Pope announces two days of reconciliation with God

March 24, 2014 - Pope Francis is leading a "special moment of penance" called '24 Hours for the Lord' later this week, which will be held in St Peter's Basilica and in many churches in Rome and around the world. The Pope himself announced the initiative after his weekly midday ‘Angelus’ prayer on Sunday with thousands of faithful in St. Peter’s Square. "It will start with a celebration in St Peter's Basilica on Friday afternoon," the pope said. "Then, in the evening and overnight some churches in the centre of Rome will be open for prayers and confessions. It will be a festival of forgiveness, which will also take place in many dioceses and parishes around the world," the Pope said. "We must celebrate the forgiveness the Lord gives us," the pope urged, "as did the father in the parable of the prodigal son who, when the latter returned, organised a party, putting out of his mind all the things the son had done." The Lenten initiative is being organized by the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization.

After the ‘Angelus’, Pope Francis spoke about World Tuberculosis Day, Monday, March 24. He called for prayers "for all those affected by this disease, and for those who help them in various ways."

Before the “Angelus”, Pope Francis reflected on Sunday’s Gospel about the encounter of Jesus with the Samaritan woman, drawing lessons of forgiveness, mercy and our "truer spiritual needs". The Pope noted that when Jesus asked the woman water to drink, he tore down the barrier of hostility between Jews and Samaritans and bias against women. Jesus confronted her with the situation, not by judging her but by showing her consideration and recognition, thus making her to want to go beyond her daily routine." "Jesus was not that thirsty for water as he was of meeting a parched soul,” the pope explained. "Jesus needed to meet the woman of Samaria to open up her heart. He asked her for a drink to show the thirst that was in her. The woman was touched by this encounter, and asked Jesus the profound questions we all have inside but often ignore. We too have many questions to ask but cannot find the courage to ask them to Jesus! Lent, the Pope said, is the right time to look inside, reveal our true spiritual needs, and ask for God's help through prayers. Consequently, the example of the woman of Samaria calls upon us to ask, 'Jesus, give me the water that will quench my thirst for eternity.'"

The disciples were astonished that their Master was talking to the woman. But, the Pope explained, the Lord is stronger than any bias, and that mercy is greater than bias. As a result of this encounter, the Pope explained, the woman was transformed and went about narrating her extraordinary experience with the man, possibly the Messiah. Indeed, the Pope added, every encounter with Jesus changes our lives.