In his weekly catechesis, the pope spoke about another type of prayer: that of giving thanks. He recalled the Gospel passage recounting the healing of the 10 lepers. Only one of them returned to thank Jesus.
POPE FRANCIS
“This shows how the world can be divided into two types of people: those who give thanks and those who think they are entitled to everything. The prayer of thanksgiving grows out of the recognition that everything we have is a gift, that we're alive because someone loved us even before we learned to think, love and desire.”
The pope also explained that the leper who returned to thank Jesus discovered an even deeper joy: that Jesus loved him.
POPE FRANCIS
“This is the main point. When you express gratitude, when you give thanks, you express the certainty that you are loved, and this is a big step, to be certain that we are loved.”
To conclude the live-streamed audience, the pope gave this final message to close the year.
POPE FRANCIS
“At the end of this difficult year, we might be tempted to focus on everything we were unable to do and on everything we lacked. However, let's not forget the many, countless reasons for which to thank God and our neighbors. I wish from the bottom of my heart that you experience the joy that grows from gratitude.”
That was the pope's final catechesis of 2020, streamed online, without the physical presence of pilgrims. In other years, this audience would be full of people.
Javier Romero
Translation: CT
