Pope meets with young and old
during parish visit
Pope Francis listens to a young boy during his parish visit on Sunday.(Vatican Media) |
During his visit to the parish of Saint Paul of the Cross,
in the Corviale neighbourhood of Rome, Pope Francis met with the faithful
before celebrating the Sunday Mass
By Christopher Wells
As is customary in his visits to Roman parishes, Pope
Francis took the opportunity to meet with parishioners of St Paul of the Cross
before celebrating Sunday Mass for the community.
Ahead of the liturgy, Pope Francis met with young children
in catechism courses, as well as the elderly, the poor, and the sick members of
the parish; and later heard the confessions of several people.
Most needy at centre of the parish
In his meeting with the elderly, the Holy Father spoke of
the “duty” of the parish to be there for the people, “because those who have
the greatest need are at the centre of the parish, and at the centre of the
Gospel. Everyone faces difficulties in life, but our sorrows and difficulties
should not allow us to take away our hope or our joy, the Pope said, “because
Jesus has come to ‘ransom’ our wounds with His wounds.” This, he said, is our
joy, “Jesus has paid for us, He is close to us, He wants what is good for us.”
Jesus' ability to change hearts
Pope Francis began his visit with a question and answer
session with some of the children of the parish. In a light-hearted exchange,
he promised to answer a question about his favourite Bible passage when the
children agreed to read it when they got home. He proceeded to tell the story
of the conversion of Matthew, which he said “shows the power of Jesus to change
a heart.”
All are children of God
When one little girl asked whether those who are not
baptized are children of God, the Pope said, “We are all children of God.
Everyone! Everyone!” – good people and bad, even those who follow other
religions, even Mafiosi. “God has created everyone,” he said. “He loves
everyone, and has placed in the hearts of everyone a conscience to recognize
what is good, and distinguish it from what is evil.” But when we are baptized,
he said, “the Holy Spirit enters into that conscience, and strengthens your
belonging to God,” and that, in a certain sense, “makes you even more a
daughter of God.”
God has "the heart of a dad"
Finally, one little boy, overcome with emotion, was unable
to ask his question—so the Pope invited him to come up and whisper in his ear.
“He was weeping for his father” who had died a short time ago, Pope Francis
said, “and he had the courage to do so in front of us, because of the love he
has in his heart for his dad.” The young boy asked if his father, who was not a
believer, is in heaven.
“He was a good man,” the boy said, and Pope Francis took up
that thought. “It is a beautiful witness” he said, when a man’s sons can call
him good. Answering the boy’s question, the Pope said only God can know who is
in heaven. “But how does the heart of God look upon such a dad?” he asked. “God
has the heart of a dad,” he continued, and God would not allow such a father to
remain far from Him.
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét