TWO VERSIONS
1
http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-at-mass-courage-in-spite-of-our-weaknesses
Pope Francis: Escape from temptation; Run away and do not look back! We are weak, all of us, and we must defend ourselves.
VATICAN CITY, July 02, 2013 - During his morning Mass in the Chapel of Domus Sanctae Marthae, Pope Francis emphasized the calling of Christians to be courageous in their weakness.
Referring to the first reading which spoke of the escape of Lot and his family from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the Pope said that there are several possible attitudes in difficult situations. The Holy Father commented on Lot’s slowness in escaping the city.
“The angel tells him to run away, but he carries within an 'inability to detach himself from evil and sin,” Pope Francis said. Despite our determination to escape the temptation “there is something that pulls us back, and so Lot begins to negotiate even with the angel.”
"It is so hard to cut ties with a sinful situation,” the Holy Father continued. “It is hard! Even in a temptation, it's hard! But the voice of God tells us this word: 'Escape! Get away from it! You cannot fight there, because the fire, the sulfur will kill you. Escape!' St. Therese of the Child Jesus taught us that sometimes, in some temptations, the only solution is to escape and not be ashamed to escape; to recognize that we are weak and we have to escape. And our popular wisdom, in its simplicity, says as much, somewhat ironically: 'he who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day.' We must escape and go forward along the path of Jesus."
Referring to the angel’s command to Lot and his family “not to look back”, the Holy Father said that one way of overcoming the nostalgia of sin was to think of the “People of God in the desert.”
"They had everything, promises, everything." And yet "they were nostalgic for the onions of Egypt" and this "longing made them forget that they were eating those onions at the table of slavery." There was the "longing to go back, to return to the situation of sin." The Pope went on to say that the angel’s advice, "is wise: Do not look back! Move ahead!" We must not do as Lot's wife, we must "leave behind all nostalgia, because there is also the temptation of curiosity."
"Faced with sin, we must escape without any nostalgia. Curiosity does not help us, it hurts! 'But, in this sinful world, what can we do? What is this sin like? I would like to know more . . . ' No, do not! This curiosity will hurt you! Run away and do not look back! We are weak, all of us, and we must defend ourselves.”
Contemplating the Gospel, which spoke of the disciples’ fear in the midst of a storm, the Holy Father stated that another danger is fear. “There is the temptation that tells you, it is better to stay here, where you’re safe,” the Holy Father said. “But this is the slavery of Egypt."
"I fear moving forward in my life; I'm afraid of where the Lord will bring me. Fear, however, is not a good counselor. Jesus, so many times, said: 'Do not be afraid.' Fear does not help us."
The final support in the face of a difficult situation is the “grace of the Holy Spirit.” Continuing his reflection on the Gospel, the Pope noted the disciples were awed at Jesus calming the sea. "Faced with sin, nostalgia, fear, we must always turn to the Lord,” the Pope said.
"Looking to the Lord, contemplating the Lord. This gives us the beautiful wonder of a new encounter with the Lord. 'Lord, I am being tempted; I remain stuck in this situation of sin, Lord, I am curious to know about this and that, Lord, I'm afraid.' The disciples looked at the Lord: 'Save us, Lord, we perish!' And wonder, a new encounter with Jesus followed.”
“We must not be naive nor lukewarm Christians, but brave, courageous,” Pope Francis concluded. “We are weak, but we must be courageous in our weakness. Often, our courage must lead us to escape without looking back, so as not to fall into the trap of wicked nostalgia. Do not be afraid and always look to the Lord!”
2
http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Pope:-faced-with-temptation-we-must-not-be-ashamed-to-escape-28356.html
Pope: faced with temptation we must not be ashamed to escape
During Mass this morning Francis points out that in this "sinful world", we are weak, but "we must be courageous in our weakness. And often our courage must be expressed in escaping and not looking back, not falling into the trap of nostalgia. Not being afraid and always looking to the Lord!".
Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Faced with the temptation we should not be ashamed to flee, we should not have "nostalgia of sin" nor the "curiosity" to find out about it, nor, finally, fear of "moving forward" in following the Lord. Instead we should have the courage to recognize our weakness and to be guided by God, to act slowly, not to look back or fear turning to the Lord, for the grace of the Holy Spirit. In his homily at morning Mass at the Casa Santa Marta, Pope Francis drew from today's readings to dwell on four "possible attitudes in conflict situations, in difficult situations."
The first attitude indicated, Vatican Radio reports, is the "slowness" of Lot. He decided to leave the city before it was destroyed, but he does so slowly. The angel tells him to run away, but he carries within an '"inability to detach himself from evil and sin." The Pope noted that we want to go out, we are determined, "but there is something that pulls us back," and so Lot begins to negotiate even with the angel. "It's so hard to cut ties with a sinful situation. It is hard! Even in a temptation, it's hard! But the voice of God tells us this word: 'Escape! You cannot fight there, because the fire, the sulfur will kill you. Escape!' St. Therese of the Child Jesus taught us that sometimes, in some temptations, the only solution is to escape and not be ashamed to escape; to recognize that we are weak and we have to escape. And our popular wisdom, in its simplicity, says as much, somewhat ironically: 'he who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day.' Escaping to go forward along the path of Jesus."
The Pope continued that the angel then says "do not look back," to escape and keep your eyes faced forward. Here, he said, is some advice on how to overcome our nostalgia of sin. Think of the People of God in the desert, he stressed: "They had everything, promises, everything." And yet "they were nostalgic for the onions of Egypt" and this "longing made them forget that they ate those onions on the table of slavery." There was the "longing to go back, to return." And the advice of the angel, the Pope observed, "is wise: Do not look back! Move ahead!" We must not do as Lot's wife, we must "leave behind all nostalgia, because there is also the temptation of curiosity."
"Faced with sin, we must escape without any nostalgia. Curiosity does not help, it hurts! 'But, in this sinful world, what can we do? What is this sin like? I would like to know . . . ' No, do not! This curiosity will hurt you! Run away and do not look back! We are weak, all of us, and we must defend ourselves.
The third situation is on the boat: it is fear. When there is great upheaval at sea, the boat was covered with the waves. 'Save us, Lord, we are lost!' they say. Fear! Even that is a temptation of the devil: to be afraid to move forward on the path of the Lord." There is a temptation that says it is "better to stay here," where I'm safe. "But this - warned the Pope - is the slavery of Egypt." "I fear moving forward - the Pope said - I'm afraid of where the Lord will bring me." Fear, however, "is not a good counselor." Jesus, he added, "so many times, said: 'Do not be afraid.' Fear does not help us."
The fourth attitude "is the grace of the Holy Spirit." When Jesus calms the agitated sea, the disciples on the boat are filled with awe. "Faced with sin, nostalgia, fear," he said, we must always turn to the Lord."Looking to the Lord, contemplating the Lord. This gifts us the beautiful wonder of a new encounter with the Lord. 'Lord, I am being tempted: I want to stay in this situation of sin, Lord, I am curious to know about these things, Lord, I'm afraid.' And they looked to the Lord: 'Save us, Lord, we are lost!' And wonder at a new encounter with Jesus followed. We must not be naive nor lukewarm Christians, but brave, courageous. We are weak, but we must be courageous in our weakness. And often our courage must be expressed in escaping without looking back, so as not to fall into the trap of wicked nostalgia. Do not be afraid and always look to the Lord! ".
