When faced with confusion or fear, reading even one passage from the Gospels can remind a person that Jesus is near, Pope Francis told a group of women who have cut ties with organized crime.
Having a Bible or the New Testament is so important, he told the group, “tell me how many of you there are and I will make sure a Gospel arrives for each of you.”
Father Luigi Ciotti, a renowned Italian priest and president of Libera, an association that coordinates the work of anti-Mafia groups, accompanied the women to an audience with Pope Francis Oct. 30.
“You, dear ladies, were born and grew up in contexts polluted by mafia criminality, and you decided to get out,” the pope told them. “I bless this choice of yours and encourage you to keep going.”
Vatican Media provided photos of the encounter but did not show the faces of any of the women.
Pope Francis told them he imagined they have “moments of fear, of feeling lost,” but he said that is normal.
“In those moments, think of our Lord Jesus who walks by your side,” the pope said. “You are not alone. Continue to fight.”
Recommending they always have a small copy of the Gospels with them, Pope Francis encouraged them to “read a passage, calmly, and imagine yourself with him, with the Lord in the midst of the disciples” because, “in reality, that’s how it is. He walks with us every day on the road of life.”
“His cross gives meaning to our crosses,” the pope said, “and his resurrection is a source of hope.”
In addition to promising to get copies of the Bible for each of them, the pope also promised to pray for them and, especially, for their children.
