Pope: A Christian does not say one thing and do another: He walks in the light, "because God is Light."

"The lie we know where it comes from: in the Bible, Jesus calls the devil 'father of lies', the liar". "Sin is ugly! But if you have sinned, He is watching and waiting for you to forgive you! '. Always! Because He - God - is greater than our sins".

 

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - The Christian must say no to lies, to "saying one thing and doing another," to taking "dark streets", but even we make a mistake, we can count on the forgiveness and gentleness of God, that restores us to a life of "light." "This is the Christian life”, said Pope Francis at Mass this morning in Casa Santa Marta, taking a cue from the passage of the Letter of St John where the apostle warns believers against leading a life of duplicity – lightness on the outside and the darkness in the heart - because God is only light.

"If we say we have not sinned, we make God a liar," said Francis, emphasizing man’s eternal struggle between  sin and grace. "If you say you are in communion with the Lord, walk in the light! Do not lead a double life! That no! We are so used to seeing this lie, we even fall into it ourselves. To say one thing and do another, right? There is always the temptation ... We know where lies come from: in the Bible, Jesus calls the devil 'father of lies', the liar. And for this, so gently, with such gentleness, this grandfather says to the 'teenager' Church, the girl-Church: 'Do not be a liar! You are in communion with God, walk in the light. Accomplish things in the light, do not say one thing and do another, do not lead a double life".

 "My little children" is the beginning of St. John’s letter, it has the tone of a grandfather speaking to his "young grandchildren" and echoes the "sweetness" of the words in the Gospel of the day, where Jesus calls his yoke "light" and promises "relief" to the tired and oppressed. Similarly, John's appeal is not to sin, "but if someone does, do not be discouraged". "We have a Paraclete, a word, a lawyer, an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He justifies us, He gives us grace. One feels the urge to say to this grandfather who advises us so: 'But is it not a bad thing to sin?'. 'No, sin is ugly! But if you have sinned, He is watching and waiting for you to forgive you! '. Always! Because He - God - is greater than our sins. "

This, concluded Francis, "it is the mercy of God, is the greatness of God." He knows that "we are nothing", that "He" alone has the power and therefore "He always waits for us". “Let us walk in the light, because God is Light. Do not have with one foot in the light and the other in darkness. Do not be liars. What’s more: we have all sinned. No one can say: 'This is a sinner; This is a sinner. I, thank God, am just'. No, only One is righteous, because He paid for us. And if anyone sins, He is waiting for us, He forgives us, because He is merciful and knows how we are formed, and remembers that we are dust. What joy that gives us this reading, we make progress in the simplicity and transparency of the Christian life, especially when we turn to the Lord. With the truth".

• Vatican Pope Francis lie Devil pardon