Pope Francis and members of the Roman Curia have concluded their Lenten Spiritual Exercises.
The Spiritual Exercises took place again this year at the Casa Divin Maestro retreat house, South of Rome in Ariccia, from Sunday through this morning.
Meditations this year were entrusted by the Pope to Father Ermes Ronchi of the Order of the Servants of Mary. The preacher will propose a series of reflections around the theme “The bare questions of the Gospel,” from a passage of John’s Gospel: “Jesus turned and saw them following him, and said to them: What are you looking for?…” ( Jn 1, 38).
- “What are you looking for?” (John 1:38)
- “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:40)
- “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again?” (Matthew 5:13)
- “But who do you say that I am?” (Luke 9:20)
- “Then, turning to the woman, he told Simon, ‘Do you see this woman?’” (Luke 7:44)
- “How many loaves do you have?” (Mark 6:38, Matthew 15:34)
- “Straightening up, Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?’” (John 8:10)
- “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” (John 20:15)
- “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” (John 21:16)
- “Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be?’” (Luke 1:34).
Following morning Mass and breakfast, the Holy Father left the retreat house. He and members of the Curia returned to the Vatican aboard the bus that brought them there on Sunday.
This week, all of the Pope’s activities, including the weekly General Audience were suspended. But he will hold his third Jubilee Audience tomorrow morning in St. Peter’s Square.
Spiritual Exercises for the pope and curia used to take place in the Vatican, but Pope Francis moved them to the Ariccia retreat house outside of Rome.
