Pope Francis, concluding his catechesis on the Acts of the Apostles tells pilgrims that even if the Church is persecuted and chained, it never tires of welcoming with a motherly heart.
By Vatican News
Joining pilgrims in the Paul VI hall on Wednesday, Pope Francis concluded his catechesis on the Acts of the Apostles with the last missionary stage of Saint Paul; his journey to Rome.
The Pope told those gathered for the weekly General Audience that “Paul’s journey, which was one with that of the Gospel, is proof that man’s journeys, if lived in faith, can become a space of transit for God’s salvation,… capable of transforming situations and opening up new paths.”
The power of God’s word can never be chained
The Pontiff noted that “Luke ends the Book of Acts not with Paul’s martyrdom but by describing his tireless proclamation of the Gospel, showing the power of God’s word which can never be chained.”
He went on to say that “Paul’s missionary journeys, culminating in this City, reveal the power of God’s grace to open hearts to the Gospel and its saving message.”
During his catechesis, Pope Francis recalled that “in Rome, Paul first of all meets his brothers and sisters in Christ, who welcome him and give him courage and whose warm hospitality makes one think of how much his arrival was awaited and desired.”
Despite his condition as a prisoner, said the Pope, “Paul could meet with notable Jews to explain why he was forced to appeal to Caesar and to speak to them about the kingdom of God. He tries to convince them about Jesus, starting from the Scriptures and showing the continuity between the newness of Christ and the ‘hope of Israel’.”
