The Holy Father sent a video message to the guests who are staying at a welcome centre that is run by Rome's diocesan offices of Caritas, who have organized a show entitled If not for you which is being performed tonight at 8:30pm at the Brancaccio Theatre.
Brothers and sisters, good evening!
Someone told me that tonight, in the impressive Brancaccio theatre, you who are guests of welcome centres run by the Caritas organization affiliated with our Church in Rome, will be actors in the play entitled If not for you, which recounts true and difficult experiences of abandonment and marginalization that you yourselves have lived. This theatrical initiative speaks of your love for your brothers and sisters, for your parents, for life and for God.
I am happy to be present in some way with you, encouraged by your courage, to urge you not to lose your sense of trust and hope. God loves you, loves you all!
The way in which you are speaking to the city furnishes an occasion for dialogue and of significant exchange. You are sitting in the chair - demonstrating hidden talents, helped by professional experts who are able to help you, the actors, to bring out the resources and potentials of each one of you - and others who are listening are - I'm not sure - amazed by the enriching experiences that are offered. Who would ever have thought that we could learn things from a homeless person? Who would have thought that a homeless person could ever be a saint?
Tonight, it is you who will make the stage a place from which to send out precious teachings about love, about others' needs, about solidarity, about how it is possible to discover the love of the Father in difficult times.
Poverty is the great lesson that Jesus gave us when he descended into the waters of the Jordan to be baptized by John the Baptist. He didn't do it out of a need for doing penance, or for conversion; he did it in order to place himself among the people, people in need of forgiveness, in our midst ... for we are sinners, to take upon himself the weight of our sins. This is the way he chose to console us, to save us, to free us from our suffering. This is what gives us true freedom, true salvation and true happiness: his compassionate love, tenderness and willingness to share our suffering. The Good Samaritan who picks us up when we have been beaten down by brigands.
Saint Gregory of Nissa, a great theologian of antiquity wrote: Consider well those who are poor in the gospel and who discover their dignity: they have recovered the face of the Lord. In his mercy, he has given them his own face.
And Saint Augustine used to say: On this earth, Christ is poor in the persona of his poor. Therefore we must fear the Christ of heaven and recognize him on earth: on this earth, he is poor, in heaven he is rich. In his own humanity, he ascended into heaven where he is rich, but he still remains here among us in the poor and the suffering.
I too want to make these words my own. You are not a burden to us. You are the treasure without which our attempts to discover the face of the Lord are worthless.
A few days after my election, I received from you a letter of congratulations and an offer of your prayers. I remember having immediately responded by saying that I keep you in my heart and that I am at your disposal. I wish to reaffirm these words. On that occasion, I asked you to pray for me. I renew that request. I really need your prayers.
I also wish to thank all the Caritas workers. I feel as though you are my hands, the hands of the Bishop, as you touch the body of Christ. I also want to thank all the volunteers from the parishes of Rome and from other parts of Italy. You have discovered a world that needs attention and solidarity: men and women who seek affection, relationships, dignity and together with them, we all can experience the love of learning how to accept, listen and give of ourselves.
How I wish that this city, filled at all times with people who know the love of God - we might think of Saint Lawrence (his true joy were the poor), Saint Pammachius (a Roman senator who converted and completely dedicated himself to the service of others), Saint Fabiola (the first to build a hostel for the poor in Porto), Saint Philip Neri, Blessed Angelo Paoli, Saint Giuseppe Labre (a man of the streets), and Father Luigi di Liegro (founder of Caritas Rome) - I said, how I wish that Rome might shine with piety toward the suffering, welcome for those who are fleeing war and death, openness, smiles and hope for the sake of those who have lost hope. How I wish that the Church of Rome might always be seen as a more attentive and caring mother to those who are weak. We all have weaknesses, we all have them, each of us has our own weaknesses. How I wish that praying parish communities, upon the arrival of a poor person in our churches, might kneel in veneration toward them as if they were the Lord! How I wish for this, that we might touch Christ's flesh which is present in this city!
Through your work, tonight's theatre presentation, I am sure that you will contribute to the realization of these hopes. Thank you!
While I wait for an occasion to meet you in person, as recently occurred in the Sistine Chapel, I send you my paternal blessing.
May the Lord help us to recognize him in the face of the poor! May the Virgin Mary be with us on this journey, and to all of you, I ask, please: don't forget to pray for me! Thank you.
