Memorial of the deportation of the Jews of Rome during the Second World War.

Reading of the Word of God

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Whoever lives and believes in me
will never die.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Luke 12,8-12

'I tell you, if anyone openly declares himself for me in the presence of human beings, the Son of man will declare himself for him in the presence of God's angels. But anyone who disowns me in the presence of human beings will be disowned in the presence of God's angels. 'Everyone who says a word against the Son of man will be forgiven, but no one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will be forgiven. 'When they take you before synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how to defend yourselves or what to say, because when the time comes, the Holy Spirit will teach you what you should say.'

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

If you believe, you will see the glory of God,
thus says the Lord.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Judgment upon the disciples takes place already on the basis of whether we are bound or not to Jesus, to the point of saying that our faithfulness binds Jesus to us in an even firmer way. Whoever follows the Gospel and perseveres in its way, even in times of trial, is saved because the Lord is with him or her. But those who let themselves be overtaken by fear and deny the Gospel and their brothers and sisters, destroy themselves by themselves. Jesus has really already said this other times: "Those who want to save their own life will lose it." He, in any case, knows our weakness and knows well that we can fall into the blandishments of temptation and into sin. Jesus is always ready to forgive as the following statement suggests: "Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven." We could say that Jesus tolerates the misunderstanding for him and the repentance that must follow, but he cannot tolerate the misunderstanding of God's plan of love, that is, not recognizing His mercy. This is true blasphemy. But he adds: "Whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven." Mark the evangelist too quotes these severe words adding: "For they had said: "He has an unclean spirit" (3:30). The sin against the Holy Spirit consists in not recognizing in Jesus the very presence of God and also in not recognizing in the Church, in the Christian community, the action of the Holy Spirit who forgives and consoles. If one does not recognize the presence of God in Jesus and even in the Church as a reservoir of mercy blasphemes against God and excludes oneself from the way of salvation for denying God's merciful love. Jesus' words are severe for the one who betrays but are consoling for the one who perseveres. The Lord understands our weakness and he always comes to us, particularly in difficult moments: "Do not worry--he tells us--12for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that very hour what you ought to say." The company of the Lord is our strength.