Pope Francis will deliver his Sunday Angelus address at St. Peter’s Basilica on February 4, 2024. / Credit: Vatican Media
Vatican City, February 4, 2024 / 9:22 am (CNA).
In his Sunday Angelus, Pope Francis said that the example of Jesus, who is “on the move” in preaching and performing miracles, reminds us that God is never far away, but “always near us.” It was a reminder to the faithful.
In his explanation, the Pope turned to today’s Gospel reading, Mark 1:29-39, saying that after teaching in the synagogue, Jesus “comes out so that the word he preached can reach people, touch them and heal them”.
While acknowledging the pervasive idea of a God who is “distant, indifferent, and indifferent to our destiny,” the Pope said today’s reading dispels this notion and instead suggests that Jesus believes that “God is He has shown us that He is not an isolated master.” He is the one who speaks to us from above. ”
“On the contrary, Jesus is a loving Father who attends us, visits us in our homes, and saves, delivers and heals us from all ailments of body and spirit,” the pope told the assembled faithful. It was told to us. St. Peter’s Square on February 4th.
The Pope summarized God’s attitude in three key words: “intimacy, compassion, and tenderness.” God is known to us and “comes close to us, to be tender with us, to forgive us.” I repeated.
The Pope then called on the faithful to introspect by asking the following questions: “Is faith something that instills in us the anxiety of the journey, or is it an inner comfort that calms us? Do we pray just to feel peace, or do we listen to the preaching we hear? Will His words cause us, like Jesus, to go out to others and spread God’s comfort?
While we acknowledge that this literal and figurative walk of Jesus “challenges us,” it is our “spiritual mission” to answer these questions, and that In turn, it leads us to “daily conversion to the God that Jesus reveals to us in the gospel.” Father of love and mercy. ”
“As we discover the true face of the Father, our faith matures and we no longer remain ‘sacristy Christians’ or ‘parlor Christians,’ but rather seek God’s hope and healing.” I feel called to be a leader in this,” the Pope added.
Following the reading of the papal blessing, Pope Francis expressed his closeness to the peoples of China, Southeast Asia, and around the world who celebrate the Lunar New Year, saying, “This celebration is an opportunity to experience the relationships of love and gestures between people. ”. It contributes to the creation of a cooperative and fraternal society in which all people are recognized and welcome in their inalienable dignity. ”
Lunar New Year, also known as Spring Festival or Spring Festival, is a new year celebration based on the Chinese lunisolar calendar. This holiday begins at the end of January to the beginning of February at the new moon and ends at the subsequent full moon. This year’s festival will be held from February 10th to February 15th, marking the arrival of the Year of the Dragon.
On Friday, February 2, Pope Francis welcomed a delegation from the Italian-Chinese National Federation to the Apostolic Palace, where they were greeted with folk dances performed by the Vercelli Chinese Martial Arts Academy.
The Pope praised the organization for spearheading “a number of efforts to promote dialogue between Italy and China and to respond to the challenges posed by cultural integration, education and the promotion of common social values.” He expressed his appreciation for the efforts.
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