Vatican City, Oct 31, 2010 / 09:57 am
God "sees a soul to save" in everyone, the Pope said before praying the Angelus on Sunday. The Lord's mercy, he taught, takes nothing away from the gravity of sins, but always seeks to save the sinner.
Pilgrims enjoyed a break from a morning of rain in Rome as they joined the Pope for the Angelus.
Referring to the Gospel reading from Luke that recounts the story of the chief tax collector Zacchaeus, he reflected on his conversion after contact with Jesus.
Jesus' encounter with Zacchaeus is one of several episodes where St. Luke talks about the merciful love of God and of Christ, said the Pope. In this case, Jesus directs his attention to Zacchaeus, considered a "public sinner" for his position.