In his homily at Casa Santa Marta, Pope Francis said the Christian God is a God of closeness. He is not a far-off governor or dictator who sets rules, but a father who accompanies his people.
That's why the pope asked people to imitate God's way of being near.
POPE FRANCIS
“In this moment of crisis because of the pandemic we are experiencing, this nearness asks to be manifested even more. Perhaps we cannot draw near physically to others because of the fear of contagion, but we can reawaken in ourselves an attitude of nearness among us, through prayer, through help. There are many ways of drawing near.”
Pope Francis said this nearness is a gift one can ask of God. He also said it can manifest itself through caring about the problems and situations of others.