‘With the Magi we adore God and not ourselves’

The homily for the Solemnity of the Epiphany celebrated in San Pedro with Card. Tagle on the day of the manifestation of Jesus to the Gentiles. At the Angelus, greetings to those who celebrate Christmas in the Orthodox rite, with a new call for an end to the fighting in Ukraine. Today the apostolic constitution “In Ecclesiarum Communione” was promulgated that reforms the vicariate of Rome: three times a month the Pope will personally preside over the episcopal council of his diocese in synodal style.

Vatican City () – “Like the Magi, let us surrender to God in the amazement of adoration. We adore God and not ourselves”. This is what Pope Francis said this morning in his homily for the Mass for the solemnity of the Epiphany, presided over in the Vatican basilica. “Let us adore God – he continued – and not false idols that seduce us with the charm of prestige and power, with the charm of false news; let us adore God so as not to bow down to fleeting things and the seductive but empty logic of evil.”

On the day that the Church commemorates the manifestation of Jesus to the peoples of the whole world, the pontiff entrusted Card. Luis Antonio Tagle, pro-prefect of the department for Evangelization, celebrating the rites at the altar. “Like a rising star – said Francis – Jesus comes to illuminate all peoples, and to illuminate the nights of humanity”. Reflecting on the experience lived by the Magi, the pontiff invited above all to seek God through the restlessness of the questions. “The path of faith – he commented – begins when we allow ourselves to be questioned, when we do not settle for the tranquility of our customs, but rather put our whole person at stake in the face of the challenges of each day; when we stop keeping ourselves in a neutral space and decide to inhabit the uncomfortable spaces of life, made of relationships with others, surprises, unforeseen events, projects to carry out, dreams to realize, fears to face, sufferings that delve into the flesh.”

However, like the Three Wise Men, he continued, it is necessary to take risks along the way. “Let us ask ourselves today: am I walking towards the Lord of life so that he becomes the Lord of my life? Jesus, who are you to me? where do you call me to go, what do you ask of my life? What choices are you inviting me to make for others? Finally, he also highlighted the astonishment of the adoration of the great wise men of the East in front of the Child. “Pastoral action is of no use if we do not put Jesus at the center, adoring him. There we learn to stand before God not so much to ask or do something, but only to stop in silence and abandon ourselves to his love, to let ourselves be taken and regenerated by his mercy.”

Then, from St. Peter’s Square when he prayed the Angelus at noon, Pope Francis sent his best wishes to the communities of the Eastern Churches that celebrate Christmas tomorrow. And also on this occasion, his thoughts turned to the martyred Ukrainian people. “May the birth of the Savior instill comfort and hope, may it inspire concrete steps that lead to ending the fighting, and achieving peace.”

In addition, he recalled the World Mission Day for Children, which, like every year, the Church celebrates on Epiphany Day. “I greet all the boys and girls, boys and girls -she said- who in all parts of the world spread the joy of being friends of Jesus and commit themselves with prayer, sacrifices and offerings to support the missionaries of the Gospel” .

Finally, also today, Pope Francis officially promulgated the apostolic constitution “In Ecclesiarum Communione” with which he reorganizes the Vicariate of Rome. “I want the local Church of Rome, entrusted to my episcopal service – writes the Pope – to shine as an example of communion in faith and charity, fully committed to the mission of announcing the Kingdom of God, as the custodian of hope divine way of welcoming everyone into her salvation”.

Among the most important developments is a more direct presence of the Pope in the exercise of his ministry as Bishop of Rome, but also a strengthening of synodality, giving a stronger role to the Episcopal Council. This body – made up of the Pope together with the cardinal vicar and all the auxiliary bishops – is described as the “apical place for discernment and pastoral and administrative decisions.” The apostolic constitution specifies that the Pope will preside over it personally and that it will meet at least three times a month. “The Cardinal Vicar – Francis writes in the document – in his function of coordinating diocesan pastoral care always acts in communion with the Episcopal Council, so he will depart from his unanimous opinion only after having evaluated the issue with me” .