Vatican City, Feb 15, 2019 / 10:05 am
Pope Francis said Friday that people need to overcome their fear of migrants and refugees, and look for the face of Christ in each immigrant arriving in their countries.
"The Lord speaks to us today and asks us to let Him free us from our fears," Pope Francis said in a homily Feb. 15 at the Fraterna Domus di Sacrofano, a Catholic retreat center north of Rome.
In fear, we tend to become closed off, Pope Francis explained. "This withdrawal into ourselves, a sign of defeat, increases our fear of 'others,' the unknown, the marginalized, the strangers."
"It is not easy to enter the culture of others, put yourself in the shoes of people so different from us, understand their thoughts and experiences. And so often we give up the meeting with the other and raise barriers to defend ourselves," he continued.