Doing God’s will makes us His children, says Pope

(February 21, 2011) The "perfection" to which Jesus invites us to live is to do God’s will, which makes us His children. Pope Benedict XVI made the point while addressing a large crowd that had gathered in St. Peter's Square on Sunday to pray the weekly midday ‘Angelus’ with him. Jesus himself tells us: "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven," the Pope said reflecting on the "joy of reconciliation" and "perfection of charity” based on Sunday Mass readings. "When we suffer for evil, persecution, injustice, let us avoid revenge, vengeance and hatred, and pray for our persecutors,” he urged, exhorting all to overcome evil with good. We entrust to God all adversity to achieve freedom and peace of mind. "He who receives the Lord into their lives and loves him with all his heart is capable of a new beginning. He manages to carry out the will of God: to create a new form of life inspired by love and destined for eternity. The Pope concluded by reminding all of Tuesday's feast of the Chair of St. Peter. He exhorted all pastors 'to assimilate that "new style of life" which was inaugurated by the Lord Jesus and taken up by the Apostles.'"