Pope on Holy Thursday: ‘The Lord never tires of forgiving’
By Lisa Zengarini
Continuing his custom of celebrating the Mass of the Lord’s Supper in a prison, Pope Francis visited the female section of the Rebibbia correctional facility in Rome on Holy Thursday afternoon.
He presided over Mass and the ritual of the washing of the feet for dozens of inmates, guards, chaplains and officials gathered in an outdoor area of the prison.
In his brief off-the-cuff homily, the Pope focused on two episodes of Jesus’ Last Supper on the eve of His Passion.
The path of service
During the meal, Jesus humbled Himself to wash the feet of the disciples.
By doing so, Pope Francis explained, “He makes us understand what He meant when He said: ‘I did not come to be served, but to serve’.”
That humble gesture, said the Pope, “teaches us the path of service.”
Jesus always forgives
Pope Francis then spoke about the betrayal of Judas, motivated by greed and selfishness. Judas’ story, the Pope said, shows us that the Lord always forgives our sins, and “He only asks that we ask for forgiveness.”
Indeed, he insisted, “Jesus never tires of forgiving: we are the ones who get tired of asking for forgiveness.”
Concluding Pope Francis, therefore, encouraged the faithful to ask the Lord for the grace not to tire of imploring His forgiveness, and to make us grow in the vocation to serve.
