The advantages of Wednesday audiences, when held indoors, is that the Pope can be seen very closely. So much so, that sometimes bodyguards must be employed to put everyone in their place.
This week Pope Francis reflected on hope and death with questions like these:
POPE FRANCIS
'Is there really life after death? Will I be able to see and embrace the people I love? This question was asked by a woman a few days ago in an audience. Will I go back to see them?'
Pope Francis recalled that these questions were typical of early Christian communities, especially when watching death closely.
The Pope said that although we will all be resurrected, we must learn to walk towards death, to wait for its arrival, because for Christians, death is the door to life.
POPE FRANICS
'Learn to live in the hope of finding life. When a woman realizes that she is pregnant, every day she learns to live in the hope of seeing the gaze of the child that will come. And us? We must learn from these human expectations, and live to look towards the Lord, to meet the Lord.'
The Pope pointed out that there are people who know how to hope, and people who are not accustomed to hoping because they have always had everything within their reach.
POPE FRANCIS
'Only a poor man knows how to have hope. Who is full of himself and his possessions does not know how to put his faith in anyone other than himself.â?
Pope Francis concluded the audience recalling that February 2 is a day dedicated to celebrating consecrated life. At 5:30 p.m., mass will be celebrated in Saint Peter's Basilica with hundreds of religious.
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