23 Apr SENT TO WITNESS. AUDIENCE. Third probation
In our experience of the Third Probation, Rome is giving us great joys in terms of its places of history and hospitality, of the universal Institute’s life and of its closeness to the Church.
One of these joys took place last Wednesday, April 19, when we had the opportunity to participate in the Audience with Pope Francis, whom we saw from very close from the first moment when he came out with great enthusiasm, energy and joy, to the end with a face that already expressed tiredness.
At St. Peter’s Square, we sat close to the place where Pope Francis presided to the audience, we joined with many pilgrims of different languages, nationalities, missions… profess our faith, around the Vicar of Christ.
“Seeing the world revive one’s zeal” said Rafaela Maria when she arrived in this beautiful city (Rome), to found the first house of the Institute outside Spain. Seeing the world that was present in this audience leads us to feel with hope profoundly in our holy and sinful Church, and being called to ” turn our attention not to a single figure, but to the host of martyrs, men and women of every age, language and nation who have given their life for Christ, who have shed their blood to confess Christ… as the ripe and excellent fruit of the vineyard of the Lord, which is the Church. The martyrs show us that every Christian is called to the witness of life, even when this does not go as far as the shedding of blood, making a gift of themselves to God and to their brethren, in imitation of Jesus. (Francis’ words during the audience).
Feeling ourselves belong to the Church, part of the same body, we unite ourselves to the Pope’s invitation: ” that we may never tire of bearing witness to the Gospel, even in times of tribulation. May all the martyr saints be seeds of peace and reconciliation among peoples, for a more humane and fraternal world, as we await the full manifestation of the Kingdom of Heaven, when God will be all in all “.
Doris Santiago, aci
