Pope Francis encouraged the faithful to give themselves to others “always and totally,” just as Jesus set “no limits on his love and forgiveness”.
The pontiff reminded the public that God is at “the heart of giving” and that it is God who gives, while the human person is only a “steward” of His gifts. “He gives us all that we have.”
The Pope made the call in a message sent to a meeting sponsored by the Episcopal Conference of Latin America (CELAM) and the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development in Colombia.
In his message, Pope Francis pondered how to balance the concept of selflessly giving without expecting anything in return against the natural desire to witness the outcomes of our charitable actions.
He stressed the necessity to reach out to those who “walk blindly, who fall by the wayside, those covered in leprosy of misery,” and seek the Lord’s guidance to see “what prevents them from facing their own difficulties”.
Pope Francis said humanity should embrace the Cross and imitate Jesus “who gave Himself to save us all”. He said, “To embrace the Cross is not a sign of failure, it is not a work in vain, it is to unite ourselves to the mission of Jesus.”
Pope Francis added that engaging directly with the suffering of a brother or community, which holds infinite value to God, involves illuminating their path, strengthening their resolve, cleansing their misery, and enabling them to embrace the plan of love that the Lord has for them.
He emphasized the importance of humbly praying that, upon his arrival, Jesus may find faith in that land.
