"This is difficult but it is the sign of the true educator: don't tie people to yourself".
This is what Pope Francis said at the Angelus, dedicating his reflection today to the testimony and "spirit of service" of John the Baptist.
"John does this - he explained -: he puts his disciples in the footsteps of Jesus. He is not interested in having a following for himself, in obtaining prestige and success, but he bears witness and then takes a step back, so that many may have the joy of meet Jesus. We can say, he opens the door and goes away".
According to the Pontiff, "with his spirit of service, with his ability to make room, John the Baptist teaches us an important thing: freedom from attachments".
"Yes, because it's easy to get attached to roles and positions, to the need to be esteemed, recognized and rewarded - he underlined -. And this, although natural, is not a good thing, because service involves giving it freely, taking care of others without advantages for themselves, without ulterior motives, without expecting a return".
"It will do us good too, like John, to cultivate the virtue of stepping aside at the right moment, testifying that the point of reference in life is Jesus. Stepping aside, learning to say goodbye: I have done this mission, and I am leaving room for Lord - Francis urged - Let's think about how important this is for a priest, who is called to preach and celebrate not out of protagonism or interest, but to accompany others to Jesus".
"Let's think about how important it is - he continued - for parents, who raise their children with so many sacrifices, but then have to leave them free to take their own path in work, in marriage, in life. It is beautiful and right that parents continue to ensure their presence, saying to their children: 'We won't leave you alone', but with discretion, without intrusiveness. The freedom to grow".
"And the same goes for other areas, such as friendship, married life, community life - the Pope went on -. Getting rid of the attachments of one's ego and knowing how to step aside costs money, but it is very important: it is the decisive step to grow in the spirit of service".
"Brothers, sisters, let's try to ask ourselves - he added -: are we capable of making room for others? To listen to them, to leave them free, not to bind them to us by demanding recognition? Even to let them speak? Do we attract others to Jesus or to ourselves And again, following John's example: do we know how to rejoice in the fact that people take their own path and follow their call, even if this involves a little detachment from us? Do we rejoice in their goals, with sincerity and without envy? And this is letting others grow".
"Mary, the servant of the Lord, help us to be free from attachments, to make room for the Lord and give space to others", she concluded introducing the Marian prayer.
THE PRAYER FOR UKRAINE, WHICH ASKS FOR THE POPE'S VISIT
"Brothers and sisters, let us not forget the martyred Ukrainian people, who suffer so much. Let us stay close to them, with our feelings, with our help, with our prayers".
Pope Francis said it at the Angelus.
The ambassador of Ukraine to the Holy See, Andrii Yurash, returned to Twitter today on what was said yesterday in an interview with Sky Tg24 by Andriy Yermak, head of the Office of the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, and reiterated his "great appreciation from Kiev of the Pope's permanent support for Ukraine and the importance of his visit to the country soon as a real step towards establishing peace".
"I think the time has come for the Pope to visit Ukraine and thus give a very clear signal that it is Russia that must stop what it has started," Yermak said yesterday.