“Whatever the circumstances in life, I should never forget that I will never cease to be a child of God, of a Father who loves me and awaits my return. Even in the most dire situations, God is waiting for me, He wants to embrace me”. It is from the embrace between the Father and the younger son, which lies at the heart of the parable of the merciful Father, that the Pope drew this “important” lesson. “His father’s embrace and kiss make him realise that he has always been seen as a son; despite everything, he is always his son”, the Pontiff explained during today’s audience. “This teaching of Jesus is important: our condition of sons and daughters of God is the fruit of the love of the Father’s heart; it does not depend on our merits or our actions, so no one can take it away from us”. “No one can deprive us of this dignity, not even the devil!”, the Pope remarked, adding that “with this parable, Jesus wants to encourage us never to despair”. The list is detailed: “I think of those mothers and fathers who are worried when they see their children go away and take dangerous paths. I think of those parish priests and catechists who may ask themselves if their work was in vain. I also think of those prisoners who think their lives have come to an end, those who have made wrong decisions and cannot look to the future, or all those who hunger for mercy and forgiveness, thinking they do not deserve it”.