Pope in Lithuania: Charity is the
key to heaven
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| Pope Francis at the Shrine of the Mother of Mercy in Vilnius, Lithuania on September 22, 2018.(Vatican Media) |
Pope Francis visits the Shrine of the Mother of Mercy, 25
years after Pope Saint John Paul II, and reminds us that closing our hearts to
others deprives us of Jesus, who is impressed on every human heart.
By Francesca Merlo
Pope Francis began by recalling the history of the shrine.
He focused on the invading forces of 1799. They destroyed the wall in which the
shrine stood, leaving intact one single gate: the one that “sheltered the image
of the Virgin Mary ‘Mother of Mercy’”.
Pope Francis said that from then on, Mary has worked to
teach us that we can “defend without attacking” and that we can “keep safe
without the unhealthy need to distrust others”.
The value of fraternity
The Pope said that the image of Jesus is imprinted on every
human heart, making it possible for us to encounter God. When we build walls
and close our hearts out of fear of others, “we end up depriving ourselves of
the Good News of Jesus”.
This is what we did in the past, he said: We “built all too
many fortresses”. Today, Pope Francis said that we “feel the need” to
acknowledge one another as brothers and sisters and experience “with joy and
peace the value of fraternity”.
To share, to enrich
Pope Francis said that “thanks to ready communications and
the freedom of circulation between our countries” numerous nationalities,
Catholic and Orthodox, are able to freely visit the Mother of Mercy. He
expressed “how good it would be” if this could be accompanied by “ease in
establishing points of encounter and solidarity” in order to share those gifts
“we have freely received”. This, according to Pope Francis, would be a “source
of enrichment in our lives”.
Charity is key
“The Mother of Mercy, like every good mother, tries to
bring her family together” he said. “She whispers in our ear: ‘Look for your
brother, look for your sister’”, opening the door to “a new dawn, a new day”.
The Mother brings us to the very doorstep of this new day,
where the “children and families with bleeding wounds await us”. Referring to
Lk 16:19-31, he said that these wounds are not those of Lazarus in the parable,
but that “they are the wounds of Jesus”. “They cry out for us to bring them the
healing light of charity. For charity is the key that opens to us the door of
heaven”, just as God did for Lazarus.
Bridges, not walls
The Pope concluded by saying that crossing this doorstep
will lead us to “experience the power that purifies our way of dealing with our
neighbours”. Asking that Mary our Mother “grant that we may regard their limits
and faults with mercy and humility, thinking ourselves superior to no one.” and
that Lithuania “be a country that chooses to build bridges, not walls".
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