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Monday, July 25, 2016
ANGELUS POPE FRANCIS
Saint Peter's Square
Sunday, 17 July 2016

PHOTO: greekamericangirl.com


Dear Brothers and Sisters, Good morning!
In today’s Gospel the Evangelist Luke writes about Jesus who, on the way to Jerusalem, enters a village and is welcomed into the home of two sisters: Martha and Mary (cf. Lk 10:38-42). Both welcome the Lord, but they do so in different ways. Mary sits at Jesus’ feet and listens to his words (cf. v. 39), whereas Martha is completely caught up in preparing things; at a certain point she says to Jesus: “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me” (v. 40). Jesus responds to her: “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her” (vv. 41-42).

In bustling about and busying herself, Martha risks forgetting — and this is the problem — the most important thing, which is the presence of the guest, Jesus in this case. She forgets about the presence of the guest. A guest is not merely to be served, fed, looked after in every way. Most importantly he ought to be listened to. Remember this word: Listen! A guest should be welcomed as a person, with a story, his heart rich with feelings and thoughts, so that he may truly feel like he is among family. If you welcome a guest into your home but continue doing other things, letting him just sit there, both of you in silence, it is as if he were of stone: a guest of stone. No. A guest is to be listened to. Of course, Jesus’ response to Martha — when he tells her that there is only one thing that needs to be done — finds its full significance in reference to listening to the very word of Jesus, that word which illuminates and supports all that we are and what we do. If we go to pray, for example, before the Crucifix, and we talk, talk, talk, and then we leave, we do not listen to Jesus. We do not allow him to speak to our heart. Listen: this is the key word. Do not forget! And we must not forget that in the house of Martha and Mary, Jesus, before being Lord and Master, is a pilgrim and guest. Thus, his response has this significance first and foremost: “Martha, Martha why do you busy yourself doing so much for this guest even to the point of forgetting about his presence? — A guest of stone! — Not much is necessary to welcome him; indeed, only one thing is needed: listen to him — this is the word: listen to him — be brotherly to him, let him realize he is among family and not in a temporary shelter.

Understood in this light, hospitality, which is one of the works of mercy, is revealed as a truly human and Christian virtue, a virtue which in today’s world is at risk of being overlooked. In fact, nursing homes and hospices are multiplying, but true hospitality is not always practised in these environments. Various institutions are opened to care for many types of disease, of loneliness, of marginalization, but opportunities are decreasing for those who are foreign, marginalized, excluded, from finding someone ready to listen to them: because they are foreigners, refugees, migrants. Listen to that painful story. Even in one’s own home, among one’s own family members, it might be easier to find services and care of various kinds rather than listening and welcome. Today we are so taken, by excitement, by countless problems — some of which are not important — that we lack the capacity to listen. We are constantly busy and thus we have no time to listen. I would like to ask you, to pose a question to you, each one answer in your own heart: do you, husband, take time to listen to your wife? And do you, woman, take time to listen to your husband? Do you, parents, take time, time to “waste”, to listen to your children? or your grandparents, the elderly? — “But grandparents always say the same things, they are boring...” — But they need to be listened to! Listen. I ask that you learn to listen and to devote more of your time. The root of peace lies in the capacity to listen.

May the Virgin Mary, Mother of listening and of service and of attentive care, teach us to be welcoming and hospitable to our brothers and our sisters.

After the Angelus:
Dear brothers and sisters, there is deep sorrow in our hearts for the carnage that occurred on Thursday evening in Nice, which cut short so many innocent lives, even many children. I remain close to each family and to the entire French nation in mourning. May God, the Good Father, welcome all of the victims into his peace, support the injured and comfort the families. May he disperse every plan of terror and of death, that man no longer dare to shed the blood of a brother. I offer a paternal and fraternal embrace to all the residents of Nice and the entire nation of France. Now, everyone together, let us pray as we think of this massacre, of the victims, of family members. Let us pray first in silence....

Hail Mary....

I warmly greet all of you, faithful from Rome and from various countries. In particular from Ireland, I greet the pilgrims from the Dioceses of Armaugh and Darry, and the Permanent Deaconate of the Diocese of Elphin, with their wives.

I wish everyone a happy Sunday. Please, do not forget to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch. Arrivederci!

© Copyright - Libreria Editrice Vaticana


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Monday, July 18, 2016
ANGELUS POPE FRANCIS
Saint Peter's Square
Sunday, 10 July 2016

PHOTO: tes.com


Dear Brothers and Sisters, Good morning!
Today’s liturgy presents us with the parable of the “Good Samaritan”, taken from the Gospel of Luke (10:25-37). This passage, this simple and inspiring story, indicates a way of life, which has as its main point not ourselves, but others, with their difficulties, whom we encounter on our journey and who challenge us. Others challenge us. And when others do not challenge us, something is not right; something in the heart is not Christian. Jesus uses this parable in his dialogue with a lawyer when asked about the twofold commandment that allows us to enter into eternal life: to love God with your whole heart and your neighbour as yourself (cf. vv. 25-28). “Yes”, the lawyer replies, “but, tell me, who is my neighbour?” (v. 29). We too can ask ourselves this question: Who is my neighbour? Who must I love as myself? My parents? My friends? My fellow countrymen? Those who belong to my religion?... Who is my neighbour?

