Pope Francis Talks about serpents, evil, the devil, sin and Jesus 31.03.20

I think: isn't this idolatry? There is the serpent, there, an idol, which gives me health ... It's not understandable. Logically, it's not understandable, but this is a prophecy, this is a proclamation of what will happen. Because we have also heard as a prophecy in the Gospel: "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I am and that I do nothing on my own" (John. 8:28). Jesus raised: on the cross. Moses makes a serpent and mounts it. Jesus will be lifted up, like the serpent, to give salvation. But the core of the prophecy is precisely that Jesus has made Himself sin for us. He did not sin: he made Himself sin. As St. Peter says in his letter: "He bore all of our sins in Himself" (Cf. 1Pt 2:24) And when we look at the crucifix, we think of the Lord who suffers: all that is true. But let's stop before we get to the centre of that truth: right now, you seem to be the greatest sinner, you have sinned. He has taken upon Himself all our sins, he has annihilated Himself until now. There was a vendetta by the doctors of the law who didn't want Him. All this is true. But the truth that comes from God is that He came into the world to take our sins upon Himself to the point of making Himself sin. All complete sin. Our sins are there.

We need to get used to looking at the crucifix in this light, which is the truest, is the light of redemption. In Jesus made sin we see the total defeat of Christ. He does not pretend to die, he does not pretend not to suffer, alone, abandoned ... "Father, why did you abandon me?" (Cf Mt 27.46; Mark 15:34). A serpent: I'm raised up like a serpent, as something that's completely sinful.

It is not easy to understand this and, if we think about it, we will never arrive at a conclusion. We can only, contemplate, pray and give thanks.

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