Castel Gandolfo (AsiaNews) – At today’s Angelus, recited in Piazza della Libertà in Castel Gandolfo, Pope Leo XIV assured his prayers “for those affected by the terrible flooding that has struck Nepal and Tibet”. The tragedy – also reported in recent days by AsiaNews – has claimed hundreds of lives, whilst over 3,000 are believed to be missing.
The Pope called for prayers “for those who have lost their lives, for the injured and the missing, for their families, and for the rescue workers”. He also emphasised the “concern shown by everyone”, which is capable of “alleviating suffering”, as well as ensuring that “the necessary aid reaches the population” now brought to its knees. Meanwhile, a new build-up of water at the border is putting rescue teams on high alert.
A prayer for peace
Pope Leo took part yesterday in the procession of the Madonna del Lago in Castel Gandolfo. He turned to Mary, entrusting to her “all the peoples of the earth”, asking her to look “with kindness upon your children wounded by war”, and to encourage “in everyone the desire for peace”. This morning, after the Angelus, he said: “Let us continue to pray for peace”.
Recalling the words of St Augustine: “Peace […] is like the bread of the miracle”. “May there be an increase in the world of those who courageously break and distribute the bread of peace, overcoming divisions, promoting justice, practising forgiveness, for the good of all,” is the wish of the Successor of Peter.
Forgotten Haiti – at the mercy of violent criminal gangs – is in need of this “bread of peace”. From there, “dramatic reports are coming in of the horrific massacre perpetrated in Kenscoff, in which numerous people have lost their lives whilst others have been taken hostage”, said the Pope. “I express my prayerful solidarity with the victims and their families, and I call for the immediate release of all hostages,” he appealed. Prevost called on those in charge to guarantee “the safety of the population” and to put “an end to all forms of violence”.
The Pope recalled the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, which is celebrated on Tuesday 2 September. This marks the start of the “Season of Creation”, whose theme this year is “Living Water”. “Caring for our ‘common home’ requires a conversion of the heart, so that what has been used to bring destruction may instead be directed towards life,” he said.
Commentary on the Gospel
Before reciting the Angelus, Leo XIV commented on the Gospel of the day (Mt 16:21–27), which “speaks of Jesus revealing to his disciples the Mystery of his impending Passion”. Indeed, Jesus tells his disciples that he will go to Jerusalem to “be killed and rise again on the third day”
(Mt 16:21). “What he says is a far cry from their (the disciples’, ed.) expectations of a triumphant and powerful Messiah,” he said. The message that Jesus conveys to them “truly goes beyond all expectations”. Indeed, Peter says: “This shall never happen to you” (v. 22).
“For us too, in fact, it is not always easy to understand and accept God’s ways, especially when they are very different from our own,” he explained. Many people can identify with Peter’s uncertainty. It teaches us two things. “The first is never to cease, even at such times, our dialogue with the Lord.” The second concerns the importance of prioritising listening over judgement when faced with God’s work: listening to “what He is revealing to us through His actions, even when it does not correspond to our expectations”.
“Let us therefore ask the Lord that we too, in our life of faith and in our prayer, may have the same sincerity as Peter,” said the Pope, “in humbly telling him what we truly feel, even when our hearts are confused, and at the same time to be able to cultivate his own docility, in accepting what he asks of us beyond our expectations.”
