Believe in the redemptive power of the Cross: Pope to Knights of HS
Vatican City, 14 September 2013: Pope Francis received the participants in the Consultation
of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem on Friday afternoon. The
gathering of members of the centuries-old charitable service organization takes place
once every five years. Its purpose is to reflect on the situation of the Catholic
community in the Holy Land, evaluate the Order’s various activities, address questions
of governance and administration, and chart a course for future work.
Keeping
in mind the Year of Faith, and their pilgrimage to the tomb of the Apostle Peter,
Pope Francis in his remarks to the participants, returned to the three basic elements
of Christian life: journeying, building, professing. “Your journey,” said the Pontiff,
“is in history - in a world where the boundaries are ever-expanding, many barriers
fall and our paths are tied ever more closely to that of others.” He encouraged the
knights to be true to their tradition of faithful, compassionate and loving service,
as they work to build a brighter future for and with the struggling Christians of
the Holy Land.
“However,” said Pope Francis, “your journeying in order to build
is born of (your) professing the faith ever more profoundly, it grows from ongoing
efforts to nourish your spiritual life, from a lifelong Christian formation for an
ever more authentic and coherent Christian life.”
“Jesus crucified and risen
Christ is truly the center of your existence …. Believe in the redemptive power of
the Cross and the Resurrection,” said Pope Francis, “in order to offer hope and peace.
In a particular way, the Land of Jesus has so much need of it! Faith does not distance
us from the responsibilities that we all are called to assume – on the contrary, it
provokes and pushes us toward a concrete commitment to work with a view to a better
society.”Source: VR Sedoc