Pope Francis: to Sonnenschein, “each of us is beautiful in God’s eyes”

“I am happy to see your faces, and I read it in your eyes that you, too, are happy to be here with me for a while”, said Pope Francis as he greeted the young guests of the Sonnenschein centre for autism in Austria, whom he received in audience today. “Your house is called Sonnenschein, that is, sunshine”, Pope Francis continued: “I can imagine the reason behind this name. It is because your house is like a magnificent blooming meadow in the sunshine, and you are the flowers of this House! God created the world with a great variety of flowers of all colours. Every flower has its beauty, which is unique. And each of us is also beautiful in the eyes of God, and He loves us. This makes us feel the need to say to God: thanks! Thank you for the gift of life, for all creatures! Thank you for mum and dad! Thank you for our families! And thank you also for our friends from the Sonnenschein centre!”. “Thanking God is a beautiful prayer”, Pope Francis explained: “God likes this way of praying. Then you can also add a little question. For example: Good Jesus, could you help mum and dad with their work? Could you comfort grandma who is sick? Could you help children around the world who have nothing to eat? Or: Jesus, could you help the Pope to lead the Church well? If you ask with faith, the Lord will certainly hear you”. Finally, the Holy Father expressed his “gratitude to your parents, to carers, to Madam Minister-President and to all those present”: “Thank you for this beautiful initiative and for your commitment to the little ones entrusted to you. Whatever you have done to one of these little ones, you have done it to Jesus! I remember you in my prayers. May Jesus bless you always, and may Our Lady protect you”. “This is no easy job”, he added off the cuff in German: “Pray for me”.
Valentina Bombelli