Pope Audience: Exercise patience with others
(Vatican Radio) During his last General Audience before the close of the Jubilee of Mercy, Pope Francis drew inspiration from the spiritual work of mercy, to bear wrongs patiently, telling the faithful in St Peter’s Square during his catechesis that exercising patience was a virtue.
Listen to Lydia O’Kane’s report:
He said that, “in showing patience to those who wrong us and, by extension, to those we find irritating, we imitate God’s own patience with us sinners.”
The Pope added, “it also happens at times that annoying people are the ones closest to us…” Among relatives there is “always someone”, he said. “There are also people who irritate us in the workplace and even in our spare time.”
Pope Francis went on to say that in the Bible there are many examples of God’s patience and recalled the patience Jesus had during the three years of his public life.
Exercising patience with others, the Pope said, “challenges us to reflect on our own conduct and failings. He also noted, the patience shown by the many parents, catechists and teachers who, he said, “quietly help young people to grow in faith and knowledge of the important things in life.”
At the end of the Audience the Holy Father appealed to the international community to ensure the rights of children are protected.
He made the call ahead of Universal Children’s Day which is observed on November 20th
The Pope appealed to the conscience of all, institutions and families, to ensure that children are always protected and their welfare is secure, so that they never fall into “forms of slavery, recruitment into armed groups and mistreatment.”
The Holy Father expressed the hope that the international community would be vigilant about their lives, to ensure that every child has the right to school education, so that their growth is serene and they can look confidently to the future.
Pope Francis also remembered the victims of the recent earthquake in Central Italy, saying, “we pray for them and the families and continue to offer our solidarity to those who have sustained damage.”