On the evening of August 2, the first day of his international pastoral visit to Portugal, Pope Francis celebrated Vespers with bishops, priests, deacons, ordained, seminarians and pastoral workers. In his sermon, the Pope reflected on the conflicts, injustice and lack of hope the world is facing today, as well as the face of the Church stained by “ugly sin”, calling on people to respond to Christ’s call to help us start anew and sail boldly. to ocean evangelism.
(Vatican News Network)On the evening of August 2, on the first day of the international pastoral visit of Pope Francis to Portugal, he read with bishops, priests, deacons, monastics, seminarians and pastoral workers at the monastery of San Jeronimo in Lisbon. Vespers were served, about 1,100 believers participated in the action. In his sermon, the Pope recalled: “The Church is not a customs house that separates the righteous from the sinners. She tolerates everyone and does not point fingers” in a crisis.
exhausted crisis
The Pope first spoke about the fishing experience of the Apostle Peter and the early disciples, who returned empty-handed from night fishing, and their exhaustion also reminds us of the Church today. Pope: This is a fairly common feeling in countries with an ancient Christian tradition that have undergone many social and cultural changes, marked by increasing secularization, indifference to God, and withdrawal from the practice of faith. This exhaustion is often aggravated by the disappointment and anger of some people at the church, sometimes because of our bad appearance and sin, staining the face of the church, all this calls us to humility and constant purification, from accepting and listening to the pain of the church. The sacrifice screams begin. “
Jesus Continues to Revive His Husband’s Church
Feelings of failure can lead to thoughts of disembarkation, the Pope said: “Instead, we give the Lord our work and our tears, facing the pastoral and spiritual situation, meeting each other with an open heart, trying new paths forward together, trusting that Jesus will continue to hold the hand of His beloved Spouse, the Holy Church, and lift her up.”
urged to throw the net again
Then the Pope said: “Brothers and sisters, we are indeed living in difficult times, but the Lord asked the Church today: “Do you want to land and sink into despair, or do you want to take me on board and take me back? Novelty of the Word, let me take the wheel? Do you just want to put the past behind you, or do you want to cast your nets passionately again?”
The Pope continued: “We are called to cast our nets again, to embrace the world with the hope of the gospel. Now is the moment the Lord has given us to venture into the ocean of evangelistic mission, to worship and pray unceasingly before the Lord, never to err. Doctrine leads to faith.”
Be a fisherman in the modern ocean
The invitation that Jesus sent to his disciples two thousand years ago has remained unchanged: being a fisherman means “grab people and pull them out of the sea”, “help them pick up what they have fallen and bring them back from the sea.” “Resurrected from all forms of death.”
The Pope concluded by saying: “In today’s society, even in Portugal, there are many shadows. We lack enthusiasm, courage to make our dreams come true, strength to face challenges and confidence in the future; Sex, economic instability, lack of social friendships, lack of hope. As a church, our mission is to go deep into this sea, to cast the net of the gospel, not to point fingers, but to give new life to the people of our time, advice, that is, the life of Jesus.
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