Pope: How sad it is when Christians think of waging war with each other

Addressing the faithful during the Angelus prayer, Francis commented on the evangelical invitation to turn the other cheek: "It is not the retreat of the loser, but the action of one who has greater inner strength, who overcomes evil with good, who opens a breach in their enemy's heart". Thoughts for doctors, nurses and volunteers in hospitals: everyday heroes, even after the pandemic.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - "How sad it is when people and peoples who are proud to be Christians see others as enemies and think they are at war with each other". As the world holds its breath over the news from Ukraine, Pope Francis repeated his call for peace today as he addressed the faithful present in St. Peter's Square for the Angelus prayer.

The Pope's comments were prompted by his reflection on the Sunday Gospel passage with Jesus' invitation "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you", followed by the even more concrete image "To those who strike you on the cheek, turn the other also" (Lk 6:27-29). "The Lord," Pope Francis commented, "seems to ask the impossible. Besides, why love one's enemies? If we do not react to the bullies, every abuse of power has a free way, and this is not right. But does the Lord really ask of us things that are impossible, indeed unjust?".

The Pontiff invited people to reread this invitation in the light of Jesus' words to the guard who had slapped him during the Passion: "If I have spoken evil, show me where the evil is. But if I have spoken well, why do you strike me?" (Jn 18:23).

"Turning the other cheek", Francis explained, "does not mean to suffer in silence, to yield to injustice. Jesus with his question denounces what is unjust. But he does so without anger or violence, rather with kindness. He does not want to stir up a quarrel, but to defuse resentment: to extinguish hatred and injustice together, seeking to recover the guilty brother".

Jesus' meekness is therefore a stronger response: "Turning the other cheek", the Pope continued, "is not the retreat of the loser, but the action of one who has greater inner strength, who overcomes evil with good, who opens a breach in the heart of the enemy, unmasking the absurdity of his hatred. It is not dictated by calculation, but by love. 

But is it possible to love one's enemies in this way? If it depended only on us," replied Francis, "it would be impossible. But let us remember that when the Lord asks for something, he wants to give it. When he tells me to love my enemies, he wants to give me the capacity to do so. It is therefore thanks to the Spirit of Jesus that "we can respond to evil with good, love those who hurt us. This is what Christians do.

It applies to the shame of wars, but also to the many more everyday situations in which we harbour resentment towards those who have hurt us. "Praying for those who have treated us badly," the Pope concluded, "is the first thing to transform evil into good. May the Virgin Mary help us to be peacemakers towards all, especially towards those who are hostile and dislike us".

After the Marian prayer, greeting the groups present, Francis wanted to express his closeness to the people affected by natural disasters in southeast Madagascar and in the Petropolis area of Brazil.

Finally, he recalled the National Day of Health Personnel being celebrated today in Italy. "We must remember," he said, "so many doctors, nurses and volunteers who stand by the sick, treat them, help them. They have shown it with their heroic behaviour during the Covid period, but this heroism remains every day".

• Vatican
• Pope Francis
• enemy
• war
• forgiveness
• Ukraine
• doctors
• nurses
• Covid-19