Pope at Regina Coeli: The Good Shepherd is attentive to each of us

12 May 2019

Pope Francis during the Regina Coeli on Sunday called to mind Jesus presenting himself as the true Shepherd of God's people. He also wished all Mothers a Happy Mother's Day and recalled that it was the World Day of Prayer for Vocations

During the Regina Coeli following Mass on Sunday, Pope Francis focused his attention on the Gospel of the day which recounts the story of Jesus presenting himself as the true Shepherd of God's people. This Gospel, he said, “invites us to live our relationship with Christ with full confidence and familiarity.”

The actions of Jesus

In his address to the faithful in St Peter’s Square, the Pope recalled the Lord’s words, “My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life and they will not be lost". The Pontiff explained, that by reading this sentence carefully, “we see that the work of Jesus is expressed in a number of actions: He speaks, knows, gives eternal life, guards.”

The Good Shepherd - Jesus - said Pope Francis, “ is attentive to each one of us, he seeks and loves us, addressing to us his word, knowing the depths of our hearts, our desires and our hopes, as well as our failures and our disappointments."

The Pope went on to say that the verbs and gestures that describe the way in which Jesus, the Good Shepherd, communicates with us are matched by the verbs that concern the sheep: "they listen to my voice", "they follow me".

They are actions, he said, “that show how we must correspond to the tender and caring attitudes of the Lord.”

Following the recitation of the Regina Coeli, Pope Francis recalled that it was the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, which this year has as its theme: "The courage to take risks for the promise of God". He also spoke of his joy in ordaining new priests on Sunday in St Peter’s Basilica and invited two of those newly ordained to greet and bless the faithful in the square alongside him.

Mother's Day

To all Mother's the Pope sent warm greetings on this “Mother’s Day, thanking them for their precious work in raising children and protecting family values. We also remember, the Pope said, “the mothers who look down on us from heaven and continue to watch over us with their prayers.”

(Source: Vatican News - Excerpts from Pope Francis Message during Regina Coeli on Sunday 12th May 2019)