Pope to CHARIS: May we bring an
end to the pandemic of poverty
 |
| A nun stirs a pot at a soup kitchen in Lima, Peru (AFP) |
Pope Francis sends a video message to CHARIS (Catholic
Charismatic Renewal International Service) on the eve of Pentecost, and warns
that life after the pandemic will not be the same so we must take advantage of
this opportunity to improve the lives of the most vulnerable.
By Vatican News
In his video message to CHARIS, Pope Francis noted that the
Holy Spirit, promised to us by Jesus, “comes to renew, to convert, to heal each
one of us”.
CHARIS was created by the Dicastery for Laity, Family and
Life in 2018 to foster unity and communication between the different Catholic
charismatic realities.
No one saves themselves
The Holy Spirit “comes to heal our wounds”, continued the
Pope, including the wounds we inflict on each other. “He comes to transform
us" into courageous "missionary disciples" in order to preach
the Gospel of Jesus, he said.
Today we need the Holy Spirit “more than ever”, continued
the Pope. We live in a suffering world, he explained, one that is “severely
wounded”. This suffering is felt especially by the poorest of our society. “Now
that all our human security has vanished”, the world needs Jesus, made present
through our witness, said the Pope.
The Pope continued by saying that in order to bear witness
we “need the power of the Holy Spirit” to open minds and hearts to the lessons
we have learned through this pandemic. That lesson, he said, is that we are one
people, and alone we cannot save ourselves.
A more Christian, equitable society
Pope Francis warned, however, that when we come out of this
pandemic we will not be able to pick things up where we left them, as we left
them, because “everything will be different”.
“All this suffering will be of no use if we don't build a
more just, fair, more Christian society, together” said the Pope.
If we do not work to put an end to the pandemic of poverty
in the world, in each of our countries, in each of our cities, “this time will
have been in vain”, he said.
None of us can emerge from the great trials facing humanity
– one of which is the current pandemic – the same as we were before. “We come
out of them either better or worse”, said the Pope. He then asked: “Do you want
to come out of it better or worse?”.
Pope Francis said it is for this reason that we open
ourselves to the Holy Spirit today – “so that He may change our hearts and help
us to come out of this better”.
Helped by the Holy Spirit
Being better means experiencing what Jesus meant when He
says: "I was hungry and you gave me to eat”. This task is entrusted to
everyone, even CHARIS, which represents all the charismatics who are invited to
be faithful to the call of the Holy Spirit, said the Pope.
Pope Francis concluded by recalling the prophetic words Pope
St. John XXIII used to announce the Second Vatican Council, which the
Charismatic Renewal treasures: “Renew your wonders in our time as though
through a new Pentecost".
Finally, the Pope reiterated his wish to receive the power
of the Holy Spirit on the vigil of Pentecost. “May we emerge from this moment
of pain, sadness and trial that is the pandemic; to come out better than
before.”
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