His Holiness Pope Francis shone the spotlight on the second week of Advent urging believers to ask for the grace to prepare themselves with faith to celebrate Christmas. Speaking during the homily at Mass at the Casa Santa Marta, the Pontiff said “it’s not easy to keep the faith, to defend the faith”.
As reported by Vatican news, Reflecting on the Gospel reading of the day that tells the story of a paralyzed man healed by Jesus, the Pontiff said faith gives us courage and shows us the way to touch the heart of the Lord. The Pontiff noted how, in the parable, the Lord “saw the faith” of those who brought the man and set him in His presence. “It took courage,“ he said, to go up on the roof and lower him on the stretcher through the tiles. “Those people had faith: “They knew that if the sick man was put in front of Jesus, he would be healed”.
His Holiness Pope Francis wrapped up his reflection commenting on the episode narrated in the Gospel of John in which a boy who was blind is healed: “It will do us good today, and also tomorrow, during the week, to take chapter 9 of the Gospel of John and read this beautiful story of the boy who was blind from birth”. “From the bottom of our hearts” the Pontiff concluded “utter an act of faith and say: I believe Lord. Help me in my faith. Defend my faith from worldliness, from superstitions, from all that is not faith. Keep it from being reduced to theory, be it theological or moral…Faith in You, Lord”.
