The following is the text of the video message sent by the Holy Father Francis to the participants in the “Fratello Gathering 2019”, organized by the Fratello Association at the Shrine of Lourdes, in France, from November, 14-17, 2019, on the occasion of the Third World Day of the Poor, to be held on Sunday 17 November:
Video Message of the Holy Father
Dear pilgrims of Fratello:
Welcome to Lourdes for this Third World Day of the Poor.
It is Mary who welcomes us here. She is the Immaculate One!
She appeared to Bernadette, a poor little shepherdess. It is good news for all of us who recognize ourselves as poor and little: God has “hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to little children”.
God wants to reveal His sweet presence to each one of us.
Brothers and sisters, I need you all, each one of you.
You, who are at the foot of the cross, perhaps alone, isolated, abandoned, homeless, expelled from your family or from your country, victims of alcohol, prostitution, sickness. Be aware that God loves you. God listens to your prayer in particular.
The world suffers and your prayer moves the Lord.
You who are small, you are poor, you are fragile, you are the treasure of the Church.
You are in the heart of the Pope, in the heart of Mary, in the heart of God.
Every time your life has been trampled on, mistreated, offended, it is Jesus Who has been trampled on, mistreated, offended.
Today, the Pope wants to console you, to surround you (give you) consolation and to tell you that he loves you and invites you to go to the source.
1. Pray: And to do this, receive Mary within you, hold on to her. She is the door of the Church which is wide open. She welcomed the Holy Spirit completely. She gives us Jesus and leads us to Him.
Pray, implore God, ask Him to come into our lives:
“Lord, come and love me so that I may love as you do”.
Ask God to spread His sweet compassion over the world.
Live the sacraments: The Church proposes that you live the sacraments; they are gifts.
Do you want to be Christians? Ask for baptism.
I invite you to discover in a special way confession, the sacrament of forgiveness in which God shows us His tenderness and liberates us.
Live the Eucharist to welcome God Himself into your body and soul.
He gives you faith and joy.
Live also the sacrament of the anointing of the sick, so precious for those of you who are wounded in your body or mind. Live charity yourselves: there is no one so poor as to have nothing to give. Let us ask the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Love, to inspire in us acts of charity, of benevolence towards those around us.
Love saves the world and God wishes to pass through us to save the world.
Finally, when you return, do not leave as you have come.
Return with Hope, be witnesses of God’s love around you.
Tell the world what your treasure is: “Jesus”. Go with Mary, that she may make you apostles of God’s tenderness. The Pope loves you and trusts in you.
I bless each and every one of you, may the Holy Spirit renew you all through His LOVE! Amen
