Pope Francis

Saturday 28 September 2013

“Take courage, Jesus said, it is myself; do not be afraid”

The Lord's calling - vocation - always presents itself like this: "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." Yes: a vocation demands self-denial, sacrifice. But how pleasant that sacrifice turns out to be -- Gaudium cum pace, joy and peace -- if that self-giving is complete. (Furrow, 8)

If you agree to let God take command of your boat, if you let him be the master, how safe you will be!... even when he seems to have gone away, to have fallen asleep, to be unconcerned; even though a storm is rising and it’s pitch dark all around you. St Mark tells us how once the apostles were in just such circumstances and Jesus ‘when the night had reached its fourth quarter, seeing them hard put to it with rowing (for the wind was against them), came to them walking on the sea... Take courage, he said, it is myself; do not be afraid. So he came to them on board the boat, and thereupon the wind dropped’.

My children, so many things happen to us here on earth!... I could tell you so many tales of sorrow, of suffering, of ill treatment, of martyrdom — and I mean it literally — of the heroism of many souls. In our mind’s eye we sometimes get the impression that Jesus is asleep, that he does not hear us. But St Luke describes how the Lord looks after his own. ‘When they (the disciples), were sailing, he slept. And there came down a storm of wind upon the lake and they began to ship water perilously. They came and awakened him saying, Master, we perish! But Jesus arising, rebuked the wind and the rage of the water. And it ceased and there was a calm. And he said to them, Where is your faith?’

If we give ourselves to him, he will give himself to us. We must trust the Master completely, place ourselves unreservedly in his hands; show him by our actions that the boat is his; that we want him to do as he pleases with all we possess. (Friends of God, 22)

27/09/2013 Pope Francis (@Pontifex): Faith is given to us in and through the Church

We do not become Christians by ourselves. Faith is above all a gift from God which is given to us in and through the Church.

Pope Francis ()

Thursday 26 September 2013

Sunday 22 September 2013

Paz de Deus

"Não estejais inquietos por coisa alguma; antes as vossas petições sejam em tudo conhecidas diante de Deus pela oração e súplica, com ação de graças.
E a paz de Deus, que excede todo o entendimento, guardará os vossos corações e os vossos pensamentos em Cristo Jesus."

Filipenses 4:6-7

17/9/2013 Pope Francis (@Pontifex): Am I self-absorbed in my own concerns or am I aware of those who need help?

There are many people in need in today’s world. Am I self-absorbed in my own concerns or am I aware of those who need help?

Pope Francis ()

The gaze of Jesus always makes us worthy, gives us dignity

Allowing ourselves to be looked upon by Jesus, whose gaze changes our lives: this was the focus of Pope Francis’ remarks after the readings at Mass on Saturday morning, the Feast of St Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist, whose conversion story is told in the Gospel passage of the day.

Jesus looks Matthew – a tax collector, a public sinner whose whole life was money, which he idolized – right in the eye. Then, said Pope Fraancis, “[Matthew feels] in his heart the gaze of the Lord who looked upon him.”:

“That gaze overtook him completely, it changed his life. We say he was converted. He Changed his life. ‘As soon as he felt that gaze in his heart, he got up and followed him.’ This is true: Jesus’ gaze always lifts us up. It is a look that always lifts us up, and never leaves you in your place, never lets us down, never humiliates. It invites you to get up - a look that brings you to grow, to move forward, that encourages you, because [the One who looks upon you] loves you. The gaze makes you feel that He loves you. This gives the courage to follow Him: ‘And he got up and followed him.’”

“The gaze of Jesus,” said Pope Francis, “[is not something] magical: Jesus was not a specialist in hypnosis.” Jesus looked on everyone, and everyone felt His gaze upon him, as if Jesus had called each person by name … and this look would change the lives of everyone.” So did Peter change, who, after denying his Lord then met His gaze and wept bitterly. Then there is the final gaze, from the Cross. “He looked on His mother, looked at the [beloved] disciple and said, with that look, he told us that His mother was our mother and that the Church is mother - with a look. Then he looked at the Good Thief, and once again to Peter, “[who was] afraid, after the Resurrection, with those three questions: ‘Do you love me?’ - a look that shamed him. The Pope said it will do us well to think and pray about this gaze of Jesus, and to let ourselves be looked on by Him. “Jesus goes to the house of Matthew as he was sitting at the table many sinners arrive. “Word had spread, and all of society - but not the [respectable folks] - felt invited to lunch,” as it happened in the parable of the king who ordered the servants to go to the main crossroads to invite to his son’s wedding as many people as they met, both good and bad:

“And sinners, tax collectors and sinners, they felt that Jesus had looked on them and that gaze of Jesus upon them – I believe – was like a breath on embers, and they felt that there was fire in the belly, again, and that Jesus made ​​lifted them up, gave them back their dignity. The gaze of Jesus always makes us worthy, gives us dignity. It is a generous look. ‘But behold, what a teacher: dining with the dregs of the city!’: But beneath that dirt there were the embers of desire for God, the embers of God's image that wanted someone who could help them be kindled anew. This is what the gaze of Jesus does.”

