Pope Francis Prays for Government Leaders Facing the Coronavirus Crisis

“We Christians need to learn how to manage both moments of peace and moments of crisis,” the pope said in his homily.

“May the Lord send us the Holy Spirit to know how to resist temptations in times of crisis,” he said.

The pope pointed to the passage in chapter six of the Gospel of John in which some of Christ’s disciples murmured among themselves after Jesus declared: “I am the bread of life.”

“At that time many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him. Jesus decides to question the apostles. Jesus then said to the Twelve, ‘Do you also want to leave?’ Make a decision,” Pope Francis said.

“A moment of crisis is a moment of choice, it is a moment that puts us in front of the decisions we have to make,” he said.

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Pope Francis said that Peter’s response with a confession of faith is an example of faith and trust amid a crisis.

Peter responded: “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

“This helps all of us to live through moments of crisis,” the pope explained. “This pandemic is also a time of social crisis.”

“This is not the time to make changes,” he said. “It is a moment of fidelity, of fidelity to God, fidelity to the decisions we have made before. Also, it is a moment of conversion because this fidelity will inspire some of us to change for the better.”

“In times of crisis, be very firm in the conviction of faith,” Pope Francis said.