He tells us not to let our hearts feel anxious. But what if they do anyway?
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Pope Francis spelled out two remedies that Jesus gives for when we feel anxiety and worry despite his invitation: “Do not let your hearts be troubled.”
He says [this] to us too, in the troubles of life. But how can we make sure that our hearts are not troubled? Because the heart is troubled.
The first remedy that Jesus offers is “believe in me.” Francis said that although this might seem theoretical and abstract, Our Lord actually has a precise message:
“He knows that, in life, the worst anxiety and anguish, is born of the sensation of not being able to cope, of feeling alone and without points of reference when faced with events,” he said. This feeling of being alone, facing difficulty after difficulty, has to be answered with trust.
Entrusting oneself to Jesus, to take the ‘leap.’ And this is liberation from being troubled. And Jesus rose and lives precisely to be always by our side. So we can say to Him, ‘Jesus, I believe that You rose again and are next to me. I believe that You listen to me. I will bring you what upsets me, my troubles; I have faith in You and I entrust myself to You.’
Just passing through
The second remedy deals with Jesus’ promise for our future: “My Father’s house has many rooms… I am going there to prepare a place for you.”
Francis urged us to keep in mind that there is a place reserved for us in heaven. “He took our humanity upon Himself to take it beyond death, to a new place, to Heaven, so that where He is, we might also be there. It is the certainty that consoles us: there is a place reserved for everyone.”
Every one of us can say: there is a place for me. We do not live aimlessly and without a destination. We are awaited, we are precious. God is in love with us, we are His children. And for us He has prepared the most worthy and beautiful place: Paradise.
Let us not forget: the dwelling place that awaits us is Paradise. Here we are passing through. We are made for Heaven, for eternal life, to live forever. Forever: it is something we cannot even imagine now. But it is even more beautiful to think that this forever will be entirely in joy, in full communion with God and with others, without any more tears, without resentment, without divisions and troubles.
In order to reach this place of eternal joy, Pope Francis said, we recall that Jesus defines himself as “the way.”
“The way to go up to Heaven, the way is Jesus: to have a living relationship with Him, to imitate Him in love, to follow in His footsteps,” he said. “And I, a Christian, you, a Christian, every one of us Christians, can ask ourselves: ‘Which way do I follow?'”
Worldliness and selfishness are not the way of Jesus, which is “the way of humble love, of prayer, of meekness, of trust, of service to others.”
It is to go on every day, asking Him: “Jesus, what do You think of the choice I made? What would You do in this situation, with these people?” It is good for us to ask Jesus, who is the Way, for the directions to get to Heaven. May Our Lady, Queen of Heaven, help us to follow Jesus, Who opened Heaven for us.
Read more:
“Follow your heart” — but does it know where it’s going?
