Have you ever felt, walking through a big city, that feeling of anonymity in the middle of a crowd moving at high speed in all directions? And hasn’t the same thing happened to you in your immediate circle, that is, feeling a thousand kilometers away even though you are beside others? Pope Francis invites us to stop and meditate in this Jubilee Year of Hope:
“Closely related to hope: patience. We are accustomed to wanting everything immediately, in a world where haste has become a constant. There is no longer time to meet, and often even in families it becomes difficult to meet and talk calmly. Patience has been replaced by haste, causing serious harm to people. In fact, intolerance, nervousness and sometimes gratuitous violence take its place, causing dissatisfaction and closed-mindedness.
…in the age of the internet, where space and time are replaced by the “here and now”, patience is strange. If only we were still able to contemplate creation with wonder…the changing of the seasons with their fruits; to observe the life of animals and the cycles of their development; to have the humble eyes of St. Francis who…saw creation as one big family. Pope Francis.
Walking the steps of The Way of the Heart helps us to deepen this invitation to take the time to meet each other, to witness in daily life that the other is important. But this presupposes making time for an encounter with Jesus and experiencing oneself as infinitely loved and valued, beyond one’s own miseries.
“Our way of living in today’s society must be an alternative lifestyle that builds healthier relationships and a more just and fraternal world. If we believed a little more in the power of witness and the transforming power that our gestures have in the hearts of others, we would strive so that the world continues to believe that Jesus is still alive in our midst. No one is convinced that Christ is Good News for mankind by means of speeches, treatises or documents. When the people in the Gospel met the Master, they were attracted to Him, because He showed authentic and true interest in their lives. How should we proceed? By revealing with our gestures that the other person matters to us. This attitude is the fruit of prayer and personal encounter with Jesus, who makes us look at people through his eyes.
…it is possible to live in a more human way, and in a society where a “culture of encounter” is built. Our lifestyle must help to banish from society the growth of loneliness, isolation and pragmatism in relationships. The Way of the Heart, Step 8.
The beauty of life lies in those moments of connection, where time stands still and the heart speaks. Every encounter is an opportunity to rediscover ourselves; give yourself the time to enjoy it.
International Editorial Team
Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network