Pope Francis recommends ‘spiritual medicine’

Last updated on: November 17, 2013 at 5:16 pm by CNA Daily News

Pope Francis recommends ‘spiritual medicine’ 2013-11-17T17:16:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Vatican City, Nov 17, 2013 / 10:16 am (CNA/EWTN News).- At the close of his Angelus address today, Pope Francis encouraged those in St. Peter’s Square to pick up a little box of spiritual medicine on their way out.

“I would like now to all of you to consider a medicine. But some may think, ‘the Pope is being a pharmacist now?’ It is a special medicine to make the fruit of the Year of Faith that is coming to a close more concrete,” said Pope Francis Nov. 17, as he raised a little box for the crowds to see.

“This little box contains the medicine, and some volunteers will distribute it to you as you leave the square. Take it! It’s a rosary with which one can pray also the chaplet of Divine Mercy, spiritual help for our souls and for spreading love, forgiveness, and brotherhood everywhere.”

“Don’t forget to take it,” he repeated as the crowds cheered. “Because it does good, eh? It does good for the heart, for the soul, for all of life.”

Pope Francis had earlier emphasized the need for faith and trust in God in the face of life’s difficulties.

Like the apostles in Sunday’s Gospel, many people find themselves worried about losing faith in the last days.

But Jesus reminds his followers, “First: don’t let yourselves be deceived by false messiahs and don’t let yourselves be paralyzed by fear. Second: live the time of waiting as a time of witness and of perseverance,” recounted Pope Francis.

“This discourse of Jesus is always current, even for those of us who live in the 21st century,” the Roman Pontiff reflected. “We are in a time of waiting, of waiting for the coming of the Lord.”

“We remember that we are totally in the hands of the Lord!”

“The adversities that we meet for our faith and our adherence to the Gospel are occasions for witness; they must not distance us from the Lord, but push us to abandon ourselves again and more to Him, to the power of his Spirit and his grace,” he encouraged.

The Pope then spoke of the “many Christian brothers and sisters who are suffering persecution because of their faith.”

“There are many – maybe many more than the first centuries. Jesus is with them and we too are united to them with our prayer and our affection, and we admire them for their courage and their testimony.”

Christians are ultimately hopeful, however, because “at the end, Jesus makes a promise that is the guarantee of victory,” assured Pope Francis.

This promise is “a call to hope and patience, to know to await the sure fruits of salvation, confident in the profound meaning of life and of history: the trials and the difficulties make up part of a grand design.”

“Notwithstanding the confusion and disasters that trouble the world, the design of goodness and of the mercy of God will be accomplished!”

“And this is our hope – go forward like this – this way of the design of God that succeeds is our hope."

Vatican

Previous Post

November 17, 2013

Vatican removes 'La Repubblica' interview from its website

Next Post

November 17, 2013 Conference highlights Mary as example of evangelization

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who was known as the "son of encouragement"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Stephen Philip Barnabas Silas