His Holiness Pope Francis, in his homily at the daily Mass at Casa Santa Marta, reflected on the hypocrisy of the just, who treat their Christianity like a social habit. They do not bring Jesus into their daily life, and so they cast him from their hearts. When we act like that, the Pontiff says, “we are Christians, but we are living like pagans!”
As reported by Vatican news, His Holiness Pope Francis remarked that “Today can be a day for us to make an examination of conscience, with this refrain [from Jesus]: “‘Woe to you, woe to you,’ because I have given you so much, I have given you Myself, I have chosen you to be Christian, and you prefer a life by halves, a superficial life: a little bit of Christianity and holy water, but nothing more.” When this kind of Christian hypocrisy is lived, what we end up doing is casting Jesus from our hearts. We pretend to have Him, but we have cast him out. “We are Christians,” we say ,we are proud to be Christians.” But we live like pagans.”
The Pontiff concluded his remarks by inviting the faithful to “ask the Holy Spirit to throw open the doors of our hearts, so that Jesus is able to enter in, so that we not only hear Jesus,” but really listen to His message of salvation, and “give thanks for all the good things that He has done for each one of us.”
