VATICAN CITY — There is no such thing as people who only take and never give, Pope Francis told a group of visitors experiencing homelessness and volunteers who assist them.
"We are all givers and receivers, we all need each other and are called to enrich each other," he said during a private audience at the Vatican Nov. 8.
The group, called "Begegnung im Zentrum" ("Encounter in the Center"), is based in Vienna, Austria, and regularly meets at the residence of its archbishop, Cardinal Christoph Schönborn.
"You come from very different countries, you belong to different religious faiths and each of you has had your own unique life experiences, sometimes serious ordeals," the pope told his guests.
"But one thing unites us all: we are brothers and sisters, we are children of one Father," he said.
The pope praised the group members for helping each other and sharing what each is able to offer. "Indeed, it is not true that some give and others only receive."
Giving and sharing are not just about material things, he said. They include things like "a smile, a small gesture of friendship, a kind look, a ready ear, a good deed."
"Let us always try, as brothers and sisters, to make our lives a gift for others," he said.
God offers the gift of his love, "which also comes to us through the good people around us," he said.
"The Lord loves us beyond all of our limitations and difficulties," Pope Francis said. "Each one of us is unique in his eyes, and he never forgets us."
— Carol Glatz, Catholic News Service