The Lord, Pope Francis says, always walks with us, loves us and does not abandon us, even at the most tragic of times.
According to Vatican Radio, during his morning Mass at Casa Santa Marta, the Holy Father stressed this, reminding those gathered of Jesus’ teaching, that “He who entrusts himself to the Lord our Shepherd, shall lack nothing.”
Even if he finds himself going through the darkest of valleys, the Pontiff said, “He knows that the suffering is only of the moment and that the Lord is with him: “Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.”
The Pope urged faithful to ask for this grace, namely to say: “Lord, teach me to place myself in your hands, to trust in Your guidance, even in bad times, in the darkest moments, in the moment of death.”
“We would do well, today,” the Pope encouraged, “to think about our lives, about the problems we have, and ask for the grace to place ourselves into the hands of the Lord”.
“Lord, ” he said, “I do not understand you. This is a beautiful prayer. Without understanding, I place myself in Your hands.”
‘Where are you, Lord?’
Speaking on events and situations that cast shadows on our lives and lead us to ask difficult questions, the Pope remembered those which are inflicted by man.
“Look at those four slain sisters of ours: they were serving with love; they ended up murdered in hatred! When you see that doors are being closed to refugees who are left out in the cold… you say: ‘Lord, where are You?’”
Related: Pope’s telegram regarding the 4 Missionaries of Charity slain in Yemen.
Francis also invited the faithful to think of the many men and women who before dying, do not even receive a last caress.
“Three days ago a homeless person died here, on the street: he died of cold. In the middle of Rome, a city that has all the possibilities of providing assistence.Why, Lord? Not even a caress … But I entrust myself to You because You never let me down.”
Beyond understanding
“How can I entrust myself to God,” the Pope said, “when I see all these things? And when things happen to me, each of us may say: ‘how can I entrust myself to You?’” There is an answer to this question, he continued, “but it cannot be explained.”
“Why does a child suffer? I do not know: it is a mystery to me,” he added.
The Pope went on to recall Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane and how despite His suffering, He trusts in the Father and knows that all will not end with death, with the Cross.
Pope Francis pointed out that Jesus’ last words before dying on the Cross were “Father into your hands I commend my spirit.”
“To trust in God who walks with me, walks with His people, walks with the Church,” Francis said, “is an act of faith. To entrust myself. I cannot explain it, but I place myself in Your hands. You know why.”
Pope Francis concluded, highlighting that suffering and evil are not final, for the Lord is always at our side.
