Being Witnesses of Mercy – HOPING

One chapter at a time from the book by Nino Savarino, Governor of the Misericordia of Rosolini, great friend of spazio + spadoni and collaborator of several projects and the blog.

From Psalm 37 (36)

3 Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and live with faith 4. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart 5. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him: he will act 6; he will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

Let us begin our journey full of hope

Pope Francis taught that “our hope is not just optimism; it is something else, much more! It is as if believers were people with an ‘extra piece of heaven’ above their heads. This is beautiful: we are people with a piece of heaven above our heads, accompanied by a presence that some cannot even fathom.” “It is a gift and a task for every Christian. It is a gift because it is God who offers it to us.”

We are Pilgrims of Hope

We cannot remain bystanders. We must commit ourselves to building a more just and fraternal world. “Pilgrims of hope” means being on a journey with all the people of God, with everyone we meet. On this journey, Jesus is beside us. He sustains us, guides us, and shows us the path leading to happiness. Like the disciples of Emmaus who left Jerusalem sad and disappointed and who, after meeting Jesus, returned without delay and full of hope. Ours will be a wonderful journey that we are called to undertake with all our brothers and sisters, especially the weakest and most in need, with whom to share the joy of Christian Hope.

What can we do in practice?

Comfort the afflicted

“What is spiritual consolation? It is an experience of interior joy, which allows us to see the presence of God in all things; it strengthens faith and hope, and also the ability to do good. The person who lives consolation does not give up in the face of difficulties, because they experience a peace stronger than any trial. It is therefore a great gift for spiritual life and for life as a whole. And to live this interior joy.”

(General Audience of Pope Francis – Wednesday, 23 November 2022)

POINTS FOR REFLECTION

“3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all consolation, 4 who consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

Source and image: N. Savarino, “Witnesses of Mercy”