VATICAN CITY—Pope Francis concluded his series of catechesis on the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, reflecting on the path of hope and love, as the world continues to suffer.
He began his General Audience on Sept. 30 by noting that in recent weeks “we have reflected together” on how to heal the world from the suffering highlighted by the pandemic.
As disciples of Jesus, “allowing ourselves to be guided by faith, hope and charity”, he said, we have proposed to follow in His steps, opting for the poor, rethinking the use of material goods and taking care of our common home.
Pope Francis expressed his hope that we will “keep our eyes fixed on Jesus” who saves and heals the world and takes care of all “without distinction on the basis of race, language or nation”. In order to do this, and follow in his footsteps, he explained, we must “contemplate and appreciate the beauty of every human being and of every creature”, all conceived in the heart of God.
In this way can we recognize Christ present in our poor and suffering brothers and sisters, to encounter them and to listen to their cry and the cry of the earth that echoes, he said.
In recognizing Christ we will be able to regenerate society and not return to so-called “normality”, said the pope, explaining that the normality we once knew was “sick with injustice”.
The virus has highlighted so many injustices, all of which are the result of humankind, he continued. Instead, we are called to the normality of the Kingdom of God, “where there is bread for all and more to spare, social organization is based on contributing, sharing and distributing, not on possessing, excluding and accumulating”.
“To come out of the pandemic, we must find the cure not only for the coronavirus, but also for the great human and socio-economic viruses”, Pope Francis said.
“A fair and equitable society is a healthier society,” he said, adding that together we can work towards the Kingdom that Christ inaugurated for us: “a Kingdom of light in the midst of darkness, of justice in the midst of so many outrages, of joy in the midst of so much pain, of healing and salvation in the midst of sickness and death.”
He concluded by encouraged all to make love “go viral” and to globalize hope in the light of faith.
