The Pope at the Sagrada Familia. ‘Christians cannot wage war’

“We cannot believe in Jesus and wage war. We cannot believe in Jesus and kill the innocent. We cannot believe in Jesus and abandon those who suffer, those who weep, those who flee from misery.” This was Pope Leo’s warning during the solemn Mass at the Sagrada Familia. “This evening,” the Pope emphasised, “we remember that the Cross of Christ, placed atop this basilica, is the cross of the last who become first, of sinners who become saints, of the dead who will rise again.”

“Much more than a monument, the Basilica of the Sagrada Família is still a building site today, reminding us that the Christian life is always a journey, for it is a project that God brings to completion. We do not, therefore, inhabit an unfinished work, but a temple still under construction. Its imperfection is not a flaw, for it bears witness to a desire; it does not signify a lack, but expresses a promise, which we wish to honour with consistency.” Leone said this during the Mass for the inauguration of the Tower of Jesus at the Sagrada Familia. Leone celebrated the Mass partly in Spanish and partly in Catalan.

“The Tower of the Cross,” he adds, “thus becomes a banner of charity, for God loves us in this way, transforming an instrument of death into a sign of hope. In the Cross of Jesus our faith reaches its summit, as professed by the inscription at the base of the spire: Tu solus Sanctus, Tu solus Dominus, Tu solus Altissimus. This Cross shines by day, reflecting the sunlight, and shines by night, illuminating the city like a lighthouse overlooking the Mediterranean.”

“The beauty of this church spurs us on to learn ever more deeply the art of living according to the Gospel. As we lift our gaze to Him, let us commit ourselves to lifting up the faces of those who lie in the dust. And let us thus show that the Holy Family is the highest church in the world, not to top worldly rankings, but to guide the steps of God’s pilgrim people in this land of Catalonia, with the cross illuminating the way.”

“As an architect of deep faith, the venerable Antoni Gaudí conceived these spaces with the intention of recounting the mysteries of the Lord’s life: in this way, he has offered us a spiritual pilgrimage, leading to an encounter with Christ, who was born, died and rose again for us. Together with Gaudí, as we commemorate the centenary of his death, we remember and thank this evening all the promoters and benefactors, the artists and craftsmen who have worked together to build an architectural masterpiece that is also an eloquent catechesis made of stone, colour and light.” This is Pope Leo’s long-awaited tribute to Gaudí, delivered in his homily during the Mass inaugurating the Tower of Jesus Christ at the Sagrada Família. “In this temple of images,” Leo continues, “it becomes even more evident how art and beauty are pre-eminent channels of evangelisation.”