Pope: "Live, love, believe. And, by the grace of God, never despair "
At a general audience devoted to hope, Francis urges us to believe in the future: "God does not disappoint: if He has put hope in our hearts, He does not want to aggravate it with continued frustrations. Everything is born to bloom in an eternal spring. " A prayer for the victims of the earthquake that struck Mexico.
Vatican City (AsiaNews) - "Live, love, dream, believe me. And, by the grace of God, never despair. " This was Pope Francis’ invitation, "as an educator, as a father," to "a young people or anyone open to learning" at the beginning of a general audience dedicated to "educating to hope". Because "There where God has sown you, He hopes! Do not give up at night: remember that your first enemy is not outside of you, but inside. Therefore, do not allow room for negative thoughts. Trust firmly that this world is God’s first miracle and that God has put the grace of new prodigies in our hands. "
Speaking to about 30,000 people in St. Peter's Square, Francis – whom he asked to pray for the victims of the earthquake that hit Mexico – he made a series of invitations, starting from the statement that "Faith and hope proceed together." "Believe in the existence of the highest and most beautiful truths. Trust in God the Creator, in the Holy Spirit that moves everything towards good, in the embrace of Christ waiting for every person at the end of their existence. Do not worry if in some days of your life you seem to be the only one who sees the most beautiful mysteries of the faith: the world progresses thanks to the gaze of so many men who have opened breeches, who have built bridges, who have dreamed and believed; even when they heard words of derision around him. Never think that the fight you lead down here [on earth] is completely useless. Do not believe that there is only a shipwreck waiting for us at the end of our existence: a seed of the absolute palpitates within us. God does not disappoint: if he has placed hope in our hearts, he does not want to aggravate it with continued frustration. Everything is born to bloom in an eternal spring. "
"Wherever you are, build it! If you're on the ground, get up! If you're sitting still, move! If boredom paralyzes you, do good works! If you feel empty and demoralized, ask the Holy Spirit to fill your nothingness. Work for peace is in the midst of men, and do not listen to the voice of those who spread hate and divisions. Humans, as diverse as each other, have been created to live together. In contrast, be patient: one day you will find that everyone is the custodian of a fragment of truth. "
"He loves humans. He loves us one by one. Respect the path of everyone, linear or troubled, because everyone has their own story to tell. Every child born is the promise of a life that once again proves to be stronger than death. Every love that arises is a power of transformation that arouses happiness. Jesus gave us a shining light in the darkness: defend it, protect it. That single light is the greatest wealth in life."
"Dream of a world you still do not see, but which of course will come. Hope believes in the existence of a creation that extends to its definitive fulfillment, when God will be all in all. Men capable of great feats of imagination gave discoveries of science and technology to man. They roamed the oceans and walked the lands that nobody had ever trampled on. Men who have cultivated hopes are also those who have defeated slavery, and brought better living conditions to this land. Be responsible for this world and every man's life. Every injustice to the poor is an open wound, and it dampens your dignity. Life does not cease with your existence, and other generations will come to this world to succeed yours, and many more. "
"Ask God for the gift of courage. Remember that Jesus defeated fear: our most insidious enemy can do nothing against the faith. And when you are afraid of some of the difficulties of life, remember that you do not live only for yourself. In Baptism, your life has already been immersed in the mystery of the Trinity and you belong to Jesus. And if one day you get scared, or you think that evil is too big to be challenged, simply think that Jesus lives in you. And it is He who, through you, with his mildness wants to subdue all the enemies of man: sin, hatred, crime, violence. Always have the courage of truth, but remember: you are not superior to anyone. If you were the last to believe in the truth, do not shy away from the company of men. Though you lived in the silence of a hermitage, it brings into your hearts the suffering of every creature. You are a Christian; and in prayer let all be brought back to God. "
"Cultivate the ideal. Live for something that surpasses man. And if one day these ideals should ask you for a costly bill to pay, never stop carrying them in your heart. Fidelity obtains everything. If you make a mistake, pick yourself up: nothing is more humane than making mistakes. And those same mistakes do not have to be a prison for you. The Son of God came not for the healthy, but for the sick: so he also came for you. And if you're still mistaken in the future, do not be afraid, pick yourself up! God is your friend. If you are bitter, believe firmly in all the people who still work for good: in their humility there is the seed of a new world. It inhabits people who have kept the heart like that of a child. Learn from wonder, cultivate amazement. "
"Live, love, believe. And, by the grace of God, never despair."
.png)