“All of us, in our lives,” concluded Pope Francis, “have felt this gaze, and not once only: many times! Perhaps the person of a priest, who taught us doctrine or forgave our sins, perhaps in the help of friends.”:

“But all of us find ourselves before that gaze, that marvelous gaze, and we go forward in life, in the certainty that He looks upon us. He too, however, awaits us, in order to look on us definitively – and that final gaze of Jesus upon our lives will be forever, it will be eternal. I ask all the saints upon whom Jesus has looked, to prepare us to let ourselves be looked upon in life, and that they prepare us also for that final – and first! – gaze of Jesus!”

Humildade, meiguice e amor

“Sempre, onde estiver Jesus haverá humildade, meiguice e amor”

Saturday 21 September 2013

25/08/2013 Papa Francisco (@Pontifex_pt): misericórdia de Deus

"Não tenham medo de pedir perdão a Deus. Ele nunca se cansa de nos perdoar. Deus é pura misericórdia."
 
Papa Francisco )

10/9/2013 Papa Francisco (‏@Pontifex_pt): guerra contra o mal

"A única guerra que todos nós devemos combater é a guerra contra o mal."

Papa Francisco )

21/9/2013 Papa Francisco (‏@Pontifex_pt): vençamos o medo

"A verdadeira caridade exige um pouco de coragem: vençamos o medo de sujarmos as mãos para ajudar os necessitados."

Papa Francisco )

Monday 9 September 2013

LUMEN FIDEI - 7: The light of faith - A light to be recovered - the Holy Spirit transforms us, lights up our way to the future and enables us joyfully to advance along that way on wings of hope

"In God’s gift of faith, a supernatural infused virtue, we realize that a great love has been offered us, a good word has been spoken to us, and that when we welcome that word, Jesus Christ the Word made flesh, the Holy Spirit transforms us, lights up our way to the future and enables us joyfully to advance along that way on wings of hope. Thus wonderfully interwoven, faith, hope and charity are the driving force of the Christian life as it advances towards full communion with God. But what is it like, this road which faith opens up before us? What is the origin of this powerful light which brightens the journey of a successful and fruitful life?"

(http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/francesco/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20130629_enciclica-lumen-fidei_en.html )  

7/9/2013 Pape François (@Pontifex_fr): Priez pour la paix!

Priez pour la paix!

Pape François (

Sunday 8 September 2013

LUMEN FIDEI - 7: A luz da fé - Uma luz a redescobrir - o Espírito Santo transforma-nos, ilumina o caminho do futuro e faz crescer em nós as asas da esperança para o percorrermos com alegria

"Na fé, dom de Deus e virtude sobrenatural por Ele infundida, reconhecemos que um grande Amor nos foi oferecido, que uma Palavra estupenda nos foi dirigida: acolhendo esta Palavra que é Jesus Cristo — Palavra encarnada –, o Espírito Santo transforma-nos, ilumina o caminho do futuro e faz crescer em nós as asas da esperança para o percorrermos com alegria. Fé, esperança e caridade constituem, numa interligação admirável, o dinamismo da vida cristã rumo à plena comunhão com Deus. Mas, como é este caminho que a fé desvenda diante de nós? Donde provém a sua luz, tão poderosa que permite iluminar o caminho duma vida bem sucedida e fecunda, cheia de fruto?"

(http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/francesco/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20130629_enciclica-lumen-fidei_po.html

7/9/2013 Papa Francesco ‏(@Pontifex_it): Pregate per la pace!

Pregate per la pace!

Papa Francesco (@Pontifex_it)

Saturday 7 September 2013

Friday 6 September 2013

29/8/2013 Pape François (@Pontifex_fr): L’amour de Dieu n’est pas quelque chose de vague, de général

"L’amour de Dieu n’est pas quelque chose de vague, de général. L’amour de Dieu a un nom et un visage : Jésus-Christ."

Pape François (

Thursday 5 September 2013

Wednesday 4 September 2013

Tuesday 3 September 2013

29/8/2013 Pope Francis (@Pontifex): The love of God is not something vague or generic

"The love of God is not something vague or generic; the love of God has a name and a face: Jesus Christ."

Pope Francis ()

Monday 2 September 2013

Sunday 1 September 2013