Leo XIV urges the faithful not to give in to indifference, calls for a stop to the weapons pandemic
At the Angelus, the pope called for an "immediate ceasefire" and a "serious commitment to dialogue" for peace in Ukraine. He remembered the victims of the shooting in Minnesota and expressed sorrow for the deaths of more than 60 migrants off the coast of Mauritania. In his Gospel commentary, he expressed hope that “the Church will always be a school of humility for everyone, a home where all are always welcome”.
Vatican City (AsiaNews) – Pope Leo XIV mentioned again the tragedy of the Ukraine war from the Apostolic Palace at noon today during the Sunday Angelus prayer.
“Now is the time for those responsible to renounce the logic of weapons and take the path of negotiation and peace, with the support of the international community,” he said.
Despite numerous diplomatic initiatives, the war “continues to sow death and destruction,” with strikes that have claimed dozens of lives even in recent days.
“I strongly reiterate my urgent appeal for an immediate ceasefire and a serious commitment to dialogue,” Leo said. “The voice of weapons must be silenced, while the voice of fraternity and justice must be raised,” he added, reaffirming the Church's rejection of war, and the centrality of human relationships, which can heal every misunderstanding.
“I renew my closeness to the Ukrainian people and to all the injured families,” he said. “I ask everyone not to give in to indifference, but to draw close to them through prayer and concrete gestures of charity. [. . .] “Let us plead God to stop the pandemic of arms, large and small, which infects our world.”
With these strong words, underscoring a global emergency, as he had done shortly after the tragedy in a message signed by Cardinal Parolin, the pontiff expressed his closeness “to the victims of the tragic shooting during a school Mass in the American State of Minnesota,” four days ago, carried out by a 23-year-old former student of the school, as well as to “the countless children killed and injured every day around the world.”
“May our Mother Mary, the Queen of Peace, help us to fulfil the prophecy of Isaiah: ‘They shall beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks’ (Is 2:4).” At the same time, “our wounded [. . .] hearts” also ache for the death of over 60 people, plus a hundred missing, caused by the “shipwreck of a boat carrying migrants attempting the 1,100 km journey towards the Canary Islands, that capsized off the Atlantic coast of Mauritania.”
The pope stressed that the number of migrants who try to cross borders risking their lives is a “deadly tragedy [that] is repeated every day all over the world.” Hence, “Let us pray that the Lord will teach us, as individuals and societies, fully to put into practice his words: ‘I was a stranger and you welcomed me’ (Mt 25:35).”
From St Peter's, the pontiff also mentioned the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, which falls tomorrow, 1 September, established ten years ago by his predecessor, Francis, "in harmony with the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.”
“This is more important and urgent than ever, and this year’s theme is ‘Seeds of Peace and Hope’,” Leo said. “Together with all Christians, we celebrate it throughout this ‘Season of Creation’, which lasts until 4 October, the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi. In the spirit of the Canticle of Brother Sun, which he composed 800 years ago, we praise God and renew our commitment not to ruin his gift but to care for our common home.”
Before the Marian prayer, the Holy Father spoke about the Word of the Day (Lk 14,1.7-11) in which Jesus eats at the house of a leading Pharisee, and said: “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
“In the Gospel, Jesus speaks of ‘humility’ in describing perfect freedom (cf. Lk 14:11). Humility is really freedom from ourselves,” Pope Leo XIV explained. “Whereas those who know that they are precious in God’s eyes, [. . .] have greater things to be worried about; they possess a sublime dignity all their own.”
In concluding, the pope said, “Dear friends, today let us pray that the Church will always be a school of humility for everyone, a home where all are welcome, a place where rivalries are set aside and where Jesus still speaks to us”.
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02/10/2022 12:56
21/06/2022 09:32
