Let us ask Mary, Queen of Peace, to teach us to renounce hurtful words, hasty judgment, gossip, and slander. May we learn to cherish and nurture love within our families, among friends, in the workplace, on social media, in political debates, and in Christian communities, so that hatred may give way to hope and peace. #ApostolicJourney
When we learn to pause and value what is important, appreciate time in a new way, and reflect on their own lives while allowing ourselves to be enlightened by the Gospel, we also develop a critical perspective on a social system that does not put people first and creates situations of injustice and existential poverty at various levels. That is why restlessness is frightening, as is the discovery of one's inner self, of spirituality and, even more so, of the Gospel. #ApostolicJourney
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At times we experience the night of faith, the weariness of believing, the fatigue of the spirit, a sense of inadequacy in the face of the Gospel’s call, the bitterness of our failures. These nights are a time of blessing and a place for rebirth. #ApostolicJourney
In a world torn apart by wars and divisions, in a society that is increasingly fragmented and individualistic, we wish to be witnesses and prophets of unity, welcome, harmony, and peace, even at the cost of sacrifice and renunciation. We wish to offer our “yes,” ready if necessary to die to ourselves, to lose ourselves in order to find ourselves again, to renounce the superfluous in order to build upon what is essential and lasts forever (Mt 16:24–26). #ApostolicJourney
Selflessness is like leaven that makes the human, ethical, and spiritual dimensions of society grow, and it is a distinctive element of the “City of God.” In a world constantly influenced by a logic of self-interest and profit, where the term “growth” is reduced to the economic-financial sense, it is important to think and live according to a more authentic mentality that leads to integral human development. #ApostolicJourney
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The goodness of even a few people can overcome the fear of many. We must be like an open Bible for everyone. May others encounter the Word of God in our faces and lives. Love is the language that makes everyone feel at home. #ApostolicJourney
The human heart is not filled by accumulating experiences, possibilities, or temporary guarantees; it is filled when it discovers a call, when it understands that life reaches fullness only if it is given. Following Christ does not impoverish existence, but expands it. #ApostolicJourney
Every truly just society is built upon the recognition of the inviolable dignity of the human person. Such dignity precedes any concession by the State and cannot be subordinated to shifting social consensus. It belongs to every human being by the very fact of their existence, and for this reason, it must guide every positive legal system. When this conviction remains alive, the law becomes a safeguard for all and a guarantee against the imposition of particular interests and agendas. #ApostolicJourney
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Christ who processes through the streets in the monstrance is the same Christ who identifies with the poor, the downtrodden, and those who are alone and forsaken.
Just as Christ gives Himself as food in the Eucharistic celebration, the #CorpusChristi procession shows that He is not confined to the church, but comes out to meet us. Jesus travels the streets, crosses the squares, and visits our neighborhoods, dwelling in the settings of our daily lives. He is a God who is close to us, who walks with His people, the Lord of history. He is comfort to the weak, light for families, hope for the sick, and peace for those who suffer.
Corpus Christi is more than just another celebration on the liturgical calendar. It is a way of returning to the heart of the faith to renew our love and fidelity to God. It is a profession of faith in the presence of the Risen Lord, who is alive and continues to walk among us, who becomes bread to satiate our hunger for life, and visits the recesses of our hearts and history, even those shrouded in darkness. #ApostolicJourney https://t.co/CFODkhPd0Q
I invite you to be new threads to weave new networks that harmonize every aspect of life for a renewed society in which time is imbued with eternity, culture preserves memory and fosters dialogue, education promotes the search for truth with a critical spirit, art awakens wonder and gives rise to noble emotions, business recognizes the dignity of each person, and work continues to be a driving force for hope. #ApostolicJourney https://t.co/2IeHrzWmSb
Charity admits no delay. Our responsibility before those in need makes every encounter with others a unique and unrepeatable moment of grace for love, not to be missed or postponed. The love of Christ impels us toward our brothers and sisters, and the charity and care with which we respond are the test of our faith. #ApostolicJourney #Spain
Truth is always greater than we are. Truth therefore amazes us and draws us toward purification and reconciliation, where dialogue with others—and with the Other, with a capital “O”—becomes essential. https://t.co/46Pvsi867M
The message of peace, which in these times unfortunately sounds naïve to some and provocative to others, is welcomed by those who do not close themselves within ready-made ideologies, but remain open to the truth.
I come to #Spain to confirm, encourage, and inspire renewed fidelity to the Gospel among believers, as well as deeper reconciliation and cooperation among the different souls of this nation. Spain's own history reminds us that stability and prosperity are born not of a culture of confrontation, but of a culture of encounter. #ApostolicJourney
While new economic and technological networks can generate exclusion, isolation and dependencies, the Church—nourished by the Eucharist—is called to make visible a different paradigm, one that preserves human connections, gives a voice to the invisible and ensures that processes are aimed at respecting people’s dignity.
In the Eucharist, we find a visible manifestation of the reality that we are the Church of Christ, His members, His body. We are brothers and sisters in Him. And in Christ, though many and diverse, we are one: "In Illo uno unum". #CorpusChristi#MagnificaHumanitas
In the liturgy, we are invited to participate — body, mind, and heart — and enter into a dimension inhabited by the Holy Spirit. In order to enter into this dimension, the liturgy is woven with signs and symbols that have a performative and transformative dimension. #GeneralAudience