Pope Francis addressed the sizable crowd gathered in St. Peter's Square for the Angelus on the Third Sunday of Advent.
He reflected on the Gospel reading in which the crowd, moved by John the Baptist's preaching, asks him what they should do. The Pope explained that we too must ask ourselves what our purpose is.
POPE FRANCIS
'Life has a task for us. Life is not meaningless. It is not left up to chance. No. It is a gift the Lord grants us, saying to us: Discover who you are, and work to fulfill the dream that is your life!'
He encouraged the faithful to use the final weeks of Advent to find concrete ways to prepare for Christmas.
POPE FRANCIS
'I can call a person who is alone. I can visit an elderly person or a sick person, do something to serve the poor, someone in need. Or maybe there is something for which I must ask forgiveness, or something to forgive; a situation to clarify, a debt to repay. Maybe I have neglected prayer and after such a long time, it is time to turn to the mercy of the Lord.'
After the Angelus, the Pope prayed that tensions in Ukraine be resolved with dialogue and not weapons. He also prayed for victims of the tornado that hit Kentucky and other parts of the United States.
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