In his homily in Mass at Casa Santa Marta, Pope Francis said that it is fundamental for Christians to discover God as a Father because it has specific consequences in the life of every person.
POPE FRANCIS
'But I daresay that we, each of us, has been dreamed of by the Father as a father and a mother dreams of their awaited baby. And this gives you great security. The Father wanted you, not the mass of people, no, you, you, you. Each of us. It is the foundation; the basis of our relationship with God.'
He also said that a Christian cannot let his life be driven by fear. 'A Christian,â? he said, 'must always move forward,â? trying to do good wherever he or she is.
EXCERPTS FROM THE POPE'S HOMILY
(Source: Vatican Radio)
'Think of a couple, when expecting a baby: 'How will it be? And how will he or she smile? And talk? 'But I daresay that we, each of us, has been dreamed of by the Father as a father and a mother dream of their awaited baby. And this gives you great security. The Father wanted you, not the mass of people, no, you, you, you. Each of us. It is the foundation; the basis of our relationship with God. We speak of a Father who loves us, who chose us, who gave us a name.'
'We have all been forgiven with the price of the blood of Christ. But what I have been forgiven of ? It is a memory and a reminder of the bad things you have done, not your friend, your neighbor, you. 'What bad things have I done in life?' The Lord has forgiven these things. Here, I am blessed, I am a Christian. That is, the first part: I am chosen, dreamed by God, with a name that God gave me, loved by God. Second part: forgiven by God.'
'A Christian cannot stand still. The Christian must always move forward, he must walk. The Christian who stands still is the Christian who received the talent and for fear of life, fear of losing, fear of their boss, out of fear or convenience, buried it. He is calm and spends his life going nowhere. The Christian is a man on a journey, a woman walking, who is always doing good, trying to do good and going forward.'
