# Hope for New Life
*2016-03-19*

> Bill reflects on Pope Francis’ new document on the family, especially the question of communion for those who have been married twice, and ties it to the Lenten call to conversion and the resurrection promise of new life.

## A Historic Announcement

Today is the fifth Saturday of Lent and the feast of St. Joseph. Pope Francis has just released a new apostolic exhortation on the family, addressing the situation of people who have been married twice and asking whether they may receive Holy Communion. I feel strongly that the Pope, who holds the keys of heaven, has the authority to guide us on these matters.

## Grace and Mercy in the Eucharist

When Jesus confronted the woman caught in adultery, He said, “Let anyone who is without sin cast the first stone.” No one is without sin, and none of us deserve the Eucharist on our own merit; we receive it only by God’s grace. At the Last Supper, Jesus broke the bread and said, “Do this in memory of me,” and He gave the body and blood to all the disciples, even to Judas, the one who would betray Him. Jesus did not deny communion to a sinner; He offered Himself to every person, trusting that the sacrament is a means of conversion and mercy.

## The Church as a Community of Hope

The whole Church is called to be a community where every person can encounter the love of Christ. This is why the Pope’s document matters: it reminds us that the Church must be a place of welcome, not of exclusion, especially for those who have experienced broken marriages.

## Isaiah’s Promise of New Things

Our Lenten reading from Isaiah 43:19 says, “Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” The resurrection is not merely a past event; it is a living power that brings new life into a world that often seems dead. Even amid injustice, cruelty, and darkness, God’s goodness breaks through, producing beauty and fruit.

## Prayer for Awareness of Resurrection Life

Jesus, help me be more aware of Your new life that is changing me and my world every day. Amen.

*The resurrection power invites us to see new life even in the darkest places, and the Church must be a welcoming home for all seeking that grace.*