Pope Francis offered a brief but weighty reflection at the end of the general audience of September 27, which was dedicated to a round-up of his trip to Marseille, France.
In greetings to Arabic-speaking pilgrims, he reflected on the struggles of life.
“In the midst of the difficulties in which the world lives today, the Word of God remains the only safe harbor,” the Pope said.
God’s word is our guide, and it is also, he continued, the source from which to draw “the necessary vigor to face, with hope, the challenges of life.”
Pope Francis has repeatedly encouraged the faithful to turn to the Word of God often throughout the day.
Just two minutes a day with the Gospels will change your life, he has assured. Why? “Because you will encounter Jesus. You are encountering the Word.”
He urges us to carry a pocket-sized Gospel or Bible with us, to have on hand when a moment arises during the day. He has even had these small Gospels handed out to the faithful in St. Peter’s Square. He says:
It is so good; it is a good thing to have a small book of the Gospel, a little one, and to carry it in our pocket or in our purse and read a little passage in whatever moment presents itself during the day. … Jesus is there and he speaks to us in the Gospel! Ponder this. … Let the Gospel be with us always, because it is the Word of Jesus in order for us to be able to listen to him.
What would happen if we consulted the Bible as often as we check our phones, the Pope wonders.
And today we celebrate...