What a beautiful joy it is to be able to greet each other again this evening, ideally shake hands, look into each other's eyes and convey a look of sympathy and, ideally, walk a bit of a journey together, converse, pray, meditate, contemplate.
Ours is a meeting of prayer, of reflection, a conversation between friends as Pope Francis said a few days ago about the Samaritan woman, leaving the jug at the well, freeing oneself from worries and running to announce the joy of having found in Jesus the fixed point of our life.
I would like to remember what a rabbi said about charity: «If you want to lift a man from the mud and slime, don't think you can stay on top, contenting yourself with extending your hand to him. You too must descend into its slime and mud and grab it with strong hands and bring it back to you in the light." Jesus came down from the splendor of heaven and lowered himself to us.
There is a verse from the book of Sirach that often comes back to my ears because it shows me a fixed point to refer to in my mission: "I will remember the works of the Lord and I will describe what I have seen". On the occasion of Easter, a memory imprinted in my soul resurfaces and which supports the journey of my faith. Inside the tomb of Jerusalem my eyes imprinted an extraordinary attitude of faith. I must start by saying that among the great gifts that God has granted me there is a series of experiences that have made me discover the "holy land" like a bible written with light on that blessed land.
Saint Joseph is our teacher not so much for the words he did not pronounce, but for the listening he knows how to give to our words and our requests.
His silence, we have said many times, is not mutism, but it is a silence illuminated by radiations with many facets that reflect luminous colours, almost indications of paths to follow in order to walk on the right path of holiness, fullness of evangelical beatitude.
The journey of the Exodus of the Jewish people from the slavery of Egypt to the promised land was also completed by the Holy Family.
At the beginning of this appointment, a cordial greeting to everyone: to the listeners, to those who listen to us at home or on the street returning from work, to those who are preparing dinner, but, in particular, to those who are afflicted by the many adversity, adversities that start from poor health, from the internal discomforts of depression, from economic problems, from unemployment and also from a dark horizon that generates intolerance towards life itself.
So a particularly cordial greeting to those who are angry with existence itself, to those who have not yet found a strong and valid reason to live. An ideal hug to those who feel useless, alone, to those without friends.