“May each one of you think: the Lord is passing by today, the Lord is watching me, he is looking at me! What is the Lord saying to me? And if one of you feels that the Lord says to you, ‘Follow me,’ be brave, go with the Lord. The Lord never disappoints” Angelus Address January 26 2014.
The good news comes alive in us, “Every time we announce it, not by propaganda or proselytizing, but with respect and love, as the most beautiful gift to share, as the secret of joy, then Jesus dwell in us even more”. April 10, 2023 at the Vatican
“Here is a good resolution for Lent: cultivate open gazes, become ‘seekers of light,’ seekers of the light of Jesus, in prayer and in people”. From the Vatican
Feb. 25, 2024
The Holy Spirit, who has wholly animated the life and mystery of Jesus is the same spirit who today guides Christian existence, the existence of men and women who call themselves and want to be Christians. But remember this: pray often to the Holy Spirit, that he helps us, give us strength, give us inspiration and enable us to go forward.
The Pope’s prayer intention for the month of January is for Christian Unity which is celebrated from January 18-25. Pope Francis urged Christians to unite our prayers to his “for the gift of diversity in the Church …….. If we are guided by the Holy Spirit, abundance, variety, and diversity never cause conflict. The Holy Spirit reminds us first and foremost that we are children loved by God – everyone equal in God’s love, and everyone different.”
“Christians have the duty to proclaim the Gospel without excluding anyone… Each person who is called on by the Lord is chosen so that they may reach others. That is the “pact” that has been made… Being called by God is not about elevating oneself but rather about becoming free and courageous instruments of inclusive love.”
“It is my prayer at the start of the New Year that Christian believers, ….. followers of various religions and men and women of good will work together in harmony …… and thus hand on to future generations a world of greater solidarity, justice and peace.” From the Vatican, 8 December 2023
“Before any Nativity display, even those we make in our own homes, we relive what happened in Bethlehem more than two thousand years ago; and this should reawaken in us a longing for silence and prayer, in our often so hectic daily lives. Silence, so as to be able to listen to what Jesus tells us from the unique “cathedra” of the manger. Prayer, to express grateful wonder, tenderness, perhaps the tears that the Nativity scene stirs in us.”
Let us not forget to pray for the Palestinian and Israeli peoples: May the Lord bring a just peace. There is so much suffering! Children are suffering, the sick are suffering, and many people are dying. War is always a defeat. Let us not forget: War is always a defeat! I ask that every possible avenue be pursued to absolutely avoid an escalation of the conflict, to provide assistance to the wounded, and to deliver aid to the population of Gaza, where the humanitarian situation is extremely dire. I implore you to stop, in the name of God, Cease fire! And we also must not forget to pray for those still suffering from violence and displacement in Ukraine since the Russian invasion over 18 months ago. Nov. 5, 2023
God’s dream for us is this: to unite us in His love, in His communion, so we can discover the beauty of being God’s children, and brothers and sisters among ourselves. Faith is primarily an experience of relationships and encounters, underscoring the importance of experiencing God’s love in our own relationships with one another. Such relationships serve as a powerful means of proclaiming the richness of the Gospel and God’s boundless love for all of creation. Pope Francis, to the Association for the Promotion of the Family, September 9, 2023