Text of the Video message sent by His Holiness, Pope Francis
to guests of a Caritas Shelter in Rome
Brothers and sisters, good evening!
Someone told me that tonight, in the impressive Brancaccio theatre, you who are guests of welcome centres run by the Caritas organization affiliated with our Church in Rome, will be actors in the play entitled If not for you, which recounts true and difficult experiences of abandonment and marginalization that you yourselves have lived. This theatrical initiative speaks of your love for your brothers and sisters, for your parents, for life and for God.
I am happy to be present in some way with you, encouraged by your courage, to urge you not to lose your sense of trust and hope. God loves you, loves you all!
The way in which you are speaking to the city furnishes an occasion for dialogue and of significant exchange. You are sitting in the chair - demonstrating hidden talents, helped by professional experts who are able to help you, the actors, to bring out the resources and potentials of each one of you - and others who are listening are - I'm not sure - amazed by the enriching experiences that are offered. Who would ever have thought that we could learn things from a homeless person? Who would have thought that a homeless person could ever be a saint?
Tonight, it is you who will make the stage a place from which to send out precious teachings about love, about others' needs, about solidarity, about how it is possible to discover the love of the Father in difficult times.
Poverty is the great lesson that Jesus gave us when he descended into the waters of the Jordan to be baptized by John the Baptist. He didn't do it out of a need for doing penance, or for conversion; he did it in order to place himself among the people, people in need of forgiveness, in our midst ... for we are sinners, to take upon himself the weight of our sins. This is the way he chose to console us, to save us, to free us from our suffering. This is what gives us true freedom, true salvation and true happiness: his compassionate love, tenderness and willingness to share our suffering. The Good Samaritan who picks us up when we have been beaten down by brigands.
Saint Gregory of Nissa, a great theologian of antiquity wrote: Consider well those who are poor in the gospel and who discover their dignity: they have recovered the face of the Lord. In his mercy, he has given them his own face.
And Saint Augustine used to say: On this earth, Christ is poor in the persona of his poor. Therefore we must fear the Christ of heaven and recognize him on earth: on this earth, he is poor, in heaven he is rich. In his own humanity, he ascended into heaven where he is rich, but he still remains here among us in the poor and the suffering.
I too want to make these words my own. You are not a burden to us. You are the treasure without which our attempts to discover the face of the Lord are worthless.
A few days after my election, I received from you a letter of congratulations and an offer of your prayers. I remember having immediately responded by saying that I keep you in my heart and that I am at your disposal. I wish to reaffirm these words. On that occasion, I asked you to pray for me. I renew that request. I really need your prayers.
I also wish to thank all the Caritas workers. I feel as though you are my hands, the hands of the Bishop, as you touch the body of Christ. I also want to thank all the volunteers from the parishes of Rome and from other parts of Italy. You have discovered a world that needs attention and solidarity: men and women who seek affection, relationships, dignity and together with them, we all can experience the love of learning how to accept, listen and give of ourselves.
How I wish that this city, filled at all times with people who know the love of God - we might think of Saint Lawrence (his true joy were the poor), Saint Pammachius (a Roman senator who converted and completely dedicated himself to the service of others), Saint Fabiola (the first to build a hostel for the poor in Porto), Saint Philip Neri, Blessed Angelo Paoli, Saint Giuseppe Labre (a man of the streets), and Father Luigi di Liegro (founder of Caritas Rome) - I said, how I wish that Rome might shine with piety toward the suffering, welcome for those who are fleeing war and death, openness, smiles and hope for the sake of those who have lost hope. How I wish that the Church of Rome might always be seen as a more attentive and caring mother to those who are weak. We all have weaknesses, we all have them, each of us has our own weaknesses. How I wish that praying parish communities, upon the arrival of a poor person in our churches, might kneel in veneration toward them as if they were the Lord! How I wish for this, that we might touch Christ's flesh which is present in this city!
Through your work, tonight's theatre presentation, I am sure that you will contribute to the realization of these hopes. Thank you!
While I wait for an occasion to meet you in person, as recently occurred in the Sistine Chapel, I send you my paternal blessing.
May the Lord help us to recognize him in the face of the poor! May the Virgin Mary be with us on this journey, and to all of you, I ask, please: don't forget to pray for me! Thank you.
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