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Master·evangeli.net

Today's Gospel + short theological explanation

October 11th: St. John XXIII, pope
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Gospel text (Lk 10:25-37): There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” He said in reply, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” He replied to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.” But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho....

St. John XXIII, pope (1881-1963)

EDITORIAL TEAM evangeli.net (based on texts by Benedict XVI) (Città del Vaticano, Vatican)

Today we celebrate the feast of Saint John XXIII, the “Good Pope”. Through the docility to the Spirit that distinguished the entire life of John XXIII, he could be the good soil in which concord, hope, unity and peace would germinate for the good of all of humanity. Pope John pointed to faith in Christ and belonging to the Church, Mother and Teacher, as a guarantee of a fruitful Christian witness in the world. Thus, in the strong contrasts of his time, the Pope was a man and pastor of peace who was able to open in the East and in the West unexpected horizons of brotherhood between Christians and of dialogue with all. The Second Vatican Ecumenical Council was a truly a special gift, offered to the Church by John XXIII, who decided, prepared and inaugurated it.

—Pope John said in his Encyclical “Pacem in terries”: the believer «must be a glowing point of light in the world, a nucleus of love, a leaven of the whole mass. He will be so in proportion to his degree of spiritual union with God». This was the great Pontiff's life program.