In his morning homily at Casa Santa Marta, the pope said that those who have been faithful to God should not fear death.
POPE FRANCIS
'Fidelity to the Lord does not disappoint. If each one of us is faithful to the Lord, when death comes, we will say, like Francis (of Assisi), â??come sister deathâ?¦â?? We wonâ??t be afraid. When the day of judgement comes, we will look at the Lord: â??Lord I have many sins but I have tried to be faithful.â?? And our Lord is good. I give you this advice: â??be faithful until death â?? said the Lord â?? and I will give you the crown of life.â?? With this fidelity we wonâ??t be afraid of death, when we die we wonâ??t be afraid of the day of judgement.â?
In the final week of the liturgical year, passages of the Apocalypse of St. John are being read in Mass, which speak about the end times. In addition, the Catholic Church dedicates the month of November to pray for the deceased.
EXTRACTS OF THE PAPAL HOMILY
'Weâ??d do well to think: â??But what will the day be like when I will be in front of Jesus? When He asks me about the talents that he gave me, what use I made of them, when He will ask me: how was my heart when the seed was dropped, like a path or like thorns: that Parable of the Kingdom of God. How did I receive His Word? With an open heart? Did I make it germinate for the good of all or in secret?â?
'I remember as a child, when we went to catechism we were taught four things: death, judgement, hell or glory. After the judgement there is this possibility. â??But Father, this is to frighten usâ?¦â?? â??No, this is the truth because if you do not take care of your heart, because the Lord is with you and (if) you always live estranged from the Lord, perhaps there is the danger, the danger of continuing to live estranged in this way from the Lord for eternity.â?? And this is a terrible thing!â?
'Fidelity to the Lord does not disappoint. If each one of us is faithful to the Lord, when death comes, we will say like Francis (of Assisi) â??come sister deathâ?¦â?? we wonâ??t be afraid. And when the day of judgement comes, we will look at the Lord: â??Lord I have many sins but I have tried to be faithful.â?? And our Lord is good. I give you this advice: â??be faithful until death â?? said the Lord - and I will give you the crown of life.â?? With this fidelity we wonâ??t be afraid of death, when we die we wonâ??t be afraid of the day of judgement.â?
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