(Chinese version)
http://www.asianews.it/news-zh/%E6%95%99%E5%AE%97%E6%8C%87%E5%87%BA%E9%9D%A2%E5%AF%B9%E8%AF%B1%E6%83%91%E4%B8%8D%E5%BA%94%E5%AF%B9%E9%80%83%E8%B7%91%E6%84%9F%E5%88%B0%E7%BE%9E%E6%84%A7-28356.html
教宗指出面對誘惑不應對逃跑感到羞愧
今天清晨的彌撒聖祭中，教宗方濟各講道強調在這個"罪惡深重的世界"，我們是軟弱的，"但面對我們的軟弱應該勇敢。我們的勇氣常常就應該體現在逃跑的行動上，不要向后看，以免留戀過去。不要害怕，要始終注視上主"！
梵蒂岡城（亞洲新聞）-面對誘惑不應對逃跑感到羞愧、不應" 留戀罪惡"或者對罪惡"好奇"，也不要害怕向前追隨上主，而應有勇氣承認我們的軟弱、讓天主引導我們。這是今天清晨彌撒聖祭講道中，教宗方濟各結合讀經和福音闡述的核心內容，指出了"面對沖突、艱難局勢下可能有的四種態度"-- 行動遲緩、留戀、害怕、求助於上主和神聖的恩寵。
據梵蒂岡廣播電台報道，教宗談到的第一種態度是羅特的"行動遲緩"。他決定在索多瑪被毀滅前離開，但卻不慌不忙。天使讓他快跑，他卻沒有能夠徹底與邪惡、罪惡一刀兩斷。我們願意擺脫、決定擺脫了，"但總有一些東西拖著我們的后腿"，羅特甚至和天使討價還價。"同一個罪惡深重的世界切割太難了，太難了！即便受到誘惑時，也很難！但天主的聲音告訴我們說'快逃，你不能在那裡斗爭，因為硫磺和火會把你吞沒，快逃'！聖女小德蘭也曾教我們說，有時候、在某種誘惑下，逃跑可能是唯一的辦法，不要為逃跑感到羞恥，我們要承認我們是軟弱的、應該逃跑。我們的人民以其淳朴的智慧詼諧地稱'逃兵是為了其它戰爭的'。逃跑是為了在耶穌的道路上前進"。
天使還說"不要往后看"、快逃、別留戀。這裡是建議我們不要留戀罪惡，讓我們想一想荒漠中的天主自民，"他們什麼都有、許諾、一切都有"。即便是這樣，他們卻"留戀埃及的蔥頭"。忘記了那個蔥頭是他們淪為奴隸時吃的。而天使的建議是十分明智的，"快快逃命，不要往后看"。我們應該像羅特的妻子那樣"擺脫一切留戀，因為好奇中也有誘惑"。"面對罪惡，要毫不留戀地逃跑。好奇是沒有用的，隻能帶來不好的！'那在這個罪惡深重的世界裡應該怎樣做呢？ 我想認識......'。不要，放棄一切！好奇隻能帶來不好的！快逃、不要向后看！我們是軟弱的，所有人都是、我們要自衛"。
"第三種情況就是船上那樣的：害怕。當大浪洶涌、小船被巨浪席卷時，'上主救救我們吧！我們迷航了'！害怕！也是魔鬼的誘惑：害怕在上主的道路上向前"。這種誘惑對我們說"最好留在這裡"，我們比較安全的地方。"但這是奴隸的埃及"！害怕絕對不是好的軍師、"害怕是沒有任何幫助的"。第四種態度則是聖神的恩寵，當耶穌讓風平浪靜后門徒們驚異不已。"無論是在罪惡、留戀和害怕時"，我們都要始終轉向上主。"仰望上主、默想上主。這將給我們帶來驚喜，再次與上主相遇這是多麼美好的事呀。當別人害怕、好奇、留戀和受到誘惑時，他們卻仰望上主說，'救救我們吧上主，我們迷失了航向'！於是就有了與耶穌再次相遇的驚喜。我們既不是沒有頭腦的也不是冷淡的基督徒，我們是精干的、勇敢的。我們軟弱，但我們在我們的軟弱中是勇敢的。我們的勇氣常常就應該體現在逃跑的行動上，不要向后看，以免留戀過去。不要害怕，要始終注視上主"！
Pope Francis: flee from temptation and do not look back!
