Confession is the sacrament of the tenderness of God, his way of embracing us.

Mary’s life shows that God accomplishes great deeds through those who are the most humble.

As Christians, we have an additional reason to love and serve the poor; for in them we see the face and the flesh of Christ, who made himself poor so to enrich us with his poverty.

Without a solution to the problems of the poor, we will not solve the problems of the world. We need projects, mechanisms and processes to implement better distribution of resources, from the creation of new jobs to the integral promotion of those who are excluded'.

Lent is a fitting time for self-denial; we would do well to ask ourselves what we can give up in order to help and enrich others by our own poverty. Let us not forget that real poverty hurts: no self-denial is real without this dimension of penance. I distrust a charity that costs nothing and does not hurt.

May each family rediscover family prayer, which helps to bring about mutual understanding and forgiveness.

Jesus did not say: 'One of you go', but 'All of you go': we are sent together.