Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday!

In today’s Gospel reading (Mt 10:26-33), Jesus sends the disciples out on their mission and addresses them with this exhortation: “What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops” (v. 27).

He draws a parallel between what we hear “in private,” namely, what is in the secret of our hearts, and what we are called to proclaim to everyone. He reminds us that proclaiming the Gospel is first and foremost a sharing of a personal encounter with him, which is unique to each of us.

The strength of any apostolate, in fact — beyond techniques and tools — comes from the work of the Holy Spirit within us and from the authenticity of our response. Saint Thomas Aquinas spoke of preaching as passing on to others what we have contemplated: “contemplata aliis tradere” (cf. Summa Theologiae, III, q. 40, a. 1, ad 2).

We must not think that contemplation is an exclusive experience, reserved only for a few saints or for monks and hermits. We can all do it, by striving to set aside, amidst the commitments of our daily lives, quiet moments in which to enter into silence before God, to listen to his voice, to entrust our joys and concerns to him and to review our lives with him. This helps us to have a more firm and conscious faith, and consequently to be credible and free disciples, men and women capable of reflecting the light of the Gospel in every setting and every situation of life, and of bearing witness to it even where its value is not understood or accepted.

Saint Matthew — the author of the biblical passage that we mentioned — wrote for communities whose lives were not easy. They had to face hostility and persecution, as so many Christians still do today in various parts of the world. The temptation to become discouraged and to let weariness or fear get the better of them was great.

Now, just as then, it is a challenge to remain faithful to Jesus’ teachings and to proclaim his word: to respond to hatred with love, to arrogance with meekness, and to discouragement with perseverance. For this reason, we must deepen the roots of our faith and our mission in an intimate relationship with him (cf. Francis, Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, 8). This gives us the strength not to despair, but to continue to share with everyone, in every circumstance, his message of hope, love and peace. The world greatly needs it!

May the Virgin Mary help us to be missionary disciples of the Lord Jesus, each according to our own vocation.

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After the Angelus:

Dear brothers and sisters,

World Refugee Day, established by the United Nations, was celebrated yesterday on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Convention relating to the status of refugees, which was adopted to protect those who are persecuted and forced to leave their homeland, homes and families. I hope that the spirit that inspired the drafting of this important international instrument may also continue to enlighten the consciences of national leaders today. No one can turn a blind eye to those who are seeking protection and safety. I also urge everyone to welcome those who are victims of persecution so that they may live in peace, with dignity, and look to the future with hope.

I would like to greet the members of the Catholic Pentecostal International Dialogue. “The Church believes as she prays,” and reflecting together on the principle “lex orandi, lex credendi” is particularly relevant nowadays.

I warmly greet all of you, the faithful of Rome and the pilgrims from various countries.

Thinking of the pilgrims who have come from Brazil, I assure you of my prayers for the young people who died a few days ago in a road accident in the State of Ceará.

I greet the Confirmation candidates from two parishes in Ozieri, Sardinia.

I wish all of you a happy Sunday!