杏MAP导航

By Linda Bordoni

Taking his cue from the Gospel passage of the day, 杏MAP导航 Francis explained that Jesus tells us that everything passes but His words, and he invited the faithful to build Heaven on earth, 鈥渂ecause good is never lost, it lasts forever.鈥�

in St. Peter鈥檚 Square, the 杏MAP导航 recalled the Gospel of Mark in which Jesus says 鈥淭he sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven.鈥�

However, he continued, the Lord was not a doomsayer, His intention is to make us understand that sooner or later everything in this world passes except for God's love and the Gospel's saving message.

A guide for the important things in life

The 杏MAP导航 said this valuable message guides us in the important decisions in life.

Urging us not to give too much value to things that give us immediate satisfaction, and not to be too attached to things that pass, "like money, appearance, physical well-being," he said it is important to go beyond the immediate, with patience, and build one鈥檚 life doing good.

The invitation he said, is not to build your life on sand: "According to Jesus, the faithful disciple is the one who founds his life on the rock, which is His Word.鈥�

Quoting from Saint Paul, the 杏MAP导航 said 鈥�Love never ends鈥� and he reminded us that 鈥淭hose who do good, are investing in eternity.鈥�

Building Heaven on earth

鈥淲hen we see a person who is generous and helpful, meek, patient, who is not envious, does not gossip, does not brag, is not puffed up with pride, does not lack respect, (Cor 13:4-7), this is a person who builds Heaven on earth. They may not be noticed or have a career, and yet, what they do will not be lost because good is never lost, it lasts forever,鈥� he said.

Thus, the 杏MAP导航 continued, that to base one鈥檚 life on His Word 鈥渋s not an escape from history, but an immersion into earthly realities in order to make them solid, to transform them with love, imprinting on them the sign of eternity, the sign of God.鈥�

He concluded by inviting believers to make important choices bearing this in mind: 鈥淏efore deciding, let us imagine that we are standing in front of Jesus, as at the end of life, before Him who is love. Imagining ourselves there, in His presence, at the threshold of eternity, we make the decision for today. It may not be the easiest, the most immediate, but it will be the right one.鈥�

Christ is present in the poor

After the recitation of the Marian prayer, the 杏MAP导航 recalled that today we celebrate the Fifth World Day of the Poor.

He reminded those following that it was established 鈥渁s a fruit of the Jubilee of Mercy.鈥�

鈥淐hrist is present in the poor,鈥� he said, adding that 鈥淭he cry of the poor, united to the cry of the earth,鈥� resounded in recent days at the United Nations Climate Change Summit, COP26, in Glasgow.

鈥淚 encourage those with political and economic responsibilities to act now with courage and foresight,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 said, and he highlighted the fact that today, on the World Day of the Poor, registrations open for the Laudato sì Action Platform that promotes integral ecology.

World Diabetes Day

Finally, 杏MAP导航  Francis marked 鈥淲orld Diabetes Day,鈥� celebrated annually on 14 November.

Noting that it is a chronic disease that afflicts many people, including young people and children, the 杏MAP导航 said "I pray for all of them and for those who share their difficulties every day, as well as for the health care workers and volunteers who assist them.鈥