Bari, Italy, Feb 23, 2020 / 09:00 am
Ask God for the grace to love your enemies, Pope Francis said Sunday in a homily in the Italian city of Bari.
"Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. This is the Christian innovation. It is the Christian difference," Pope Francis said Feb. 23.
"Ask God for the strength to love. Say to Him: 'Lord, help me to love, teach me to forgive. I cannot do it alone, I need you.' … We need to pray more frequently for the grace to live the essence of the Gospel, to be truly Christian," the pope said.
Pope Francis offered Mass in Bari for the conclusion of the "Mediterranean, Frontier of Peace" meeting of bishops from 19 Mediterranean countries, which took place Feb. 19-23. An estimated 40,000 people attended the pope's Sunday Mass in Bari's Piazza Libertà.