This afternoon, in the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes in the Vatican Gardens, the Holy Father presided over the Eucharistic Celebration for the Vatican Gendarmerie Corps, on the occasion of the memorial of Saint Michael Archangel, patron and protector of the Italian State Police and the Vatican Gendarmerie Corps, on 29 September.

After the proclamation of the Gospel, the Pope delivered the following homily:

Homily of the Holy Father

Dear brothers and sisters,

Following a beautiful tradition, I have the opportunity to celebrate the Eucharist with you on the feast day of your patron saint, Saint Michael the Archangel. We are gathered at the altar of the Lord, under the maternal gaze of Mary Immaculate.

Our prayer begins with listening to the Word of God, which today offers us a strong and clear message. Indeed, the Apostle Paul exhorts us: “Do not be ashamed then of testifying to our Lord” (2 Tim 1:8). It is the witness of Jesus that gives meaning to what we do: otherwise, we risk becoming grey, lukewarm Christians, without a heart that burns for the Gospel.

Dear friends, as Gendarmes of the Vatican State, yours is not only a profession: it is a service for the good of the Church. Indeed, your daily work also bears witness to the Gospel. Therefore, never be ashamed of the example you can give. Often – and you know this by experience – your discreet and sure presence can express an evangelical style not in words, but even by an attentive glance, by a thoughtful gesture that protects everyone around you.

To resist the temptation of habit and idleness, the same Saint Paul encourages us thus: “I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you … for God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power and love and self-control” (2 Tim 1:6-7).

These are certainly virtues of the good Christian, and therefore also of the Vatican Gendarme: you have the force of the law, but not to dominate; you have charity towards the little ones, but not to please authority; prudence in action, but not out of fear of your responsibilities. This is the programme I entrust particularly to you, young gendarmes who recently took your oath. That promise was not a simple formula to repeat, but an act of freedom and devotion. You stated a public “yes”, before God and the Church. You promised fidelity to the Pope and a service that involves your life in your daily work commitment. Thank you for the courage and willingness you expressed in faithfully serving the Holy See!

In order to persevere in choosing what is good and just, which fulfils your task as gendarmes, we adopt the question we heard in the Gospel, when the apostles ask Jesus: “Increase our faith!” (Lk 17:5). Yes, Lord: stay close to us, convert our hearts, make us witnesses of your Word! Grant that our faith, that is, our relationship with You, may always grow, amid the joys and trials of life. It is You yourself, Lord, who nourishes it with the grace of Your Holy Spirit, so that it may bear fruit in us through good works.

Let us then pronounce these words with the hope of those who know they are loved by God, and therefore wish to live according to his will. When days of fatigue and misunderstanding come along, we will find the comfort and loyalty that sustain us in the Lord’s grace.

Dear friends, your service takes place above all “behind the scenes”. It is mostly invisible, and yet it accomplishes a great deal. It is a task that builds security, order, and respect: carry it out together, as a team, in mutual understanding with those who have been working together for a long time. It is a service that protects not only places and people, but also reflects a mission, the mission of the Church. Live this same mission, which is the proclamation of the Gospel, with your uniform and, above all, with your humanity.

My gratitude also goes to your families: your wives, your children, your fathers and mothers. Your “yes” is supported also by their silent “yes”. Without them, your service would be more fragile. May the Lord bless them, keep them and fill them with peace.

May the Virgin Mary be for you a model of faith and devotion, and Saint Michael, the Archangel who combats evil in God’s name, always protect you and your families. With a humble and faithful heart, you can be witnesses of peace in this tiny State, which has the world as its horizon.