Pope Francis created 13 new Cardinals during an Ordinary Public Consistory in St Peter’s Basilica on Saturday afternoon.
In his homily reflects on the importance of being aware of God’s compassion.
In fact “Compassion” was the keyword in Pope Francis’ homily during the Ordinary Public Consistory, celebrated in the Vatican before members of the College of Cardinals, and delegations from five continents.
“Compassion is a keyword in the Gospel”, he said. “It is forever written in the heart of God”.
God’s love for His people is “drenched with compassion”, said Pope Francis, while, “sad to say, it appears that what is human is so often lacking in compassion”. Jesus’ disciples often lack compassion, explained the Pope. When faced with the problem of having to feed the crowds, they tell them to worry about it themselves. “This is a common attitude among us human beings”, the Pope continued. “There are always justifications; at times they are even codified and give rise to ‘institutional disregard’… which generates structures lacking compassion”.
Pope Francis then addressed members of the College of Cardinals, and those about to become Cardinals, asking if they are conscious “of having been the object of God’s compassion… of always having been preceded and accompanied by His mercy”.
“Do we have a lively awareness of this compassion that God feels for us?”, he asked. “Unless I feel that I am the object of God’s compassion, I cannot understand His love”, stated the Pope. “If I don’t feel it, how can I share it, bear witness to it, bestow it on others?”
The ability to be loyal in our own ministry depends on this awareness, continued Pope Francis. “The readiness of a Cardinal to shed his own blood, as signified by the scarlet colour of your robes, is secure if it is rooted in this awareness of having been shown compassion and in the ability to show compassion in turn. Otherwise, one cannot be loyal”, he said.
“Many disloyal actions on the part of ecclesiastics are born of the lack of a sense of having been shown compassion”, added the Pope, “and by the habit of averting one’s gaze, the habit of indifference”.
Via Vatican News
