The Apostolic
Visit of Pope Francis to the Philippines from January 15 – 19,
2015 will have for its theme “Mercy and Compassion”.
Pope
Francis will visit the Philippines primarily to comfort Filipinos
devastated by the typhoon and the earthquake that hit the
Visayas.
This visit calls
to mind what Jesus did as recounted in the Gospel. In Matthew 9:36, Jesus after “seeing
the people, felt compassion for them, because they were distressed
and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.”
And like the Good
Shepherd of Whom he is the Vicar here on earth, the Holy Father saw the
suffering of his flock. He felt compassion and comes to us bringing “the joy of
the gospel” to revive our “drooping spirit” and to lead us to greener pastures
(cf. Psalm 23).
The
message the Holy Father brings with him challenges us to imitate
Christ, the Good Shepherd, who is Mercy and Compassion.
In his Apostolic
Exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium, Pope Francis proclaims
that “the Church must be a place of mercy freely given, where everyone can
feel welcomed, loved, forgiven and encouraged to live the good life of the
Gospel” (Evangelii Gaudium 114). Thus,
the Holy Father’s visit is to bring Christ’s compassion for our suffering
people still struggling to rise from the devastations wrought by the earthquake
and the typhoon that hit the Visayas last year.
Catholic
Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines president and
Lingayen Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas, said the most
distinctive way to prepare spiritually for the coming of Pope Francis is for
the country to become “a people rich in mercy.”
“Our
compassionate shepherd comes to show his deep concern for our people who have
gone through devastating calamities, especially in the Visayas. He comes
to confirm us in our faith as we face the challenges of witnessing the Joy of
the Gospel in the midst of our trials. This is an eloquent way of showing mercy
and compassion,” Archbishop Villegas said.
Filipinos as
a preparation for the papal visit resolve to make an act of mercy everyday,
such as giving food to the hungry, helping build homes for the disaster
victims, visiting prisoners or patients in the charity ward of hospitals, drug
rehabilitation centers, homes for the elderly, and orphanages. It is
a time to re-learn and live the Spiritual and Corporal Acts of Mercy.
Further, the bishops encourage us to meet Christ, Mercy Himself, in the
Tribunal of Mercy, the Sacrament of Reconciliation. There, in the
person of the priest, He awaits us with open arms to show us His mercy, compassion
and love.
“Let
us make mercy our national identity. Trust in God’s mercy is part and parcel of
our traditional Filipino Christian culture. Let us make the practice of mercy
our gift to the pope when he comes to visit us,” the CBCP president said at
that time.
Source: papalvisit.ph
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