Instead of jumping in, God "does not intervene directly," and nor does not resolve the situation "in an abrupt way" or make himself present with force. Rather, "he invites patient waiting, without ever losing hope; above all, he emphasizes the importance of faith."
God treats us in the same way, he said, explaining that he doesn't "indulge our desire to immediately and repeatedly change the world and other people," but rather seeks to heal the heart of the person.
"God changes the world by transforming our hearts, and this he cannot do without us," he said, adding that "when God finds an open and trusting heart, then he can work wonders there."
Having faith isn't always easy, he said, and pointed to the Apostles' petition to Jesus in the Gospel of Luke to "increase our faith."
Jesus' response "is surprising," because he turns the question back on them and says "if you had faith…" In this answer, the Lord asks us to have faith, he said, adding that faith is as a gift from God that must always be asked for, faith has to be nurtured.
"It is no magic power which comes down from heaven," and nor is it "a special force for solving life's problems."
A faith that satisfies our needs "would be a selfish one, centered entirely on ourselves," Francis said, adding that faith shouldn't be confused with well-being or feeling good, nor with having a consolation in our heart that brings inner peace.
"Faith is the golden thread which binds us to the Lord, the pure joy of being with him, united to him; it is a gift that lasts our whole life, but bears fruit only if we play our part."
When it comes to service, this doesn't mean just fulfilling our duties or doing some good act, but "is much more," Francis said, noting how in the Gospel, Jesus asks "in very radical terms" for our complete availability, "a life offered in complete openness, free of calculation and gain."
The Pope then cautioned against two temptations that Christians face which lead away from service and end up "rendering life pointless." These temptations, he said, are allowing ourselves to grow lukewarm, and to think "like masters."
"A lukewarm heart becomes self-absorbed in lazy living and it stifles the fire of love," he said, explaining that a lukewarm person "lives to satisfy his or her own convenience, which is never enough, and in that way is never satisfied."
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Gradually Christians like this end up being content with mediocrity, allocating to God and others only a percentage of their time, "never spending too much, but rather always trying to economize."
Rather than being passive, the second temptation of "thinking like masters" centers on being too active, the Pope observed, explaining that a person like this only gives of themselves "only in order to gain something or become someone."
"In such cases service becomes a means and not an end, because the end has become prestige; and then comes power, the desire to be great," he said, but cautioned that the Church "grows and is adorned" only through service.
Pope Francis concluded his homily by returning to the image of the carpet, telling the local community that "each of you is like a magnificent silk thread."
However, he stressed that only if you are woven together will the different threads form a beautiful composition; on their own, they are of no use," and urged Azerbaijanis to always be united, humbly living in joy and charity.
Elise Harris was senior Rome correspondent for CNA from 2012 to 2018.