The Gospel, the Word of the Lord, is the “new wine” that has been gifted us, but to be good Christians we need a “new behaviour”, a “new style” that is truly the “Christian style”, and this style is indicated by the Beatitudes. This is the meaning of the ” key word ” that concludes today’s reading from the Gospel of Mark: “New wine in new wineskins”. His Holiness Pope Francis made this the theme of his homily at Mass, at the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta.
As reported by Vatican news, According to the Pontiff, we can learn about the Christian style by first knowing our attitudes that don’t belong to the Christian style. In this regard, he points to 3 of them: the “accusatory style”, the “worldly style” and the “selfish style”. His Holiness Pope Francis says that the accusatory style belongs to those who always try and live by accusing others, disqualifying others, acting as absent promoters of justice. But they don’t realize that it’s the style of the devil: in the Bible, the devil is called the “great accuser”, who is always accusing others. Speaking about worldliness, His Holiness Pope Francis calls it an attitude of Catholics who can “recite the Creed”, but live on “vanity, pride and attachment to money”, believing themselves to be self-sufficient.
Commenting on the third un-Christian style, the Pontiff says it is the selfish spirit, the spirit of indifference that is common in our communities. One believes oneself to be a good Catholic but doesn’t worry about the problems of others – wars, illnesses and the suffering of our neighbours. This, the Pope says, is the hypocrisy that Jesus reproached the doctors of the law for. What then is the Christian style? According to the Pope, the Christian style is that of the Beatitudes: meekness, humility, patience in suffering, love for justice, ability to endure persecution, not judging others… If a Catholic wants to learn the Christian style, so as not to fall into this accusatory style, the worldly style and the selfish style, he/ she must read the Beatitudes.
