Pope: trust in God even in the face to the many ills that we do not understand
"When we today, we look at the many dark valleys, so many misfortunes, so many people dying from hunger, from war, so many disabled children", we wonder "where is the Lord?". "I do not know: it is a mystery to me. One thing alone gives me solace - not my mind, but my soul - Jesus at Gethsemane: 'Father, take this cup from me, no. Thy will be done, not mine '. He trusts the will of the Father ".
Vatican City (AsiaNews) - In front of the illness of a child, the sisters of Mother Teresa killed in Yemen, migrants left in the cold, in a word, faced with the many "dark valleys" of our time and our lives, even if we do not understand them, we must trust in God, said Pope Francis at the Mass this morning in Casa Santa Marta.
Reflecting on the Reading of the day that tells of Susanna, a just woman who is “soiled” by the “evil desire” of two judges, but chooses to trust in God rather than succumb to their wish, Pope Francis said that that even when we find ourselves walking in a “valley of darkness” we need not fear evil.
The Lord, the Pope said, always walks with us, loves us and does not abandon us. And he turned his attention to some of the many “dark valleys” of our time: "When we look at the many dark valleys, at the many misfortunes, at the fact there are so many people dying of hunger, there is war, there are so many children with disabilities… and asking their parents we discover they suffer from something called a ‘rare disease’… And the things we create ourselves: think of the cancers caused by the “triangle of death”… When you look at all this you ask: ‘where is the Lord’, ‘where are you?’ ‘Are you walking with me?’ This was Susanna’s sentiment. And it is ours too. Look at those four slain sisters of ours: they were serving with love; they ended up murdered in hatred! When you see that doors are being closed to refugees who are left out in the cold… you say: ‘Lord, where are You?’ ".
Why does a child suffer? I do not know why, but I trust in God. “How can I entrust myself to God - the Pope said – when I see all these things? And when things happen to me, each of us may say: how can I entrust myself to You?” There is an answer to this question, he continued, “but it cannot be explained”: “Why does a child suffer? I do not know: it is a mystery to me” he said. And recalling Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane the Pope pointed out that although he is suffering he trusts in the Father and knows that all will not end with death, with the cross.
Pope Francis pointed out that Jesus’ last words before dying on the cross were ‘Father into your hands I commend my spirit’ and said: “To trust in God who walks with me, walks with His people, walks with the Church: this is an act of faith. To entrust myself. I cannot explain it, but I place myself in Your hands. You know why”. Suffering and evil are not final, the Lord is always with us. And this, he said, is the teaching of Jesus: “he who entrusts himself to the Lord our Shepherd, shall lack nothing”.
Even if he finds himself going through the darkest of valleys, Pope Francis said “he knows that the suffering is only of the moment and that the Lord is with him: “Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me”. This – Pope Francis said - is a grace that we must ask for: “Lord, teach me to place myself in your hands, to trust in Your guidance, even in bad times, in the darkest moments, in the moment of death”: Pope Francis said that “We would do well, today, to think about our lives, about the problems we have, and ask for the grace to place ourselves into the hands of the Lord”.
And he invited the faithful to think of the many men and women who do not even receive a last caress before dying. “Three days ago a homeless person died here, on the street: he died of cold. In the middle of Rome, a city that has all the possibilities of providing assistance. Why, Lord? Not even a caress ... But I entrust myself to You because You never let me down.” “Lord - he concluded – I do not understand you. This is a beautiful prayer. Without understanding, I place myself in Your hands”.
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11/08/2017 20:05
