(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis continued his catechesis on Christian hope at the Wednesday General Audience in the Paul VI Hall, reflecting on divine forgiveness as the “driving force of hope”.
Please find below the official English summary of the Pope’s catechesis:
In our continuing catechesis, we now consider God’s mercy as the driving force of Christian hope. When Jesus forgives the sinful woman, his action causes scandal, because it overturns the dominant attitude of the time. Instead of rejecting sinners, Jesus embraces them, those who are outcast, “untouchable”. With a compassion that literally causes him to tremble in his depths, he reveals the merciful heart of God. This astonishing attitude to those in desperate situations, even those who have made many mistakes in life, marks our Christian identity with the stamp of mercy, and gives a sure foundation to our hope. We who have experienced God’s forgiveness should avoid the danger of forgetting that this mercy was purchased at a great price: Christ’s death on the Cross. Our Lord died not because he healed the sick, but because he did what only God can do: forgive sins. This divine mercy both transforms us and renews our hope. Our Lord, who rejects no one, graciously bestows upon us the mission to proclaim his mercy to the world.
