Let us pray that broken families might discover the cure for their wounds through forgiveness, rediscovering each other’s gifts, even in their differences.
- the Pope asks us to pray “that broken families might discover the cure for their wounds.”
- He emphasizes that forgiveness always renews the family and allows family members to look ahead with hope.
- Even when a “happy ending” is not possible, forgiveness “brings peace, because it frees us from sadness and resentment.”
TEXT OF POPE’S MESSAGE
We all dream about a beautiful, perfect family. But there’s no such thing as a perfect family. Every family has its own problems, as well as its tremendous joys.
Every member of the family is important because each member is different than the others, each person is unique. But these differences can also cause conflict and painful wounds.
And the best medicine to heal the pain of a wounded family is forgiveness.
Forgiveness means giving another chance. God does this with us all the time. God’s patience is infinite. He forgives us, lifts us up, gives us a new start. Forgiveness always renews the family, making it look forward with hope.
Even when there’s no possibility of the “happy ending” we’d like, God’s grace gives us the strength to forgive, and it brings peace, because it frees us from sadness, and, above all, from resentment.
Let us pray that broken families might discover the cure for their wounds through forgiveness, rediscovering each other’s gifts, even in their differences.
Pope Francis – March 2025