VIDEOS

QUOTES FROM POPE FRANCIS

This is Christian hope: that the future is in God’s hands.

God is peace: let us ask Him to help us to be peacemakers each day, in our life, in our families, in our cities and nations, in the whole world.

The Lord always forgives everything! Everything! But if you want to be forgiven, you must set out on the path of doing good. This is the gift!

We must walk united with our differences: there is no other way to become one. This is the way of Jesus.

Beware of the temptation of jealousy! We are all in the same boat and headed to the same port! Let us ask for the grace to rejoice in the gifts of each, which belong to all.

If we live the faith in our daily life, then our work too becomes a chance to spread the joy of being a Christian.

A little bit of mercy makes the world less cold and more just.

All are called to love and cherish family life, for families are not a problem; they are first and foremost an opportunity.

The strength of the family lies in its capacity to love and to teach how to love.

Dear young people, do not be afraid of making decisive choices in life. Have faith, the Lord will not abandon you!

There is no cross, big or small, in our life which the Lord does not share with us.

It is not enough to say we are Christians. We must live the faith, not only with our words but with our actions.

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

Day 6

What is my favourite quote from Pope Francis?

How can I best prepare myself for his visit?

What words from his writings resonate most with me?

How can I put them into effect?

 

TIME TO REFLECT

TEXT FROM IPRAYWITHTHEGOSPEL.ORG

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it." Vocation is the treasure that Jesus talks about, the precious pearl. God has made us for a definite purpose. He has a mission for all of us. But the treasure is hidden and we have to find it. And the process of finding it takes time. It is like searching for Jesus in the dark of night amongst a crowd. Slowly the dawn brings a bit of light and we can distinguish better. At some point we have a hunch: He is there. It has to be Him. But we are still not sure. The sun rises little by little and at some stage we start being sure: it's Him! Then, with the light of the sun, everything makes sense. Nothing has changed but everything has changed. The crowd is the same, Jesus was there all the time... but now I see Him. Vocation is that: when everything makes sense at last. Have you ever seen the colonnade in Saint Peter's Square? It consists of four series of columns which seem like a forest of trees planted there by chance. But there are two points, marked in the ground with a circle, from where everything makes sense. From there, the four series of columns seem to align themselves and become a single column. The alignment of those columns is a symbol of what vocation brings to our lives. At first, everything is in confusion, until we find the 'spot' where everything that surrounds us falls into place. That spot is our vocation. And that is why it is worthwhile to give everything to get it... because everything is 'nothing' without it. Our Lord explains that the man, "in his joy...goes and sells all that he has" to get it. And if we make that leap of faith, if we give everything in order to follow Him, we can say to Him, 'Here you are, Lord! Everything that I am, everything that I have, everything that I can do... I put everything at Your Feet to become what You want me to be, to go where You want me to go, to do what You want me to do and fulfil my mission, the one You thought up for me before the creation of the world.' Mary, my Mother, make my prayer come true!

 

While the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret. And he saw two boats by the lake; but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. Contemplating this text of the Gospel, St Josemaría used to point out that Jesus didn't ask for permission to get into Peter's boat. We can imagine the scene: Peter had been working the whole night with his partners but caught nothing. He was tired and frustrated. Getting close to the shore he saw a great crowd; they were pressing upon a Rabbi who was teaching them. Who was that Man? Why were there so many? Why was He preaching on the shore instead of in the synagogue? As Peter's boat drew near he could hear the Voice of that Rabbi and see His Face. Who was that captivating Man? Imagine the surprise on Peter's face when, as soon as the boat touched the shore, Jesus jumped into his boat without saying a word! That's how Jesus jumps into our lives. All of a sudden, you find Him in your boat. When someone told St Josemaría how God entered his life with no warning, he replied, "I didn't think God would get hold of me the way he did, either. But, let me tell you once again, God doesn't ask our permission to complicate our lives. He just gets in: and that's it!" The key moment came later when Jesus asked Peter to "put out a little from the land" because He wanted to teach the people from that 'platform': Peter's place of work. Once Jesus jumps into our lives, He asks for permission then, to use your boat, your life, your work, to reach out to many others. And from the platform of your work well done, your Christian life, your good example, He can teach many and 'jump' into others' lives. Peter never forgot the day when Jesus jumped into his boat. Peter and James and John, who were also there, fell in love with this Rabbi that day, at the end of which they "brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him"... forever. Mary, Queen of the Apostles, help me to follow their generous example.