Be messengers and witnesses of God’s infinite goodness: Pope Francis
Vatican City, 1 February 2014: Pope Francis met on Saturday about 8,000 members of
the Community of the Neocatechumenal Way, in Paul VI hall in the Vatican. While addressing
them, the Pontiff thanked the Lord for the joy of their faith and of their zeal for
the Christian witness. He also offered them some recommendations. The first, the Pope
said, is to take the utmost care to build and maintain communion within the particular
Churches in which you work. He asked them to walk together as one flock under the
guidance of the pastors of the local churches, adding that Communion is essential. Secondly,
said the Pope, ‘wherever you go, you will do well to think that the Spirit of God
always comes before us. The Lord is always before us! While their commendable effort
to learn local languages in new situations in which they found themselves, the Pope
told them that what is crucial is their ‘commitment to "learn" the cultures’ that
they would encounter, by recognizing the need for the Gospel that is present everywhere,
but also that action, the Holy Spirit has made in the life and history of every people.
Thirdly,
Pope Francis urged them to take care with love for one another, especially the most
vulnerable. The Neocatechumenal Way, as a journey of discovery of one's Baptism is
a difficult path, acknowledged the Pope, adding the exercise of patience and mercy
on the part of the community is a sign of maturity in the faith in difficult situations.
The freedom of each individual must not be forced, but respected, he said.
Pope
Francis exhorted all to ‘evangelize with love’, to bring love to all of God, emphasising
the need to tell everyone they meet on the streets of their mission that God loves
man as he is, even with his limitations , with his mistakes and with his sins. Be
messengers and witnesses of the infinite goodness of the Father and of his inexhaustible
mercy, concluded Pope Francis.Source: VR Sedoc