Pope Francis Opens Holy Door At Homeless Shelter in Rome

Aleteia Image Department is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Aleteia Image Department is licensed under CC BY 2.0
At latest Holy Door opening, Pope Francis said if one wants the presence of God, then one should look for the Supreme Being in humility and poverty.

A Rome homeless shelter became the venue where mass was celebrated by Pope Francis on December 18. He opened a Holy Door there for the Jubilee of Mercy. The pope said the birth of Jesus Christ shows that God can be found in poverty.

Pope Francis Opens Holy Door At Homeless Shelter in Rome[/tweetthis]

For Pope Francis, the opening of the Holy Door at the John Paul II Termini station in Rome was the fourth of such actions. He previously opened Holy Doors at Archbasilica of St. John Lateran and St. Peter's Basilica. Cardinal James Harvey opened the Holy Door located at Outside the Walls in St. Paul's. Cardinal Harvey is the Archpriest of Basilica.  St. Mary Major, the Papal Basilica fourth in line for the event, will witness the Pope opening its Holy Door on January 1, the day of Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God.

In an impromptu speech, Pope Francis stressed on the fact that Jesus was not a prince and he did not have a princess as his mother. Rather, he arrived in humility to a simple girl residing in the periphery of Roman Empire. The Pope pointed out that there is a lesson in this event on the question of finding God. He then elaborated and said that if one wants the presence of God, then one should look for the Supreme Being in humility and poverty. He implored the audience to seek God where he hides, in the sick, the most needy, the hungry and the imprisoned.

If you want to find God, “seek Him where He is hidden.” -@pontifex[/tweetthis]

Pope Francis continued in this vein and said that humility is the way, and not great wealth and luxury. Wanting power, he cautioned, is the not the way to find God. He added that on the day he opened the Holy Doors in Termini, we should pray for Rome city, and for all its inhabitants, starting with him. This is necessary, as only the Lord provides the grace of the feeling of rejection, as we do not possess any merit.

God only gives grace and mercy. To be nearer to to grace, it is important to approach the poor and the rejected, and those who need the most. Pope Francis also asked for a spiritual renewal during the Christmas season. He said that he wished for a Christmas where the Lord becomes present in the heart of every person, and it is hidden so that its presence cannot be realized.

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