Through His love and compassion, Jesus renders every believer a servant of His mercy.
Pope Francis expressed this at this morning’s General Audience — held in Paul VI Hall to escape Rome’s intense August heat, even if this morning was rather cloudy.
Continuing his catechesis for the Jubilee Year of Mercy, the Pope reflected on St. Matthew’s account of the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and the fishes.
The Holy Father pointed out that while Jesus was seeking some alone time for prayer, he abandoned this plan to attend to the people awaiting him and performed a great miracle.
Compassionate
“Jesus is not cold; He does not have a cold heart. Jesus can be moved,” Francis said, noting that this episode demonstrates that Jesus’ compassion is not a “vague sentiment.”
“The Lord goes to meet men’s needs, but He wants to make each one of us a concrete participant in His compassion.”
Reflecting on how Jesus took the loaves and fish, looked toward heaven, said His blessing, and distributed everything, Francis observed: “These are the same signs that Jesus carried out in the Last Supper; and they are also the same that every priest carries out when he celebrates the Holy Eucharist.”
The Christian community, the Jesuit Pope reminded those in the hall, is born and reborn continually by this Eucharistic Communion.
“To live communion with Christ, therefore, is altogether different than remaining passive and estranged from daily life,” he said, noting, “on the contrary, it inserts us increasingly in our relation with the men and women of our time, to offer them a concrete sign of mercy and of Christ’s care. While nourishing us with Christ, little by little, the Eucharist we celebrate also transforms us into the Body of Christ and spiritual food for brothers.”
Servants of Mercy
Jesus, the Pope underscored, wants to reach everyone, to bring to all the love of God. “Therefore, He renders every believer a servant of mercy,” Francis said.
“He forgives us our sins. He embraces us. He loves us,” he said, noting, “He does not do things by half, but completely.”
Pope Francis concluded, praying that every one of us can be an instrument of communion in our own family, at work, in the parish and elsewhere, as a “visible sign of mercy.”
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On ZENIT’s Web page:
Full Text of General Audience: https://zenit.org/articles/general-audience-on-the-multiplication-of-loaves-fishes/
