There are many hidden saints: men, women, fathers and mothers of families, sick people, priests who every day put into practice the love of Jesus; and this gives us hope, Pope Francis said Friday morning during Mass at Casa Santa Marta.
It is not enough to say that you have faith. The true Christian puts the Word of God into practice.
Commenting on the parable of the house built on rock or on sand, taken from the day’s Gospel, Pope Francis said we should not be “Christians in appearance,” made-up Christians, because when the rain comes, the make-up runs off.
It is not enough to belong to a very Catholic family, or to an association, or to be a benefactor, if we do not follow God’s will.
“So many ‘apparent Christians,’ collapse at the first temptation,” he said, because “there is no substance there,” they have built on sand.
On the other hand, there are many saints among the People of God – “not necessarily canonised saints, but saints” – who “put the love of Jesus into practice.”
They build their houses on the rock, which is Christ.
“Let us consider the smallest… the sick who offer their sufferings for the Church, for others.
“Let us consider so many of the elderly who are alone, who pray and make offerings.
“Let us consider so many mothers and fathers of families, who, with so much effort, raise their families, educate their children, carry on their daily work, bear their problems, but always with hope in Jesus, who do not strut about, but do what they can.” These are “the saints of daily life,” the Pope said. Continue reading
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