Continuing a long-standing tradition, Pope Francis celebrated the Holy Mass for Ash Wednesday at the Basilica of Santa Sabina on the Aventine hill in Rome.

The Holy Father began his homily for the beginning of Lent with the words of the prophet Joel, from the first Reading: “Return to me with all your heart… Return to the Lord.” These words, the Pope said, apply to everyone, and exclude no one; “we all want to return to the merciful heart of the Father.”

Lent, the Pope said, is a path that “leads to the triumph of mercy over all that would crush us or reduce us to something unworthy of our dignity as God’s children.” The mark of ashes, received during the ceremony, reminds us of our origins, that we are dust – but, he said, it also reminds us that God breathed life into each of us…

As we head into the Lenten season, Pope Francis has invited us to reflect on our relationship to God and to money, as we can’t serve both masters at the same time. His words came on Tuesday during morning Mass in the Casa Santa Marta.

Speaking about the message of the Gospel readings in these days leading up to the beginning of Lent, Pope Francis recalled the story of the rich young man who wanted to follow the Lord, but whose wealth led him to follow money instead…

Pope Francis on Thursday received a group of Rabbis led by Rabbi Abraham Skorka – the Holy Father’s long-time friend from his native Argentina – on the occasion of their presentation to him of a new edition of the Torah.

Greeting of His Holiness Pope Francis
to a Delegation of Jewish Leaders
for the Presentation of a New Edition of the Torah
23 February 2017

Dear Friends,

I offer a warm welcome to all of you, who have come to present me with a new and precious edition of the Torah.  I thank Rabbi Abraham Skorka, brother and friend, for his kind words, and I am very grateful to all of you for this thoughtful gesture, which brings us together today around the Torah as the Lord’s gift, his revelation, his word…