In his message for Lent 2021, Pope Francis calls on believers to “renew our faith, draw from the living waters of hope, and receive the love of God with open hearts.”
By Christopher Wells
Pope Francis focuses on the three theological virtues in his firm message for 2021, in which he invites believers to ‘renew our faith, draw from the living waters of hope and receive the love of God with open hearts’.
Based on his reflections on the Paschal Mystery, the pope says, “This fixed journey … is even now enlightened by the light of the resurrection, which inspires the thoughts, attitudes, and decisions of the followers of Jesus.”
He goes on to say that the journey of repentance, through fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, “enables us to lead lives of sincere faith, living hope, and effective love.”
Acceptance and testimony of the truth
The Holy Father explains that “accepting and living the truth revealed in Christ first opens our hearts to God’s word.” By fasting, “experienced as a form of self-denial,” we are able to “rediscover God’s gift and recognize that, in His image and likeness, we find our fulfillment in Him.” Fasting, by helping us recognize our own poverty, helps us to love God as well as our neighbor.
‘Fasting is a time to believe,’ says the pope, ‘to welcome God into our lives and allow Him to’ dwell ‘in us. ‘
The ‘living water’ that helps us on our journey
Pope Francis relates the virtue of hope to the ‘living water’ that Jesus promised the Samaritan woman at the well. It is not the physical water that the woman expects, but rather the Holy Spirit given by the Paschal Mystery.
Although hope may seem challenging in difficult and uncertain times, “fasting is the season of hope when we return to God.”
Hope, he says, “is given to us as inspiration and enlightenment” through “remembrance and silent prayer.” The experience of hope in fasting, he says, “means that we receive the hope of Christ, who gave his life on the Cross and was resurrected by God on the third day.”
Love, the highest expression of faith and hope
“Love is a leap of the heart,” says Pope Francis. “It brings us out of ourselves and creates bonds of sharing and community.”
The Holy Father emphasizes the need for ‘social love’ in building a ‘civilization of love’.
“Love is a gift that gives meaning to our lives,” he says. Love helps us to see all men and women as our brothers and sisters. Charity is multiplied when given with love, as we see not only in Scripture but also in our own lives when we give alms “with joy and simplicity.”
“Experiencing fasting with love,” says Pope Francis, “means caring for those who are suffering or feeling abandoned as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.” He invites us to ‘speak words of reassurance and help others to realize that God loves them as sons and daughters.’
A journey of repentance
After reminding us that ‘every moment in our lives is a time to believe, hope and love’, Pope Francis concludes by saying:
“The call to experience fasting as a journey of repentance, prayer and sharing of our good, helps us – as communities and as individuals – to revive the faith that comes from the living Christ, the hope inspired by the breath of the Holy Spirit and the love that flows from the merciful heart of the Father. ‘