Pope greeting invited guests at the Jubilee for Excluded Persons. Copyright L’Osservatore Romano
“Mercy also means accepting others without excluding or classifying them on the basis of their social background, language, race, culture, or religion. We must see them as persons to be loved just as God loves them.”
Pope Francis on Instagram, November 12, 2016
“Dear brothers and sisters, today is your Jubilee. Your presence here helps us to be attuned to God’s wavelength, to see what he sees. He sees not only appearances (cf. 1 Sam 16:7), but turns his gaze to the “humble and contrite in spirit” (Is 66:2), to the many poor Lazaruses of our day. What harm we do to ourselves when we fail to notice Lazarus, excluded and cast out (cf. Lk 16:19-21)! It is turning away from God himself.”
Pope Francis – Homily at the Mass for Excluded Persons (Sunday, November 13, 2016)
Prayer for the Poor – by Saint Mother Theresa
Make us worthy, Lord, to serve those people throughout the world who live and die in poverty and hunger. Give them through our hands, this day, their daily bread, and by our understanding love, give them peace and Joy. Amen
LINKS
Pope: ‘the only values that endure are God and neighbour’ – with complete Homily at the Mass for Excluded Persons (Vatican Radio)
Pope Francis praying with the poor and homeless guests at the Jubilee for Excluded Persons.