The Pope’s homily focused on the Gospel story of the healing of a paralytic. The Pope explained that such a healing was “only a sign, a sign of something more that Jesus was doing,” namely, the forgiveness of sins.

In Jesus the world is reconciled with God and this is “the most profound miracle,” he continued. “This reconciliation is the re-creation of the world: this is the most profound mission of Jesus. The redemption of all of us sinners; and Jesus does this not with words, not with gestures, not walking along the street. No, He does it with His flesh.”

According to Vatican Radio, Pope Francis said that Jesus “comes down from glory, humbles Himself, even unto death, death on the Cross, even to the point of crying out: ‘Father, why have you abandoned me?’ This is His glory, and this is our salvation.”

The Pontiff concluded his homily by saying: “God has reconciled the world to Himself in Christ, entrusting to us the word of reconciliation and the grace of bearing this word of reconciliation onward, forcefully, with the liberty of children.

“We are saved in Jesus Christ and no one can take from us this ‘identity card.’ This is how I identify myself: as a child of God. What a beautiful identity!”

Cardinal Telesphore Placidus Toppo, the Archbishop of Ranchi in India, concelebrated Mass with the Holy Father.