“KeepLent” was created for Lent this year; the First message of Pope Francisco
The Canção Nova newsroom, with Vatican Radio
The Pope Francisco validates the idea of young people of Pompeii, in Italy, to send a message (full text below) the initiative “KeepLent” which will proclaim the Gospel in social networks during the Lenten period.
Messages are disseminated through the app Telegram. Every morning, the subscribers will receive a text with an excerpt from the Gospel of the day and a voice message-in Italian-, of about of 1 minute and a half.
The first will be the Pope Francis’ meditation . As a result, it will be up to priests, catechists and teachers of Italian Catholic Action, religious education teachers, responsible for movements and associations and members of the Youth Ministry.
Every Sunday, the commentary of the Gospel will be done by Bishop Tommaso Caputo, Archbishop of Pompeii, with the illustrations of Father Giovanni Berti. Messages can also be accessed on the social networks of Pastoral Giovenili de Pompei [Youth Pastoral of Pompeii].
The Pope’s message
Dear young people,
Jesus said to his disciples, “be vigilant in not practicing your righteousness before men to be seen by them”. “When you give alms, do not announce it” … “The father who is in heaven and seeing the secrets will reward you.”
“The word of God gives us the proper guidance to live Lent. When we do something good, sometimes we are tempted to receive appreciation and get a reward: human glory.
But this is a false reward because we it pushes us toward what others think of us. Jesus asks us to do good because it is good. He asks us to be always under the gaze of the Father who is in heaven and live in relationship with him, not in relation to the judgment of others.
Living in the presence of the father is a much deeper joy of a worldly glory. Our behavior in this Lent is, therefore, that to live in secret where the Father sees us, loves us and waits for us.
Certainly, the external things are important, but we should always choose and live in the presence of God.
Let’s do it in prayer, Mortification and in fraternal charity what we humbly before God. So we will be worthy of the reward of God Father.
Great Lent, our Lady of Pompeii keep them and, please, pray for me. “