The Paul VI Audience Hall has a capacity for more than 6,000 people, but sometimes even that number seems small and there are many pilgrims who are unable to enter. Pope Francis knows this and therefore goes to greet and bless them first.
In his catechesis, Pope Francis spoke of the forgiveness of God as the motor of hope. He said that Jesus' merciful heart makes Him open His arms to sinners.
POPE FRANCIS
'How many people continue today down a wrong path in life, because they can't find anyone willing to look at them in a different way, with their eyes, but even a better way, with the heart of God. This means with hope. On the contrary, Jesus sees a possibility of resurrection also in the one who has accumulated many sins.'
Pope Francis explained that Jesus scandalized the men of His day by saying He could forgive sins and, that's why He died on the cross.
POPE FRANCIS
'He doesn't accept that human beings consume all of their existence with this indelible 'tattoo,' with this thought of not being able to be received by the merciful heart of God.'
He also recalled that when Jesus founded the Church, He did not choose the best people or the least sinful.
POPE FRANCIS
'It benefits us to think that God has not chosen people who never messed up as the foundation to form His Church.'
Before concluding, the pope, deeply affected, called for a cessation of violence in Nigeria and the Central African Republic.
POPE FRANCIS
'I hope that every form of hatred and violence will cease, and that more shameful crimes committed in places of worship where the faithful gather to pray will not be repeated.'
In Nigeria, several people were murdered inside a church a few days ago. In Central African Republic, there was a violent attack against a religious mission, which killed 50 people. The pope asked the faithful to join him in the recitation of the Hail Mary.
