During his homily at Casa Santa Marta, Pope Francis reflected on how early Christian communities helped one another. He said that modern day Christians should follow their example and be a community that 'seeks poverty and not the accumulation of wealth.â?
POPE FRANCIS
'Ask for the grace of poverty, not the misery of poverty. What does that mean? If I have whatever I want, I should share it with generosity for the common good.
The Pope said that communities should always pursue the common good. He added that harmony and patience to endure hardship are also important.
EXTRACTS FROM THE POPE'S HOMILY (Source: Vatican Radio)
'A community that is renewed in the Spirit has the grace of unity and harmony. The only one who can give us harmony is the Holy Spirit because he is harmony between the Father and the Son. The second characteristic is common good: â??no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common, there was no needy person among themâ??. Yes, there were some rich persons, but their riches were offered in service of the community. These are two characteristics of a community that lives in the Spirit.â?
'In this second week of Easter, during which we celebrate the Easter mysteries, it would be a good thing to think of our communities, be they diocesan communities, parish communities, family communities or other, and ask for the grace of harmonyâ? â?? a gift of the Spirit; 'ask for the gift of poverty â?? not misery, but poverty: the capacity to manage my possessions with generosity and for common goodâ?; to ask for the grace of patience. May the Lord â?? P Pope Francis concluded â?? 'make us understand that not only have each one of us received the grace of a new birth through Baptism, but so have our communitiesâ?
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