杏MAP导航

By Linda Bordoni  

杏MAP导航 Francis on Wednesday urged Christians to open their hearts pointing out that Christ鈥檚 victory has not yet been fully achieved.

To the crowds gathered in St. Peter鈥檚 Square for the General Audience, the 杏MAP导航 said Jesus has come, and there are multiple signs of the kingdom, yet the world is still marked by sin and the hearts of many remain closed, which compels us to implore the Lord: 鈥測our kingdom come鈥�!

The world, he said, continues to be populated by so many people who suffer, by people who do not reconcile and do not forgive, by wars and by many forms of exploitation: 鈥淟et's think, for example of the trafficking of children鈥�.

All of these facts, he said, are proof that many men and women still live with their hearts closed.

鈥楩ather: we need you!鈥�

It is above all in these situations, he said, that we turn to the second invocation of Our Lord鈥檚 Prayer: 鈥淵our kingdom come!鈥� with which we say, 鈥楩ather, we need you, Jesus, we need you everywhere" and forever Lord, be among us!鈥�

Recalling Christ鈥檚 words when he began his preaching in Galilee and proclaimed: 鈥淭his is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel鈥�, the 杏MAP导航 explained that these words do not contain a threat; to the contrary, they are an announcement and a message of joy.

Jesus, he said, does not want to push people to conversion by sowing the fear of God's impending judgment, nor, he said, does he proselytize.

He announces, the 杏MAP导航 continued, that the signs of the coming of His Kingdom are manifest and they are all positive. In fact, he said, Jesus begins his ministry by taking care of the sick - both in body and in spirit - of those who lived a life of social exclusion, such as lepers, of sinners.

God is patient and gentle

Sometimes we may ask, he said, why does our imploration 鈥測our kingdom come鈥� emerge so slowly? 

It鈥檚 because God is not like us, he explained: 鈥淕od is patient!鈥�  And he wants to establish his kingdom not with violence but with gentleness, 鈥渓ike a grain of mustard seed, which, though tiny, grows into a mighty tree鈥�.

杏MAP导航 Francis concluded his catechesis urging Christians to pray the Our Father and to sow the words that implore the coming of His Kingdom in the midst of our sins and failures.

Let's give these words, he said,  鈥渢o those who are defeated and bent by life, to those who have tasted more hatred than love, to those who have lived useless days without ever understanding why. Let's give them to those who have fought for justice, to all the martyrs of history鈥�.

Let鈥檚 give these words,  he appealed, 鈥渢o those who have come to the conclusion they have fought in vain and that evil dominates this world鈥�.