In the usual Sunday meeting with the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square, Pope LeoAngelus to Lent, starting from the Liturgy of the day, in particular from the Gospel according to Matthew Mt 4,1-1 “Jesus fasts for forty days in the desert and is tempted.”
And at the end of the Angelus he wanted to dedicate it once again his appeal to silence the guns on the eve of the war in Ukraine, which officially began on February 24, 2022.
The Angelus
The liturgy, with this Word of life, invites us to look at Lent as a luminous itinerary in which, with prayer, fasting and almsgiving, we can renew our cooperation with the Lord in realizing the unique masterpiece of our life. It is a question of allowing Him to remove the stains and heal the wounds that sin may have produced in it, and of committing ourselves to making it flourish in all its beauty to the fullness of love, the source of true happiness. These, which were also the temptations of Jesus, are however only poor substitutes for the joy for which we are made and, in the end, they inevitably and eternally leave us dissatisfied, restless and empty.
Let’s give space to silence; let’s silence the televisions, radios and smartphones a little. Let us meditate on the Word of God, let us approach the Sacraments; we listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit, that speaks to our hearts, and let us listen to each other, in families, in work environments, in communities. We dedicate time to those who are alone, especially the elderly, the poor, the sick. We give up the superfluous and share what we save with those who lack the necessary.
The appeal for peace
How many victims, how many lives and families broken! How much destruction! How much unspeakable suffering… Truly every war is a wound inflicted on the entire human family, it leaves behind death, devastation, and a trail of pain that marks generations. Peace cannot be postponed, it is an urgent need, which must find space in hearts and translate into responsible decisions.
Keep the guns silent! Let the bombings stop! Let a ceasefire be reached without delay, and dialogue strengthened to pave the way for peace.”
I invite everyone to join in prayer for the tormented Ukrainian people, and for all those who suffer because of this war and every conflict in the world, so that the long-awaited gift may shine in our days! – of peace.
