Pope: while on holiday, don't forget Middle East, elderly and sick people
Yet another call was made for peace on the Israeli-Lebanese border. There was also a plea not to forget the loneliness of elderly and sick people. And the pope gave a word of advice about holidays.
Castel Gandolfo (AsiaNews) The pope is indefatigable in his determination to talk in favour of peace in the Middle East: since the Lebanese-Israeli conflict broke out, Benedict XVI has made use of all his public appearances to prompt the international community to resolve the crisis. Today was no exception: at the Angelus, he drew attention to the war and the shred of hope that has appeared with the passing of a UN resolution calling for a ceasefire. "The holiday climate should not make us forget the serious conflict under way in the Middle East," said the pope. The latest developments give hope that clashes will cease and humanitarian aid will be promptly and effectively assured to the people. The hope of all is that finally peace will prevail over violence and the force of arms."
The pope had just augured that everyone's "break to rest" of the holidays "will serve to refresh mind and body, submitted every day to continuous fatigue and attrition due to the frenetic pace of modern life." But those who cannot "avail themselves of a time of vacation" or "who are obliged to renounce it for various reasons", should not be forgotten. Mentioned in particular were elderly and sick people who "at this time, feel their solitude even more keenly". "To these brothers and sisters," said Benedict XVI, "I want to manifest my spiritual nearness, with the heartfelt hope that none of them will be lacking in the support and comfort offered by friends."
The pope did not fall short of giving some advice about how to utilize vacation time, an opportunity for "cultural meetings, for prolonged moments of prayer and contemplation in contact with nature or in monasteries or religious structures. Having more free time means one can dedicate oneself with greater ease to dialogue with God, to meditation of the Sacred Scripture and to reading some useful formative book. Who undergoes this experience of repose of the spirit knows how useful it is not to reduce the holidays merely to fun and enjoyment."
Holidays are also a time to "spend more time with relatives, to rediscover family and friends" and to "nourish ourselves with the Eucharist". The pope said: "The faithful participation in the Sunday Eucharistic celebration helps us... to feel an active part of the ecclesial community, even when one is away from one's parish. Wherever we find ourselves, we always need to nourish ourselves with the Eucharist. We are reminded of this by the gospel pages this Sunday, which present Jesus as the Bread of Life. He himself, according to the evangelist John, proclaims that he is the 'living bread from heaven' (cfr Jn 6:31), the bread that nourishes our faith and feeds communion among all Christians."
Benedict XVI ended the prayer with greetings in several languages while pilgrims who filled the courtyard of the pontifical palace responded with slogans and applause.
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08/07/2007
