Pope Francis’s homily for the second Sunday of Easter: ’Having received mercy, let us now become merciful.‘

Pope Francis reflects on the connection between prayer and the communion of saints in his weekly Wednesday audience.

Read Pope Francis’ homily at the Chrism Mass: “The Lord always gives us what we ask for, but he does so in his divine way. That way involves the cross.”

When we go to Mass, we do not go only to pray, no: we go to renew, to bring about again, this mystery, the Paschal mystery.

In his first general audience since returning from Iraq, Pope Francis said: “ I saw around me the joy of welcoming Christ’s messenger; I saw the hope of being open to a horizon of peace and fraternity.”

On the final day of his historic trip to Iraq, Pope Francis said, “To cleanse our hearts, we need to dirty our hands, to feel accountable and not to simply look on as our brothers and sisters are suffering.”

Pope Francis' prayer at the interreligious meeting at Ur, Iraq on Saturday, March 6.

Pope Francis' remarks from his general audience on Wednesday, March 3.

Lent is a humble descent both inwards and towards others. It is about realizing that salvation is not an ascent to glory, but a descent in love.

God’s forgiveness, offered also through our words and actions, enables us to experience an Easter of fraternity.