杏MAP导航 at Angelus: We are not alone on the path of life
By Linda Bordoni
Taking his cue from the Gospel of Matthew in which Jesus asks the disciples: "Who do men say that the Son of Man is?" (Mt 16:13-20), 杏MAP导航 Francis said it is a question we too ask ourselves.
gathered in St. Peter鈥檚 Square for the Angelus prayer, the 杏MAP导航 noted that generally Jesus is seen as 鈥渁 great teacher, a special person: good, righteous, consistent, courageous...鈥
But, he continued, this is not enough for Jesus who is not just an agent of history, a distant prophet: He is here for us today, He is God who is close to us!
The Holy Father went on to explain that Christ is not a memory of the past, but the God of the present.
Chris is the God of the present.
Jesus, he added, is alive and accompanies us. 鈥淗e is at our side, He offers us His Word and His grace, which enlighten and refresh us on the journey.鈥
We are never alone
Assuring believers that they are never alone on the path of life, he said Christ is with us and helps us on our way, as he did with Peter and the other disciples.
It is Peter, in today's Gospel, he added, who understands this and by grace recognises in Jesus "the Christ, the Son of the living God", not a character from the past, but the Christ, that is, the Messiah, 鈥渢he Son of the living God, made man and come to share the joys and the labours of our journey.鈥
Nothing is impossible with Jesus at our side
杏MAP导航 Francis said that if sometimes 鈥渢he summit of Christian life seems too high and the path too steep,鈥 look to Jesus who walks beside us, welcoming our frailties, sharing our efforts and resting his firm and gentle arm on our weak shoulders.
鈥淲ith Him close at hand, let us also reach out to one another and renew our trust: with Jesus, what seems impossible on our own is no longer so!鈥 he concluded, inviting Christians to renew their trust in Him, to cultivate His presence through the Word and the Sacraments, and allowing themselves to be guided by Him together with their brothers and sisters, in the community.
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