IN HIS MESSAGE for Lent, Pope Francis calls for reconciliation with God, which bears some significance for Hong Kong as the city has been troubled and unnerved by the Covid-18 coronavirus outbreak.
The theme of the Holy Father’s message: “We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20), contains many exhortations to deepen our relationship with the Lord. The pope points out that when we do not reconcile with our neighbours first, it is hard to reconcile with God. In Hong Kong, people have become alienated from one another due to the outbreak. This should move people to understand that repentance and conversion is not merely personal, but also on takes on a community dimension.
The pope reminds us of the pressing need for repentance especially during Lent. He says the experience of mercy is only possible when we have a deep relationship with the crucified and risen Lord and that people need to respond through prayer.
Apart from personal conversion, Pope Francis points out that Christians must share their wealth with others and provide relief to the poor. This is also a response to such situations such as natural disasters and the unequal distribution of goods.
The pope reminds all of us that despite difficulties, the Pascal Mystery is the foundation of repentance. He encourages us to keep our eyes “fixed on the outstretched arms of Christ crucified” and to receive his mercy through confession. Of course, given the present constraints pertaining to keep Covid-19 from spreading, when receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation we should pay attention to the issue of hygiene and the related pastoral guidelines
In fact, Pope Francis has continually reiterated that we should share what we possess with the poor and to cleave to our faith when society is in turmoil.
March 11 will be the 7th anniversary of Pope Francis’ election to the papacy. His recent post-synodal apostolic exhortation, Querida Amazonia, summarised his pastoral concerns.
Following his appeal to Christians to integrate their concern about ecology and the poor in Laudato Si’, his encyclical addressing the environment, the pope further promotes this view in the post-synodal document. Querida Amazonia connects the crises faced in the Amazon its aboriginal peoples to international circumstances. It appeals to all of us to undergo ecological conversion, stand by the oppressed and identify injustices, which have brought about these predicaments.
Amid this Covid-19 outbreak, ecological conversion is an issue that every one of us needs to consider in order to learn to co-exist with nature. We should not over -exploit natural resources so as to avoid disasters and calamities.
As a faith community, let us, in this season of Lent, strengthen our concern for each other, reconcile ourselves with the Earth and God so that the wilderness in our lives can be transformed into a living oasis. SE
