Pope Francis warns against becoming 'museum-piece Christians'

Casa Santa Marta

Pope Francis warned against the risk of becoming insipid, “Museum-piece Christians,” during his homily yesterday in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta residence.

In his homily, Pope Francis focused on the savour that Christians are called to give to their own lives and to others. The Holy Father said that salt the Lord gives us is the salt of faith, hope and charity. But, he warned, we must be careful that this salt, which is given to us by the certainty that Jesus died and rose again to save us, “does not lose its flavour, does not lose its strength.” This salt, he continued, “is not for keeping, because if the salt is preserved in a bottle it does not do anything: it is good for nothing”:

“Salt makes sense when you use it in order to make things more tasty. I also consider that salt stored in the bottle, with moisture, loses strength and is rendered useless. The salt that we have received is to be given out, to be given away, to spice things up: otherwise, it becomes bland and useless. We must ask the Lord not to let us become Christians with flavourless salt, with salt that stays closed in the bottle. Salt also has another special feature: when salt is used well, one does not notice the taste of salt. The taste of salt cannot be perceived! What one tastes is the flavour of the food: salt helps improve the flavour of the meal.”

“When we preach faith, with this salt,” said Pope Francis, “those who receive the proclamation, receive it each according to his personal way. So, “Each with his own peculiarities receives the salt and becomes better for it.” The Holy Father went on to explain that the “originality” that Christian faith brings is therefore not something uniform."

“The Christian originality is not a uniformity! It takes each one as he is, with his own personality, with his own characteristics, his culture – and leaves him with that, because it is a treasure. However, it gives one something more: it gives flavour! This Christian originality is so beautiful, because when we want to make a uniformity - all salted in the same way - things will be like when the woman throws in too much salt and one tastes only salt and not the meal. The Christian originality is this: each is as he is, with the gifts the Lord has given him.”

“This,” the Pope continued, “is the salt that we have to give.” A salt that is “not to be kept, but to be given,” – and this, he said, “means a little bit of transcendence”: “To get out there with the message, to get out there with this richness that we have in salt, and give it to others.” On the other hand, he pointed out, there are two “ways out” for the salt to take, so that it does not spoil. First: to give the salt “in the service of meals, service to others, to serve the people.” Second: “transcendence toward the author of the salt, the creator.”

The salt, he reiterated, "in order to keep its flavour, has need not only of being given through preaching,” but, “also needs the other transcendence, of prayer, of adoration”.. “In this way is the salt conserved, [in this way it keeps] its flavour. With the worship of the Lord I go beyond myself to the Lord, and with the proclamation of the Gospel I go out of myself to give the message. If we do not do this, however - these two things, these two transcendences, to give the salt - the salt will remain in the bottle, and we will become ‘museum-piece Christians’. We can show the salt: this is my salt - and how lovely it is! This is the salt that I received in Baptism, this is what I received in Confirmation, this is what I received in catechesis - But look: museum-piece Christians! A salt without flavour, a salt that does nothing.”

Cardinal Angelo Sodano and Cardinal Leonardo Sandri concelebrated. The Mass was attended by a group of priests and lay collaborators from the Congregation for the Oriental Churches.

Source: VIS/Vatican Radio