Seeing and growing closer to God require purifying one’s heart from the sins and prejudices that distort reality and blind people to God’s active and real presence, Pope Francis said.
This means renouncing evil and opening one’s heart to letting the Holy Spirit be one’s guide, the pope said on 1st April during a live broadcast of his weekly general audience from the library of the Apostolic Palace.
The pope greeted people who were watching the broadcast, particularly those who had made arrangements long ago to attend the audience with their particular parish or group.
Among those who had been planning to attend was a group of young people from the Archdiocese of Milan, who instead were watching on social media.
The pope told them he could “almost sense your joyful and raucous presence” nonetheless, thanks to the “many written messages you have sent me; you have sent so many and they are beautiful,” he said, holding in his hand a large number of printed pages.
“Thank you for this union with us,” he said, reminding them to always live their faith “with enthusiasm and not lose hope in Jesus, a faithful friend who fills our life with happiness, even in difficult times.”
Picture: Pope Francis speaks during his general audience as it is livestreamed from the library of the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican on 1st April 2020. (CNS photo/Vatican Media).
