"...to put Jesus at the center..." - Pope Francis

[MariaChristi]

…“to be able to put Jesus at the center we must make sure that we know Him and that we are able to recognize Him.

“In His time many did not recognize him: the doctors of the law, the chief priests, the scribes, the Sadducees and the Pharisees. Indeed, they persecuted Him and they killed Him. We too must ask ourselves: ‘Am I interested in getting to know Jesus? Or am I perhaps more interested in watching soap operas, in gossiping, in pursuing an ambition or talking about the lives of others?’” he said.

To get to know Jesus, the Pope explained, there is prayer, there is the Holy Spirit, “there is also the Gospel, which we should carry with us and read a passage every day. It’s the only way to get to know Jesus. And then the Holy Spirit does the work afterwards. He who makes the seed sprout and grow is the Holy Spirit”.

The second task, Francis continued, is to worship Jesus: “not just asking things of Him and thanking Him”, but praying silently in adoration, and removing from our hearts other things we adore and that capture our interest. “All the rest, he said, is of use only if I am capable of worshiping God alone”…

Full text of the Pope’s Homily is HERE

Today is the Memorial of the Baptism of Jesus. In today’s Gospel, after Jesus came up from the waters of the Jordan, having been baptized by St. John the Baptist, the heavens opened, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him, and we hear the words of the Father saying: “This is My Beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased”. By God’s Grace, let us seek to know Jesus better by putting Him at the center of our lives each day. As the Pope encourages, let us pray to the Holy Spirit, read the Gospel each day and truly adore Him in our hearts.

 

[Katherine438]

Great words of advice from Pope Francis.

 

[MariaChristi]

Great words of advice from Pope Francis.

Dear Katherine,

Thanks for your reply. Yes, and this is not the first time the Pope has encouraged us to carry a copy of the Gospels. I keep a small coly of the New Testament in my purse to read whenever I can. I like to begin my day on the computer by reading the Daily Mass Readings from the USCCB website.

The Pope is so right in encouraging us all to pray to the Holy Spirit:

…To get to know Jesus, the Pope explained, there is prayer, there is the Holy Spirit, “there is also the Gospel, which we should carry with us and read a passage every day. It’s the only way to get to know Jesus. And then the Holy Spirit does the work afterwards. He who makes the seed sprout and grow is the Holy Spirit”…

If anyone reading this thread is not in the habit of prayerfully reading the scripture each day, Praying especially for the Holy Sprit’s guidance, I hope you will begin to do so, in this new year - the beautiful 100th Anniversary of the Fatima Apparitions of Mary to the three little shepherd children.