Things to believe in

Above you see the Pope blessing the world in a rainy, dark, and empty St Peter’s square.

He usually only does this on Easter and Christmas.

“For weeks now it has been evening,” said the Pope. “Thick darkness has gathered over our squares, our streets and our cities; it has taken over our lives, filling everything with a deafening silence and a distressing void, that stops everything as it passes by; we feel it in the air.”

In this situation, he said, we feel afraid and lost, like the disciples whose boat was in danger of sinking while Jesus slept at the stern.

In our stormy sea, we now cry out: “Wake up, Lord!”

Now is not the time of God’s judgment, but of our own: “a time to choose what matters and what passes away, a time to separate what is necessary from what is not.”

Pope Francis said faith begins “when we realize we are in need of salvation” and are not self-sufficient.

“In the midst of isolation when we are suffering from a lack of tenderness and chances to meet up, and we experience the loss of so many things,” he said, “let us once again listen to the proclamation that saves us: He is risen and is living by our side.”

So we embrace His cross in the hardships of the present time, and make room in our hearts “for the creativity that only the Spirit is capable of inspiring.”

“Embracing the Lord in order to embrace hope: that is the strength of faith, which frees us from fear and gives us hope.”

A special story from Switzerland:

And finally as we continue our 21 days, I’m busy listening to this song - ‘21 Days’ by Brian Fallon: