Pope Francis : Let us never tire of asking God’s forgiveness
Speaking without a prepared text, Pope Francis said, “If we are like the Pharisee before the altar, [who said], ‘Thank you, Lord, for not making me like all the other men, and especially not like that fellow at the door, like that publican…,’ well, then we do not know the heart of the Lord, and we shall not ever have the joy of feeling this mercy.” Pope Francis went on to say, “It is not easy to entrust oneself to the mercy of God, because [His mercy] is an unfathomable abyss – but we must do it!” Pope Francis continued, “He has the ability to forget, [which is] special: He forgets [our sins], He kisses you, He embraces you, and He says to you, ‘Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now, on, sin no more.’ Only that counsel does He give you.” Pope Francis concluded, saying, “We ask for the grace of never tiring of asking pardon, for He never tires of pardoning.”
At the end of Mass, after receiving the greetings of the pastor of the parish, Fr. Bruno Silvestrini, OSA, and the Archpriest of St Peter’s Basilica and vicar-general for Vatican City, Cardinal Angelo Comastri, Pope Francis thanked the whole parish community, as well as those who had travelled from afar to be in Rome during these days. He made especial mention of Fr. Gonzalo Aemilius, the director of the Liceo Jubilar Juan Pablo II in Uruguay, which educates poor and at-risk children and young people. “I don’t know how he came to be here today,” said Pope Francis. “Pray for him,” he said. Following the Mass, just like a local parish priest, Pope Francis greeted parishioners at the church door, before going briefly to the crowd gathered outside the St Anne’s Gate.
After returning into the church to take off his liturgical vestments, Pope Francis again greeted the faithful outside, before making his way to his study and the window overlooking St Peter’s Square, below which was gathered a crowd 300 thousand-strong, more than rivalling the throng of people who braved cold, rain and dark to meet the Pope on Wednesday – the night of his election - and receive his blessing for the first time. Dozens of national flags were visible in the packed Square, and a deafening cheer went up when, at last, Pope Francis appeared. Mercy was once again the cornerstone of his reflections ahead of the traditional prayer of Marian devotion.
Below is a translation of the Holy Father’s first Angelus reflection:
Brothers and sisters, good morning!
After the first meeting last Wednesday, today I go again on my greetings to all! And I'm happy to do it on a Sunday, the day of the Lord! This is beautiful is important for us Christians meet on Sunday, say hello, talk like now here, in the square. A place that, thanks to the media, the size of the world.
In this fifth Sunday of Lent, the Gospel presents the story of the adulterous woman (cf. Jn 8:1-11), Jesus saves from death. Affects the attitude of Jesus: we do not hear words of contempt, we do not hear words of condemnation, but only words of love, mercy, inviting the conversion. "Neither do I condemn thee: go, and from now on sin no more" (v. 11). Eh, brothers and sisters, the face of God is a merciful father, who always has patience. Have you thought to God's patience, the patience he has with each of us? That is his mercy. Always have patience, patience with us, understands us, waiting for us, does not tire to forgive us if we return to him with a contrite heart. "Great is the Lord's mercy," says the Psalm.
These days, I could read a book by a Cardinal - Cardinal Kasper, a theologian in his leg, a good theologian - compassion. And I did so well, that book, but do not expect me to do publicity for the books of my cardinal! Not so! But I was so good, so good ... The Cardinal Kasper said that mercy hear this word changes everything. And 'the best that we can feel: change the world. A little 'mercy makes the world warmer and more just. We need to understand this mercy of God, the merciful Father who has so much patience ... remember the prophet Isaiah, which says that even if our sins were scarlet red, the love of God will make them white as snow. It 'nice, that of mercy!
Remember, just Bishop, in 1992, arrived in Buenos Aires Our Lady of Fatima and has made a great Mass for the sick. I went to confess to that mass. And near the end of the Mass I got up because I had to administer a confirmation. It 'came to me an old woman, humble, very humble octogenarian. I looked at her and I said, "Grandma - because we say so for the elderly: grandmother - she wants to confess?". "Yes," he said. "But if she has not sinned ...". And she said: "We all have sins ...". "But maybe the Lord will not forgive them ...". "The Lord forgives everything," I said, sure. "But how do you know, you, ma'am?". "If the Lord does not forgive everything, the world would not exist." I felt an urge to ask her: "Tell me, lady, she studied at the Gregorian?", Because that is the wisdom that gives the Holy Spirit: wisdom inner to the mercy of God must not forget this word: God never tired of forgiving, ever! "Oh, Father, what is the problem?". Well, the problem is that we get tired, we do not want, we get tired of asking forgiveness. He never gets tired of forgiving, but we sometimes get tired of asking for forgiveness. We never tire, we never get tired! He is a loving Father who always forgives, that the heart of mercy for us all. And we learn to be merciful to all. Let us invoke the intercession of Our Lady that was in his arms the Mercy of God made man.
After the first meeting last Wednesday, today I go again on my greetings to all! And I'm happy to do it on a Sunday, the day of the Lord! This is beautiful is important for us Christians meet on Sunday, say hello, talk like now here, in the square. A place that, thanks to the media, the size of the world.
In this fifth Sunday of Lent, the Gospel presents the story of the adulterous woman (cf. Jn 8:1-11), Jesus saves from death. Affects the attitude of Jesus: we do not hear words of contempt, we do not hear words of condemnation, but only words of love, mercy, inviting the conversion. "Neither do I condemn thee: go, and from now on sin no more" (v. 11). Eh, brothers and sisters, the face of God is a merciful father, who always has patience. Have you thought to God's patience, the patience he has with each of us? That is his mercy. Always have patience, patience with us, understands us, waiting for us, does not tire to forgive us if we return to him with a contrite heart. "Great is the Lord's mercy," says the Psalm.
These days, I could read a book by a Cardinal - Cardinal Kasper, a theologian in his leg, a good theologian - compassion. And I did so well, that book, but do not expect me to do publicity for the books of my cardinal! Not so! But I was so good, so good ... The Cardinal Kasper said that mercy hear this word changes everything. And 'the best that we can feel: change the world. A little 'mercy makes the world warmer and more just. We need to understand this mercy of God, the merciful Father who has so much patience ... remember the prophet Isaiah, which says that even if our sins were scarlet red, the love of God will make them white as snow. It 'nice, that of mercy!
Remember, just Bishop, in 1992, arrived in Buenos Aires Our Lady of Fatima and has made a great Mass for the sick. I went to confess to that mass. And near the end of the Mass I got up because I had to administer a confirmation. It 'came to me an old woman, humble, very humble octogenarian. I looked at her and I said, "Grandma - because we say so for the elderly: grandmother - she wants to confess?". "Yes," he said. "But if she has not sinned ...". And she said: "We all have sins ...". "But maybe the Lord will not forgive them ...". "The Lord forgives everything," I said, sure. "But how do you know, you, ma'am?". "If the Lord does not forgive everything, the world would not exist." I felt an urge to ask her: "Tell me, lady, she studied at the Gregorian?", Because that is the wisdom that gives the Holy Spirit: wisdom inner to the mercy of God must not forget this word: God never tired of forgiving, ever! "Oh, Father, what is the problem?". Well, the problem is that we get tired, we do not want, we get tired of asking forgiveness. He never gets tired of forgiving, but we sometimes get tired of asking for forgiveness. We never tire, we never get tired! He is a loving Father who always forgives, that the heart of mercy for us all. And we learn to be merciful to all. Let us invoke the intercession of Our Lady that was in his arms the Mercy of God made man.
