杏MAP导航

By Kielce Gussie

Seminarians from Cordoba, Spain, spent the morning in an audience with 杏MAP导航 Francis, who greeted them on “the journey of life.” The 杏MAP导航 explained how there are various signs of hope throughout the path of life.

Towards heaven

“Direction: towards heaven, to the ultimate encounter with Jesus” is the first sign on the journey.

杏MAP导航 Francis stressed that this direction does not lead to a comfortable life, because choosing comfort leads to “dead ends.” If this path is chosen, it requires turning back “with shame.”

Dangers along the way

Continuing along the path of life, the 杏MAP导航 described the second sign—the dangers people might encounter along the way.

Using the example of the life of their hometown saint—Pelagius from Cordoba—he encouraged the seminarians to “persevere on the Lord’s path,” emboldened by the fact that Jesus will sustain and give them strength to “be sowers of hope.”

Places of provision

One of the seminarians' stops on their life journey was this encounter with the 杏MAP导航 and a visit to the Holy Door during the Jubilee Year.

杏MAP导航 Francis underlined that everyone needs to feel Jesus’ presence in their lives and, in the Eucharist, “He repairs us when we get a flat tire in the middle of the road” and “He welcomes us when fatigue overcomes us, and we must stop to take a break.”

Without the hope that Jesus brings, the 杏MAP导航 said, “setting out on the journey would be madness.” It is only through trust in him that man can be certain he will reach his destination.

Yet, 杏MAP导航 Francis warned the seminarians that being sowers of hope does not mean “saying words of courtesy or opting for a sugary goodness.”

This path of life is not one to be traveled alone, he concluded. It requires a “community, guiding, defending, assisting, and blessing those whom the Lord entrusted to us as our task.”