Pope urges Christians to be visible signs of God’s mercy

October 14, 2013 - Christians need to make visible to the people of today the mercy of God and his tenderness for every creature. ''We all know that humanity’s crisis today is not something superficial but runs deep. For this reason the new evangelization, while calling on all to have the courage of going against the current, of converting oneself from idols to the One True God, cannot but use the language of mercy, using gestures and attitudes even before words,” the Pope told some 50 participants on Monday, attending the plenary assembly of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization. “The Church in the midst of humanity of today,” the Pope said “says: ‘Come to Jesus’, all you who thirst, tired and oppressed and you will find solace for your souls.” “Come to Jesus; He alone has the world of eternal life,” the Pope said. A Christian who has experienced the joy of meeting Christ, like the Samaritan woman at the well, cannot but share it with others and bring them to Him. And every Christian should to go out to others as all have the right to the hope of life and the love of God. In this one should not distract oneself with secondary and superfluous things, but must concentrate on the basics, which is encounter with Christ, his mercy, love and reciprocal love. In this regard, Pope Francis underscored the importance of catechesis, expressing appreciation for the impetus toward renewal given by Pope Paul VI’s 1975 Apostolic Exhortation “Evangelii Nuntiandi” which tried to overcome the rupture between the Gospel, culture and illiteracy with regard to faith. The Pope regretted that as he pastor came acros children who didn’t even know know the Sign of the Cross. In this regard he underscored the service rendered by catechists and parents. (Source: Vatican)