During his Sunday Regina Coeli, Pope Francis gave a speech to the faithful assembled in St. Peter's Square. He observed that the day's Gospel Reading, which is drawn from Jesus' final words before his death, tells us how even then, Jesus showed the disciples the path, reminding us that He does so today as well. According to the Pope, Jesus still directs us as to ‘where to go’ and ‘how to get there’.
Heaven: Our True Home
Pope Francis first addresses the question of where to go, emphasizing that Jesus notices the disciples' anguish and makes accommodations for them so they might always be where He is. The Pope observed that Jesus makes use of the well-known concept of home, a place of connections and intimacy. Jesus tells his followers and each of us that there is a place for us in the Father's home, that we are welcome there, that we will always be embraced with warmth, and that he is in heaven making preparations for our arrival.
He went on to say that this Word is a source of comfort and hope since Jesus did not distance himself from us but rather prepared the road for us, looking ahead to our ultimate destination: the meeting with God the Father.
The Pope went on to say that even while we face the risk of neglecting the big questions today, we must not lose focus of the end objective. The crucial questions, like where are we going? Where should we walk? What is it that makes life worthwhile? In the absence of these inquiries, he argued that we just live in the here and now while Heaven is our true home.
Listen To Jesus; He is The Way
Pope Francis continued by saying that after deciding on a goal, we must then consider how to get there. The Pope observed that sometimes, particularly when facing significant issues and having a sense that evil is more powerful than good, we question our actions and our course of action.
To live in truth and experience an abundant life, Pope Francis advised people to listen to Jesus' response to this question because he is the path to take. Faith in Him is not a set of beliefs to be accepted; rather, it is a road to be traveled, a journey to be made, a journey beside Him. This is because He is the way.
Pope Francis concluded his catechesis by pleading with those in attendance not to let the present consume them, but rather to look up to Heaven, keep the end in mind, and believe that we are called to eternity and a meeting with God. The Pope finished by noting that the only way to keep our hope alive is to follow the Virgin Mary, who in turn followed Jesus to reach this endpoint.