Pope Francis arrived to St. Peter's Square in the popemobile 20 minutes before the scheduled time. As usual, he took a group of children around the square on the vehicle. He then greeted an enthusiastic group from Indonesia from the front row.
During the catechesis, he reflected on a fact that changed the future of the Church. He recalled the moment that the apostles began to preach the Gospel to non-Jews.
Pope Francis explained that thanks to this scene, the Church understood better that the purity of a person does not depend on his origin, but on his heart.
POPE FRANCIS
It's necessary to look at the heart's intentions, because it is only within the heart that impurity is born.
The pope explained that to discover this reality, it was fundamental that Peter did not give in to the scandal generated when he began preaching to pagans in the first Christian community.
POPE FRANCIS
When the community was scandalized with the relationship between the apostle and Gentiles, Peter did not get discouraged, because he was aware that being an apostle is not a prize, but a call to be a mediator, a bridge for communication between God and mankind.
At the end of the ceremony, the pope recalled that today, 41 years ago, John Paul II was elected as pontiff.
Javier Romero
Translated: Rachel Dobrzynski
