Daily Thoughts - 10/29/2016

"Mercy is not indifferent to the pain of the oppressed, to the cry of those who suffer violence and slavery or are condemned to death. Suffering is a sad reality that afflicts every age, including our own, and often makes us feel helpless, tempting us to harden our hearts and think of other things. God, however, is not indifferent; He never turns away from human suffering. The God of mercy … intervenes to save, inspiring [people] capable of hearing the cry of suffering and of working in favour of the oppressed." (Pope Francis)

The Terrorism of Gossip

"Yes, there is an internal and underground terrorism that is a bad habit to root out. I describe the bad habit of murmurings and gossip as a form of terrorism. It is a form of deep violence that we all have available in our soul and it requires a profound conversion. The problem with this terrorism is that we can all implement it. Every person is capable of becoming a terrorist simply by using the tongue. I don't speak of the quarrels that are done openly, like wars. I speak about a sneaky terrorism that you do by throwing words like 'bombs' and that do a lot of evil. The root of this terrorism is original sin and it is a form of crime. It is a way to gain space for yourself by destroying the other. A deep conversion of the heart is necessary, then, to overcome this temptation, and we need to examine ourselves a lot on this point. The sword kills so many people, but the tongue kills more, the Apostle James says in the third chapter of his Letter. The tongue is a small member, but it can develop a fire of evil and burn all our life. The tongue can be filled with deadly poison. This terrorism is difficult to subdue." (Pope Francis)

Daily Thoughts - 10/28/2016

"Mercy is not indifferent to the pain of the oppressed, to the cry of those who suffer violence and slavery or are condemned to death. Suffering is a sad reality that afflicts every age, including our own, and often makes us feel helpless, tempting us to harden our hearts and think of other things. God, however, is not indifferent; He never turns away from human suffering. The God of mercy … intervenes to save, inspiring men capable of hearing the cry of suffering and of working in favour of the oppressed." (Pope Francis)

Daily Thoughts - 10/26/2016

"I like to dream of a Church who lives the compassion of Jesus. Compassion is to "suffer with," to fell what the others feel, to accompany them emotionally. It is Mother Church, who caresses her children with compassion like a mother." (Pope Francis)

Daily Thoughts - 10/24/2016

"Human beings, whenever they judge, look no further than the surface, whereas God looks into the very depths of the soul. How much harm words do when they are motivated by feelings of jealousy, hate and envy! To speak ill of othersputs them in a bad light, undermines their reputation, and leaves them prey to the whims of gossip and the trolling of social media. To refrain from judgment and condemnation, in a positive sense, to know how to accept the good in every person and to spare others any suffering that might be caused by our partial judgment and our presumption to know everything about them. But this is still not sufficient to express mercy. Jesus asks us also to forgive and to give. To be instruments of mercy because it was we who first received mercy from God. To be generous with others, knowing that God showers his goodness upon us with immense generosity." (Pope Francis)