Here and Now with Francis 3/17/16 (Jesus, cross, suffering, meaning, consolation, joy)

By Anonymous

From the general audience
At times, we too can live a sort of exile, when loneliness, suffering, and death make us think that God has abandoned us. How many times we have heard this word: “God has forgotten me”: they are persons that suffer and feel themselves abandoned. Instead, how many of our brothers are living at this time a real and tragic situation of exile, far from their homeland, with their eyes still beholding the ruin of their homes, with fear in their heart and often, unfortunately, sorrow for the loss of dear persons! In such cases, one can ask oneself: where is God? How is it possible that so much suffering can befall men, women and innocent children? And when they seek to enter somewhere they see the doors close. And they are there, at the border because so many doors and so many hearts are closed. The immigrants of today that suffer cold, are without food and cannot enter, do not experience hospitality. It pleases me so much when I see nations, rulers that open their heart and open the doors!
The prophet Jeremiah has given us the proclamation, presenting the return of the exiled as a great symbol of the consolation given to the heart that is converted. For His part, the Lord Jesus has brought this message of the prophet to fulfilment. The true and radical return from exile and the comforting light after the darkness of the crisis of faith is realized at Easter, in the full and definitive experience of God’s love, a merciful love that gives joy, peace and eternal life. [full text]

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