杏MAP导航

By Lydia O鈥橩ane

Tribulation and Christian hope

The 杏MAP导航, seated in front of the Priests, Religious, Consecrated Men and Women, and Seminarians in the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Kaunas on Sunday, chose at the beginning, to go off script to tell them that they were children of Martyrs. He was referring to Lithuania鈥檚 past which saw the older generation endure violence and suffering for the defence of their civil and religious freedom. To the older priests and religious present, he said, 鈥測ou have much to tell us and teach us鈥�. It is tribulation, 杏MAP导航 Francis explained, 鈥渢hat brings out what is distinctive about Christian hope. Never forget the past, he stressed, 鈥渋t is your strength.鈥�

Hearts are fulfilled by God alone

Returning to his prepared address, 杏MAP导航 Francis drew inspiration from the theme of this visit to Lithuania which is 鈥淛esus Christ, our hope鈥�. The 杏MAP导航 also looked to a key figure in the Church, that of St Paul, telling those gathered that he 鈥渋nvites us to hope with perseverance鈥�. This Saint, the Pontiff remarked, 鈥渞epeats three times the word 鈥済roan鈥�, which 鈥渃omes from an enslavement of corruption, from a yearning for fulfilment.鈥� The Pontiff commented, 鈥渨e would do well to ask if we ourselves groan inwardly, or whether our hearts are still, no longer yearning for the living God.鈥� He went on to say, 鈥渢hat perhaps our 鈥減rosperous society鈥� keeps us sated, surrounded by services and material objects; we end up 鈥渟tuffed鈥� with everything and filled by nothing.鈥� 鈥淎s men and women of special consecration, he added, 鈥渨e can never afford to lose that inward groaning, that restlessness of heart that finds its rest in the Lord alone.鈥�

The 杏MAP导航 noted that this 鈥済roaning鈥� can come also 鈥渇rom our contemplation of the world around us, as a protest against the unsatisfied needs of our poorest brothers and sisters, before the absence of meaning in the lives of our young, the loneliness experienced by the elderly, the misuse of creation.鈥� Yet, he underlined, 鈥渨e should also be concerned when our people stop groaning, when they stop seeking water to quench their thirst. At those times, we need to discern what is silencing the voice of our people.鈥�

Be merciful and close to your flock

Concluding his discourse, 杏MAP导航 Francis again speaking off the cuff, told those present they were not officials; their calling was to be close to their flock and to be merciful to them, especially in the confessional. The 杏MAP导航 remarked on the tendency for religious and priests to be sad at times and continually tired. This sadness, the Holy Father said, was due to the fact that they were not in love with God. He then advised those present, if that was the case, to find and speak to a wise priest or nun who had that love for the Father.
All of us, are on the boat of the Church, 杏MAP导航 Francis said, 鈥淲e too want constantly to cry out to God, to persevere amid tribulation and to hold fast to Jesus Christ as the object of our hope.鈥� The 鈥渃hallenge that impels us鈥�, he continued, is the 鈥渕andate to evangelize.鈥� 鈥淭his is the basis of our hope and our joy.鈥