The Pope has launched a message of hope by pointing out that humanity is not alone “in this moment of trial” in reference to the coronavirus pandemic, which is keeping half of the world’s population in quarantine, and has invited the faithful to trust Christ.
“When you feel in difficulties, your thoughts turn to Christ: know that you are not alone,” he said during the general audience on Wednesday, which was held in the Library of the Vatican Apostolic Palace without the presence of the faithful due to the measures. to contain the coronavirus contagion.
Thus, he pointed out that the man of today sees the signs of “death” that have become more present on the horizon of civilization. “He lives increasingly frightened, threatened at the very center of his existence,” he said. However, he has argued that Christ does not disappoint.
Likewise, he has pointed out that the “noblest” battle is the one that is fought against the “interior deceits” that sins generate while he has lamented the people who have a “hard heart” because this prevents them from being close to God. “Hard-hearted men! How difficult they are to believe everything the prophets announced!”, The Pontiff has pointed out.
To explain this idea, the Pope has referred to the meeting of the Emmaus disciples with Jesus after the Resurrection. Thus, he explained that the disciples walked with Jesus, as stated in the Gospel, “his eyes were not able to recognize him.” In this way, he warned that “when the heart is hard, things are not seen.” That is the origin of his blindness: his heart was hard, “he emphasized.
During the catechesis, he reflected on the bliss “Happy are those who have a pure heart, because they will see God” (Mt 5,8), of which he pointed out that it shows that God requires “purity of heart” as a condition. Francis has emphasized that “the wisdom” of this beatitude is that in order to contemplate it is necessary “to enter within and make space for God”. “That is the only way,” he said.
For this reason, the Pontiff has warned that “sins change the inner vision.” “They change the evaluation of things, it makes you see things that are not true, or at least true that way,” he said.
In this sense, he has affirmed that keeping the heart “pure” means preserving what is “worthy of a true relationship with the Lord, and leading an integral, linear and simple life in his Presence.” “It must be recognized that our worst enemy is often hidden within ourselves, and we need to convert to the Lord,” he said.
For the Pope, this process implies “recognizing the influence of evil” that exists in each one and allowing oneself to be led “with docility by the Holy Spirit.” For this reason, he has invited Christians to fulfill this “path of maturation” that implies “resignation, sincerity and courage.”
© 2020 Europa Press.
