General Audience: English summary

(Vatican Radio)  Pope Francis on Wednesday urged the faithful not to fall into indifference but to become active instruments of mercy.

The Pope’s words came during the weekly General Audience in St. Peter’s Square. As the Holy Year of Mercy comes to end, he was reflecting on the corporal work of mercy that calls us to visit the sick and the imprisoned.

Please find below the English language synopsis of the Pope’s catechesis:  

Dear Brothers and Sisters:  In our catechesis for this Holy Year of Mercy, we now consider two further corporal works of mercy: healing the sick and visiting the imprisoned.  Jesus himself is our model in both.  He shows us the importance of drawing near to those who so often feel alone and abandoned.  How much good is done when we visit the sick and those in prison, and how much we ourselves are enriched by these acts of charity!  Visiting the imprisoned is a fruitful way of bringing the Lord’s healing presence to those who are paying for their mistakes.  Deprived of their freedom, they especially need to hear the message of God’s merciful love and forgiveness, and in this way to recognize their worth and dignity.  Jesus himself, though innocent, suffered in prison for our sake, and the apostles Peter and Paul used the time of their imprisonment to pray and proclaim the Gospel.  By visiting the sick and the imprisoned, may we bring God’s mercy and its redemptive power to our brothers and sisters in need.