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3/19/2014
only one who justifies us is Jesus Christ. For this reason, he said, we must approach the Lord: In order not to be Christians in disguise, so that when the appearance passes, one can see the reality that they are not Christians. What, then, is the yardstick to ensure that we are not hypocrites and that we are able to draw closer to the Lord? The answer, the Pope said is that given us by the Lord in the First Reading: Wash yourselves clean! Purify yourself! Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes; cease doing evil; learn to do good. This is the invitation. But, Pope Francis asked, what is the sign that we are going along on a good path? Redress the wronged, hear the orphans plea, defend the widow. Take care of the neighbour: the sick, the poor, the needy, the ignorant. This is the yardstick. The hypocrites do not know how to do this, they cant, because they are so full of themselves that they are blind on account of watching others. When one walks a little bit and comes closer to the Lord, the light of the Lord makes him see these things and he goes to help the brothers. This is the sign, this is the sign of conversion. Of course, he said, this is not the whole of conversion; that, in fact, is the encounter with Jesus Christ. The sign that we are with Jesus Christ is this: caring for the brothers and sisters, the poorest, the sick, as the Lord teaches us, as we read in chapter 25 of the Gospel of St Matthew: Lent is to adjust life, to fix life, to change life, to draw closer to the Lord. The sign that we are far from the Lord is hypocrisy. The hypocrite does not need the Lord, he is saved by himself so he thinks and he disguises himself as a saint. The sign that we are drawing closer to the Lord with repentance, asking for forgiveness, is that we care for the needy brethren. May the Lord give us all light and courage: light to know whats happening within us, and courage to convert, to draw closer to the Lord. It is beautiful to be close to the Lord.
http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-lent-a-time-to-adjust-your-life
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http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-lent-a-time-to-adjust-your-life
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