Pope at Mass in Hungary: Christ calls us by name and sends us

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Celebrating Sunday Mass in Budapest’s historic Kossuth Lajos Square, Pope Francis reflects on the image of the Good Shepherd, who knows his sheep and calls them by name, then sends us out to be witnesses to the Gospel.

By Christopher Wells

Pope Francis began his third and final day in Budapest with the celebration of Holy Mass with tens of thousands of faithful gathered in Kossuth Lajos Square in central Budapest.

The Holy Father based his homily on the reading of the Gospel for the fourth Sunday of Easter, which emphasizes the figure of the Good Shepherd. A good shepherd, he said, lays down his life for his sheep.

[ Jesus, like a shepherd who goes in search of his flock, came to find us when we were lost. Like a shepherd, He came to snatch us from death. ]

Christ, the Good Shepherd, does two things in particular for his sheep, the pope continued: he calls his sheep by name and he brings them out.

called by name

Pope Francis reminded the faithful that God calls each of us by name, eager to save us from sin and death, to give us abundant life and endless joy.

Jesus came as the Good Shepherd of mankind, to call us and bring us home.

The Pope went on to explain that as Christians we are all called by name by the Good Shepherd, summoned to receive and spread his love, to make his sheepfold an inclusive entity and never to exclude others. As a result, he said, we are called to build brotherhood and avoid divisions, opening our hearts to mutual love.

The shepherd brings them out

After the Shepherd has called His sheep, the Pope continued, He continues to lead them, to send them out into the world to witness the love that has given us new birth. Introducing the image of the door, Pope Francis said that Jesus is the door that brings us into the bosom of the Church and then brings us back into the world.

The pope deplored the doors closed to the isolated, to the underprivileged, to foreigners, to migrants; closed doors that we find even in our ecclesial communities, closed doors to others in the world, to those who are irregular, to those who yearn for God’s forgiveness.

Pope Francis implored the faithful, Please open these doors! Let us try to be, in our words, deeds and daily activities, like Jesus, an open door, a door that never closes in anyone’s face, a door that allows everyone to enter and experience beauty of the love of God.

Be open doors!

Addressing bishops and priests, and all those who are “shepherds” in the Church, the Pope called them to be “ever more open doors, “facilitators” of God’s grace. He also called on the lay faithful, including catechists and pastoral agents, politicians and social leaders: “Be open doors! … So be open and inclusive and thus help Hungary to grow in brotherhood, which is the way to peace.”

The Holy Father concluded his homily by inviting the faithful never to be discouraged and to remember that Jesus the Good Shepherd calls us by name and cares for us with infinitely tender love.

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