Pope at special Saturday audience: True love is service

As part of ongoing events and celebrations of the Year of Mercy, Pope Francis held a special General Audience on Saturday morning with pilgrims in St Peter's Square. Usually the Audiences are held just on Wednesday, but the additional special Saturday Audiences are being held once each month throughout the Jubilee Year.

During his reflection, Pope Francis focused on the topic of Mercy and Service, basing his reflections on the words of Jesus after He washed the feet of His disciples (John 3:12-14).

The official English-language summary of the Pope's message at the General Audience on Saturday, 12 March 2016 follows:

Dear Brothers and Sisters: As we draw near to Easter in this Holy Year of Divine Mercy, we reflect today on the Lord's gesture of washing the feet of His disciples. In this striking act of humility, Jesus tells them, and us, to do the same for one another. He gave us a clear example of His new commandment of love. As Saint John says, just as He laid down His life for us, so we ought to lay down our lives for one another (cf. 1 Jn 3:16). Jesus shows us that love is service - lowly, quiet and hidden - of our brothers and sisters, especially those in greatest need. By bending low to wash His disciples' feet, Jesus also invites us to acknowledge our failings, to pray for one another and to forgive each other from the heart. He shows us that to be "merciful like the Father" means to follow Jesus daily along the path of humble service.

Source: Vatican Radio