Friday, April 12, 2013
Pope Francis's first sermon
Pope Francis's inaugural sermon concerns St. Joseph as a model of protection. He emphasizes the poor, the weak, and the defenseless earth:
I think it is notable that he refers to himself as "The Bishop of Rome", and emphasizes the primary duty to serve. In this homily, which describes itself as the inauguration of his Petrine ministry, the Pope alludes to the rock. But he identifies this Rock as God, not as Peter!
"... protecting all creation, the beauty of the created world, as the Book of Genesis tells us and as Saint Francis of Assisi showed us. It means respecting each of God’s creatures and respecting the environment in which we live. "
I think it is notable that he refers to himself as "The Bishop of Rome", and emphasizes the primary duty to serve. In this homily, which describes itself as the inauguration of his Petrine ministry, the Pope alludes to the rock. But he identifies this Rock as God, not as Peter!
