In his speech addressed to the delegation from the major seminary of Saint Pelagius of Cordoba, who came on pilgrimage to Rome in this jubilee year, Pope Francis urged the seminarians to “advance as a community” on the path of Jesus, “by guiding, by defending, assisting and blessing those whom the Lord has entrusted to us.”
Myriam Sandouno – Vatican City
Trainers and seminarians from the major seminary of Saint Pelagius, located in the Andalusian city of Cordoba in Spain, were welcomed this Friday, January 17 by Pope Francis, in the Clementine Room of the Apostolic Palace. Emphasizing hope in his intervention, the Holy Father indicated that on the path of life, one can “identify hope, like the signs that show us the way».
First of all, “the first sign is the direction towards heaven, towards the ultimate encounter with Jesus”. Et «not towards the first places, towards the most comfortable places», added François: “these are dead ends“, not to borrow, to avoid “walk backwards with fatigue and shame».
Perseverance on the path of the Lord
Then the second sign, “these are the dangers of the path“, remarked the Bishop of Rome to his pilgrim hosts of hope, who come from a beautiful place bearing the name of Saint Pelagius, and which occupies the ancient site of the field of martyrs. And “as this holy child did then, in the midst of the pain of a war, of the cruelty most unworthy of human beings“, continued François, “armed with the helmet of hope, we can bear witness, persevere on the path of the Lord, convinced that Jesus will always support you and also give you the strength to be sowers of hope».
“However, never think that sowing hope is about saying kind words or opting for saccharine kindness.”
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Hope in Jesus
Finally, the third sign is that of “catering areas» spiritual. Through this pilgrimage carried out by these seminarians and supervisors in Rome, which leads them to cross the Holy Door or to visit the tombs of the apostles, Pope Francis observes that there is this need for “feel the presence of the One who is our only hope, Jesus».
The Christ «presents himself to us as Master, as Lord, he gives himself to us as nourishment in his Word and in the Eucharist, he shelters us when we are in the middle of the road, he welcomes us when fatigue overcomes us and he need to stop for a break“. Then specify: “without this hope, setting out would be madness, but by trusting in Him, we have no doubt of arriving at the desired port“. The path of Jesus leads to the heavenly Jerusalem through the earthly Jerusalem, embraced by the cross and supported by a myriad of Cyreneans, explained the Holy Father. It is “a path on which we cannot advance alone, but in community, guiding, defending, assisting and blessing those whom the Lord has entrusted to us», concluded the Pope.
