This sermon by the Holy Father resonates particularly for us here at St Canice’s with the opportunity for us to be more involved with the vulnerable here in our parish.

The Pope reflects on the life of St. Thomas, whose feast day is celebrated on Wednesday. He explains that the apostle was full of doubts, before seeing Jesus Resurrected and directly touching His wounds.

To encounter God, the Pope says, it’s necessary, to kiss the wounds of Jesus through those who are hungry, poor, sick and incarcerated.

POPE FRANCIS
“We find Jesus’ wounds in carrying out works of mercy, by helping the body – the body – the soul too, but – I stress – the body of your wounded brother, because he is hungry, because he is thirsty, because he is naked, because he is humiliated, because he is enslaved, because he is in jail, because he is in hospital. Those are the wounds of Jesus nowadays. And Jesus asks us to take a leap of faith towards Him, but through these wounds. Some say: ‘Oh, great! Let’s set up a foundation to help everyone and do so many good things to help ‘. That’s important, but if we remain on this level, we will only be philanthropic. We need to touch the wounds of Jesus, we must caress the wounds of Jesus, we need to heal the wounds of Jesus with tenderness, we have to kiss the wounds of Jesus, and do so literally. Just think of what happened to St. Francis, when he embraced the leper! The same thing that happened to Thomas: his life changed.”

The Mass was concelebrated by Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, who announced Pope Francis’ election to the world back in March.