Vatican City (AsiaNews) - "In the family it is more important to listen than to understand". A packed St Peter's Square as it is only on special occasions welcomed the words of Pope Francis as he appeared at 12 noon from the window of the Vatican Apostolic Palace for the Angelus.
Today, the Feast of the Holy Family, the pontiff, starting from today's Gospel (Lk 2:41-52), spoke of the family of Mary, Joseph and Jesus as a "model".
"It is a family that dialogues, that listens to each other, that speaks. Dialogue is an important element for a family! A family that does not communicate cannot be a happy family,' he said.
The reason for the exceptional participation is also the opening of the third Holy Door of the Holy Year 2025. This morning around 10:00 a.m. at the Roman basilica of St. John Lateran the ceremony was held in the presence of the Vicar for the diocese of Rome, Card. Baldassarre Reina.
The event, particularly felt by Romans, follows the opening of the Holy Door in St Peter's Basilica and that in the Rebibbia Prison. And it launches the celebration of the Jubilee in all the dioceses of the world.
After the recitation of the Marian prayer, there was no lack of a look at the international reality. "My thoughts go to the many families in South Korea who are in mourning today following the dramatic plane crash. I join in prayer for the survivors, for the dead," he said.
At 9:03 a.m. local time at South Korean Muan Airport, a Jeju Air company boeing from Bangkok crashed, killing at least 177 passengers. Korean and two Thai people were travelling on flight JJA-2216. Two crew members are out of danger, while at least two people are reported missing.
The cause of the accident is said to be a 'birdh strike' which prevented the opening of the wheeled undercarriage, essential for landing.
Acting South Korean President Choi Sang-mok, who will visit Muan this afternoon, chaired an emergency government meeting. "All relevant authorities must mobilise all available resources to rescue people," he said in a note.
As Yonhap news agency reports, there were 82 men and 93 women on board, ranging in age from 3 to 78. A temporary morgue was set up inside the Muan airport.
In the commentary that preceded the recitation of the Angelus, Bergoglio moving from the Gospel - which tells of the finding of the 12-year-old Jesus in the Temple by Mary and Joseph who saw him arguing with the doctors - spoke of Mary's "state of mind". She asks: 'Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I, distressed, were looking for you" (v. 48). And Jesus answers her: "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must attend to the things of my Father?" (v. 49). "It is an experience - I would say almost habitual - of a family that alternates between quiet moments and dramatic ones".
It is "the story of a family crisis, a modern-day crisis, of a difficult teenager and two parents who cannot understand him".
Delving into the attitude of Mary, mother of Jesus, the Pope pointed out that "it is beautiful when a mother does not begin with a reproach, but with a question". In fact, she 'does not accuse, does not judge, but seeks to understand how to welcome this Son who is so different through listening'. But despite this far-sighted openness, the Gospel says that Mary and Joseph "did not understand what he had said to them" (v. 50), "showing that in the family it is more important to listen than to understand". "To listen is to give importance to the other, to recognise his right to exist and think for himself. Children need this," he added.
Pope Francis then spoke about mealtime lived in the family, pointing to it as "a privileged moment of dialogue and listening". "It is good to be together at the table and to talk. This can solve many problems, and above all it unites the generations: children talking to their parents, grandchildren talking to their grandparents," he said. 'Never stay closed in on yourself or, even worse, with your head on your mobile phone, that's no good, never that. Talk, listen to each other, this is the dialogue that is good for you and that makes you grow!"
Finally, the pontiff recalled the many families "who suffer because of war, in the tormented Ukraine, Palestine, in Israel, in Myanmar, North Kivu". For them he invoked prayer: "Let us pray for all these families at war". After the recitation of the Angelus he addressed "a special greeting", also to the families present in St. Peter's "and those connected from home through the media. The family is the cell of society. The family is a precious treasure, to be supported and protected".
