Caravaggio - 'The conversion of St. Paul.' |
Today, the sea on which Paul and his companions were shipwrecked is, once again, a dangerous place for the lives of other sailors. All over the world migrant men and women face risky voyages to escape violence, to escape war, to escape poverty. Pope Francis said that many times, just as Paul and his companions did, those who are travelling experience indifference; the hostility of the desert, the rivers, the seas.
The theme chosen for this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is “hospitality”. “Being brothers and sisters in Christ means recognising each other as such," said the Pope. St Paul and his companions were given shelter by the Maltese people from the rain, food, and fire to keep warm.” The Pope continued, “Upon reaching land, they experienced something new: this ‘rare humanity’, after the violence of the ocean. As Christians, we must learn to work together to show migrants this love of God. “We must work together to practice hospitality, especially towards those whose lives are most vulnerable” as this will “will make us better human beings, better disciples, and a more united Christian people”.
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