The pastoral care of proximity

God, in Jesus, drew near to every man and woman: He shared the joy of the spouses at Cana in Galilee and the anguish of the widow of Nain; He entered the house of Jairus touched by death and the house of Bethany perfumed with nard; He took upon Himself illnesses and sufferings, even giving His life as ransom for all. To follow Christ means to go where He went; to take upon ourselves, like the good Samaritan, the wounded person we encounter along the road; to go in search of the lost sheep. To be, like Jesus, close to people; to share their joys and sorrows; to show, with our love, the paternal face of God and the maternal caress of the Church. May no one ever feel you distant, detached, closed and therefore sterile. Each of you is called to serve your brothers and sisters, following your own charism: some with prayer, some with catechesis, some with teaching, some with care for the sick or the poor, some by proclaiming the Gospel, some by performing the various works of mercy. What is important is not to live for ourselves, as Jesus did not live for Himself, but for the Father and for us.

Pope Francis to consecrated persons – February 1, 2016