Pope Francis, in his greetings after the Angelus, once again invokes peace for the Middle East, Ukraine and all the forgotten wars that devastate the planet (among these the massacres in Burkina Faso). His appeal for the ceasefire negotiations in Gaza not to stop. Jerusalem, the holy city, is a meeting place for religions. Speaking of the martyred Ukrainian population, the Pontiff recalls that “God does not remain indifferent to their suffering”.
Below is the full text of Pope Francis’ words.
Today, in the Gospel of the liturgy (see Mc 7,1-8.14-15.21-23), Jesus speaks of the pure and the impure: a topic very dear to his contemporaries, which was mainly linked to the observance of rites and rules of behavior, to avoid any contact with things or people considered unclean and, in the event that this occurred, to erase the “stain” (see Lv 11-15). It was almost an obsession of some religious people of those times, purity and impurity.
Some scribes and Pharisees, strict observers of these rules, accuse Jesus of allowing his disciples to eat without washing their hands. And Jesus uses this reproach of the Pharisees to his disciples to speak about the meaning of “purity”.
Purity – says Jesus – is not linked to external rites, but first of all to internal dispositions. To be pure, therefore, it is not necessary to wash one’s hands many times, if then one nourishes within one’s heart evil feelings such as greed, envy or pride, or bad intentions such as deceit, theft, betrayal and slander (see Mc 7,21-22). Jesus draws attention to warn against ritualism, which does not help us grow in goodness, indeed, at times it can lead to neglecting, or even justifying, in oneself and in others, choices and attitudes contrary to charity, which wound the soul and close the heart.
And this, brothers and sisters, is also important for us: you cannot, for example, leave Holy Mass and, already in the churchyard, stop to gossip badly and without mercy about everything and everyone. That chatter that ruins the heart, that ruins the soul. You cannot! You go to Mass and then do these things, it is a bad thing! Or show yourself pious in prayer, but then at home treat your family members with coldness and detachment, or neglect your elderly parents, who need help and company (see Mc 7,10-13). This is a double life and it cannot be. And this is what the Pharisees did. External purity without good attitudes, merciful attitudes towards others. Or, again, one cannot be apparently very correct with everyone, perhaps even do a little volunteer work and some philanthropic gesture, but then inside cultivate hatred towards others, despise the poor and the last or behave dishonestly in one’s work.
By doing so, we reduce our relationship with God to external gestures, and inside we remain impervious to the purifying action of His grace, lingering in thoughts, messages and behaviors devoid of love.
We are made for something else.
Let us ask ourselves, then: do I live my faith in a coherent way, that is, what I do in church do I try to do outside with the same spirit? With feelings, words and deeds, do I make concrete in the proximity and respect of brothers what I say in prayer? Let us think about it.
And may Mary, most pure Mother, help us to make our life, in the love felt and practiced, a worship pleasing to God (cf. Rm 12,1).
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After the Angelus
Dear brothers and sisters!
Yesterday at Shastinin Slovakia, Ján Havlík, a seminarian of the Congregation of the Mission, founded by Saint Vincent de Paul, was beatified. This young man was killed in 1965, during the regime’s persecution against the Church in what was then Czechoslovakia. May his perseverance in witnessing to his faith in Christ be an encouragement to those who still today suffer similar trials. A round of applause for the new Blessed!
It is with sorrow that I learned that on Saturday, August 24, in the municipality of Barsalogho, Burkina Faso, hundreds of people, including women and children, were killed and many others injured in a terrorist attack. In condemning these heinous attacks on human life, I express my closeness to the entire nation and my heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims. May the Virgin Mary help the beloved people of Burkina Faso to find peace and security.
I also pray for the victims of the accident that occurred at the Shrine of Nossa Senhora da Conceição, in the city of Recife, Brazil. May the Risen Lord comfort the injured and their families.
And I am always close to the tormented Ukrainian people, severely hit by attacks against energy infrastructure. In addition to causing deaths and injuries, they have left more than a million people without electricity and water. Let us remember that the voice of the innocent is always heard by God, who is not indifferent to their suffering!
Once again, I turn my thoughts with concern to the conflict in Palestine and Israel, which risks spreading to other Palestinian cities. I appeal that negotiations should not be stopped and that the fire should be called immediately, that the hostages should be released, that the population in Gaza should be helped, where many diseases are also spreading, including polio. May there be peace in the Holy Land, may there be peace in Jerusalem! May the Holy City be a meeting place where Christians, Jews and Muslims feel respected and welcomed, and no one should question the Status Quo in their respective Holy Places.
Today we celebrate the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. I hope that everyone, institutions, associations, families and every person, will make a concrete commitment to our common home. The cry of the wounded Earth is becoming increasingly alarming and requires decisive and urgent action.
Tomorrow I will begin an apostolic journey to some countries of Asia and Oceania. Please pray for the fruit of this journey!
I greet all of you, Romans and pilgrims! In particular, I greet the young people of Lucca, accompanied by their Archbishop Monsignor Paolo Giulietti and by some priests; I greet the good boys of the Immacolata and the boys of Campocroce di Mirano.
