蜜桃交友

By Pope

The earthquakes that struck Camerino and nearby Italian hill-towns, on August 24^th and again on October 30^th three years ago, left nearly 300 people dead and buildings in ruins. At a magnitude of 6.6 on the Richter Scale, they were the most destructive earthquakes to hit Italy in over 30 years, after those that devastated L鈥橝quila in 2009. The towns and the people have been struggling to recover ever since.

Psalm 8:5

Pope Francis began his homily by repeating the words of Psalm 8: "What is man that you are mindful of him?鈥� The Pope said these words came to mind when he thought of the people of this area: 鈥淔aced with what you have seen and suffered鈥�, he said, 鈥渨ith houses collapsed and buildings reduced to rubble, the question arises: what is man ever? What is he, if his hopes can end up in dust?鈥�

Remembering

In quoting from the Psalm, Pope Francis used the Italian verb 鈥�ricordare鈥� 鈥� which literally means 鈥渢o remember鈥�, or to 鈥渞eturn with the heart鈥�.  Answering his own question, he said, 鈥淕od remembers us as we are, in our frailty鈥�He returns to us with the heart, because we are in His heart鈥�. We may be 鈥渟mall under heaven and powerless when the earth trembles鈥�, the Pope continued, 鈥渂ut for God we are more precious than anything鈥�.

鈥淩emembering is a key word for life鈥�, said Pope Francis. 鈥淩emembering gives us the strength not to surrender鈥�. The Pope admitted that bad memories return, even when we don't want them to. To free ourselves 鈥渇rom the negative memories that keep us prisoner, from the regrets that paralyze us, we need someone to help us carry the burdens we have inside鈥�, he said. Jesus does not offer us the 鈥渜uick and easy solution鈥� of taking away our burdens, explained the Pope. Instead, He sends us the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, who transforms 鈥渢he wounds of the past into memories of salvation鈥�because the Holy Spirit is the rebuilder of hope鈥�.

Hope

Pope Francis then proceeded to speak about the nature of Hope. 鈥淓arthly hopes are fleeting鈥�, he said, 鈥渢hey always have an expiry date鈥�. 鈥淭he hope of the Spirit鈥�, on the other hand, 鈥渋s a long-lasting one because it is based on God's fidelity鈥�. This is the hope that confirms we are not alone, added Pope Francis. 鈥淚t is a hope with strong roots, which no storm of life can eradicate鈥�. This is the hope that, according to St Paul, "does not disappoint".

Closeness

Pope Francis continued his homily referring to this Sunday鈥檚 Feast of the Most Holy Trinity. 鈥淭he Trinity is not a theological puzzle鈥�, he said, 鈥渂ut the splendid mystery of God's closeness鈥�. God is not 鈥渦p there, distant and indifferent鈥�. God sends us the Spirit, knowing that 鈥渋t takes more strength to repair than to build鈥�. The Pope recalled how 鈥渁lmost three years have passed鈥� since the earthquake struck in 2016. 鈥淭he risk is that, after the first emotional and media involvement, attention falls and promises are forgotten鈥�, he said. 鈥淭he Lord instead pushes us to remember, repair, rebuild, and to do so together鈥�, he said, 鈥渨ithout ever forgetting those who suffer鈥�.

鈥淚 came here today to be close to you鈥�, concluded Pope Francis, 鈥渢o pray with you to the God who remembers鈥�the God of hope鈥�the God who is close to us鈥�so that what is unstable on earth will not shake the certainty that we hold within us鈥�.