Reach out to the flesh of the suffering Lord

Last evening, Pope Francis received the participants in the pastoral convention of the Diocese of Rome, at the opening of the event. In recent years, the annual meeting between the Bishop of Rome and the leaders of pastoral, catechetical and outreach initiatives in the city has taken place in the Cathedral Basilica of St John Lateran, but last night, the venue was changed to the Paul VI audience hall in Vatican City.

The Holy Father spoke off the cuff, interrupted several times by sustained applause. The transformative, revolutionary power of grace, especially baptismal grace, and the need to renew faith formation in order to tap that power, were the focal points of the first portion of the Holy Father’s remarks, which traced a broad-strokes overview of the pastoral focus of the diocese through the past year. Then, Pope Francis turned to the theme of spiritual discipline, patience and zeal for the Gospel – to carry the Gospel into the suburbs and outskirts of the city, into the hearts of those who live without hope. We must go out to reach the flesh of the Lord who suffers, wherever and in whatever circumstances the suffering one happens to be. Dear, dear brothers and sisters, let us be not afraid! Let us go forth to tell our brothers and our sisters that we are under grace, that Jesus gives us grace and that it costs us nothing: only [we must] receive it,” and he concluded with a one word exhortation: Avanti!  Go forward.