.” “Will in itself” and “will for me”!
The “will itself” is the will of God. It is present in Sacred Scripture, in the commandments, in the Magisterium of the Church. This will must be accepted, and it is not possible to add to or take away from it in order to remain in the Church, on this journey to be lived together, like Peter and Paul! There is no genius in the Church or in the history of the Church who can add to, take away from, or modify the Will of God in itself, no matter how intelligent he may be, no matter how extraordinary his life may be, no matter how recognized he may be for whatever reasons or characteristics. And this is not a big problem. God's will in itself is a gift! Then it was revealed in the person of Jesus, because God's will in itself has a name! Jesus, it is the face of Jesus!
God's will for me is a will that must be sought. It must be understood in order to be lived. And what God, as Father, has in his heart for me, for my good, are all the beautiful and good things that God desires for me, but I need to know them, I need to accept them! Then I need to put them into practice! How? Through prayer, the celebration of the sacraments, and walking together.
Let us continue this celebration of Mass. Let us entrust ourselves to the intercession of Saints Peter and Paul, asking them that our hearts may always be capable of welcoming hope as a gift from God, the hope that God's plan, His will, will always be fulfilled infallibly. God guides history! Let us never lose this trust, even in the most difficult moments! May the intercession of Peter and Paul help us to recognize God's will itself and, above all, to be people who spend their lives concretely, like Peter and Paul, living concretely what is God's will for me, for us, every day of our lives!
Transcription from speech