Pope Francis is encouraging us to turn our thoughts to Christ when we feel ourselves struggling, and then we will know that we are not alone.

The pope said this after the general audience on April 1, in greetings to Polish-speaking faithful who followed the audience via livestream.

Jesus accompanies us and never disappoints, he assured, adding, “In these difficult days we are living, I encourage you to trust in Divine Mercy and in the intercession of St. John Paul II, on this eve of the 15th anniversary of his death.”

The Polish Pontiff passed away at 9:37 pm Rome time, on April 2, 2005, which was that year the eve of Divine Mercy Sunday, a feast he himself had instituted.

Jesus’ suffering

In greetings to Portuguese-speaking faithful, the Holy Father urged living Holy Week united to the Church in our thoughts and in our hearts.

The Passion of the Lord continues in the suffering of humanity, he said, praying that our “hearts encounter in the Cross of Christ support and consolation in the midst of the tribulations of life; embracing the Cross as He did, with humility, trust, and filial abandonment to God, you will participate in the glory of the Resurrection.”