POPE TALK | KAIROS GLOBAL | JUNE 2019

Author: Dr. Kochurani  Joseph

Animator, National  Professionals Ministry, India

The Holy Spirit is our strength

We can be reborn from our sinful existence only with the help of the same power that raised our Lord. The Lord sent us the Holy Spirit, because alone, we cannot do it. Let the Holy Spirit be the protagonist of our lives. In the first apparition of Jesus to the apostles, the Lord breathed on them and said: “Receive the Holy Spirit”. It is the Spirit that allows us to rise from our limitations. 

Contribute to common good in Christian style

 To practice your profession in a Christian style, treat customers with kindness and courtesy, and always offering them a good word and encouragement, avoiding giving in to the temptation of gossip that easily creeps into your work environment. Work with righteousness and make a positive contribution to the common good of society.  Science and technology, not enough, together with the free initiative of individuals, can help meet the various needs of individuals and of society, leading to a harmonious society where there is no marginalization, poverty and exclusion.  

Pray with courage, putting it all on the line

Pope Francis invited the faithful to pray face-to-face to the Lord, bringing all our lives to Him with courage.  Much courage is needed to pray. And we are often lukewarm. When you intercede, need to do so with courage. People use an expression that when they have a goal: ‘I put it all on the line’… But perhaps the doubt may arise: ‘I do it, but how do I know the Lord listens to me?’ We have a certainty: Jesus is the great intercessor. 

 To stop evil, give more love than required

To stop the spread of evil in the world, we must go above and beyond, loving and forgiving others even when it is undeserved. Jesus inserts the power of forgiveness into human relationships. In life, not everything is resolved with justice. The abundant grace of God is always challenging. He who has received so much must learn to give so much.  And what precious thing have we received? ‘’ Forgiveness.”  If you do not forgive, God will not forgive you. If you cannot forgive, ask the Lord to give you strength to do it.

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The resurrection is the most shocking event in human history

What was humanly unthinkable happened when ‘Christ, my hope, is risen!’ And in Him we too are resurrected, passing from death to life, from the slavery of sin to the freedom of love. The risen Jesus walks beside us. He manifests himself to those who invoke and love him, in prayer, in simple joys lived with faith and gratitude.   All the Gospels highlight the role of women, Mary Magdalene and the others, as the first witnesses of the resurrection. The words Jesus addressed to the women must also resound in our lives today, “Do not be afraid; go and announce …”

Like holy oil, priests must pour themselves out for others

The holy oil is a reminder of the priest’s call to be close to the People of God, pouring himself out in service to them. Priests not only anoint with sacramental oil, they anoint by dirtying  hands in touching the wounds, the sins and the worries of the people. They anoint by perfuming  hands in touching their faith, their hopes, their fidelity and the unconditional generosity of their self-giving. The Lord never lost that direct contact with people. Amid those crowds, He always kept the grace of closeness with the people as a whole, and with each individual. This is what the Lord’s priests are called to do.

Pope Francis says...

• “spirit of tiredness” takes away hope and creates fertile land for the devil

• Prayer requires boldness or freedom of speech, to address the Lord with courage.

• Jesus replaced the “law of retaliation” with the “law of love’’ 

• Don’t let your cell phone become an addiction, when the telephone is a drug, communication is reduced to simple ‘contacts’. 

• In forgiveness we find the bond between love for God and love of neighbour 

• Love is not solely an emotional reality but a responsibility