Francis

One cannot give a usual response to an exceptional situation; a new, different reaction is required. To do this requires a heart that can 'see' the wounds of society and creative hands in industrious charity. Heart that sees and hands that do. These two elements are important so that a charitable action can always be fruitful.

(Address to Members of the Circle of Saint Peter, 25 September 2020)

One must know how to look at human wounds with the heart in order to ‘take to heart’ the life of others. In this way, we no longer see just a stranger in need of help but, first and foremost, a brother, a brother begging for love. And only when we take someone to heart can we respond to this expectation. It is the experience of mercy: miseri-cor-dare, to give one’s heart to the suffering

(Address to Members the Circle of Saint Peter, 25 September 2020)

It is not the time of your judgement, but of our judgement: a time to choose what matters and what passes away, a time to separate what is necessary from what is not. It is a time to get our lives back on track with regard to you, Lord, and to others.

(Extraordinary moment of prayer, 27 March 2020)