Jesus responds with this parable. A man, along the road from Jerusalem to Jericho, was attacked, beaten and abandoned by robbers. Along that road, a priest passed by, then a Levite, and upon seeing this wounded man, they did not stop, but walked straight past him (vv. 31-32). Then a Samaritan came by, that is, a resident of Samaria, a man who was therefore despised by the Jews because he did not practise the true religion; and yet he, upon seeing that poor wretched man, “had compassion. He went to him, bandaged his wounds [...], brought him to an inn and took care of him” (vv. 33-34); and the next day he entrusted him to the care of the innkeeper, paid for him and said that he would pay for any further costs (cf. v. 35).

At this point, Jesus turns to the lawyer and asks him: “Which of these three — the priest, the Levite, or the Samaritan — do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell victim to the robbers?”. And the lawyer, of course — because he was intelligent —, said in reply: “The one who had compassion on him” (vv. 36-37). In this way, Jesus completely overturned the lawyer’s initial perspective — as well as our own! —: I must not categorize others in order to decide who is my neighbour and who is not. It is up to me whether to be a neighbour or not — the decision is mine — it is up to me whether or not to be a neighbour to those whom I encounter who need help, even if they are strangers or perhaps hostile. And Jesus concludes, saying: “Go and do likewise” (v. 37). What a great lesson! And he repeats it to each of us: “Go and do likewise”, be a neighbour to the brother or sister whom you see in trouble. “Go and do likewise”. Do good works, don’t just say words that are gone with the wind. A song comes to mind: “Words, words, words”. No. Works, works. And through the good works that we carry out with love and joy towards others, our faith emerges and bears fruit. Let us ask ourselves — each of us responding in his own heart — let us ask ourselves: Is our faith fruitful? Does our faith produce good works? Or is it sterile instead, and therefore more dead than alive? Do I act as a neighbour or simply pass by? Am I one of those who selects people according to my own liking? It is good to ask ourselves these questions, and to ask them often, because in the end we will be judged on the works of mercy. The Lord will say to us: Do you remember that time on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho? That man who was half dead was me. Do you remember? That hungry child was me. Do you remember? That immigrant who many wanted to drive away, that was me. That grandparent who was alone, abandoned in nursing homes, that was me. That sick man, alone in the hospital, who no one visited, that was me.

May the Virgin Mary help us to walk along the path of love, love that is generous towards others, the way of the Good Samaritan. My she help us to live the first commandment that Christ left us. This is the way to enter into eternal life.

After the Angelus:
Dear brothers and sisters, today is “Sea Sunday”, in support of the pastoral care of seafarers. I encourage seafarers and fishermen in their work, which is often hard and risky, as well as chaplains and volunteers in their valuable service. May Mary, the Star of the Sea, watch over you! And I greet all of you, faithful from Rome, and from many parts of Italy and the world.

I offer a special greeting to the pilgrims from Puerto Rico; to those from Poland who have completed the relay race from Krakow to Rome — well done! —; and I also extend my greeting to the participants in the great pilgrimage of the Family of Radio Maria to the Sanctuary of Jasna Góra in CzÄ™stochowa, now in its 25th year. I also heard some of my compatriots who are not silent. To the Argentines who are here, who are boisterous — que hacen lío — I give you my special greeting!

I greet the families from the diocese of Adria-Rovigo, the Daughters of Charity of the Most Precious Blood, the Secular Order Teresian Carmelites, the faithful from Limbiate, and the John Paul II Missionary Community. 

I wish you all a good Sunday, a warm Sunday! Please do not forget, please, to pray for me. Have a good lunch and Arrivederci!

© Copyright - Libreria Editrice Vaticana


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Sunday, July 17, 2016
la casa saveriana di Ancona 

Sabato, 16 luglio 2016. Il viaggio lungo. Da Parma ad Ancona. E' circa 3 ore e 15 minuti. Siamo partiti alle 13.30 dalla stazione di Parma e siamo arrivati alle 17.19 alla stazione di Ancona. E' un viaggio lungo ma anche interessante per me. Il treno si è fermato in tanta stazione. E' giusto anche perchè nelle state ci sono tante persone che si spostano. Al mare, alle montagne, ecc. Il treno regionale passa proprio nelle linea del mare adriatico. Quindi da Rimini in poi, passa vicino al mare. 

Non ho potuto vedere tutte le stazione dove siamo fermati. In qualche stazione si ma le altre no. Ero dormito. Ho contato che circa dura 2 ore ho dormito. 

Quando siamo usciti dalla stazione di Ancona abbiamo incontrato Padre Giancarlo, SX che è il rettore della casa saveriana ad Ancona  e anche Pietro. Ci hanno accompagnato dalla stazione a casa nostra. Grazie per voi due. Grazie anche per il fratello Maurizio SX a Parma che ci ha accompagnato da casa madre alla stazione di Parma.

E' l'inizio del campo estivo di Ancona. Da lunedì cominceremo il campo insieme i ragazzi che vengono da tutte le parte dell'italia, dal nord al sud. 

Buona missione. 
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Thursday, July 14, 2016
JUBILEE AUDIENCE POPE FRANCIS

EXTRAORDINARY JUBILEE OF MERCY

St Peter's Square
Thursday, 30 June 2016



Works of Mercy (cfr Mt 25:31-46)

Dear Brothers and Sisters, Good morning!
How many times, during these first months of the Jubilee, have we heard about the works of mercy! Today the Lord invites us to make a serious examination of conscience. Indeed, it is good to never forget that mercy is not an abstract word, but it is a way of life: a person can either be merciful or unmerciful; it is a lifestyle. I choose to live in a way that is merciful or I choose to live in a way that is unmerciful. It is one thing to speak of mercy, and it is another to live mercy. Paraphrasing the words of St James the Apostle (cf. 2:14-17), we could say: mercy without works is dead within itself. That’s it! What makes mercy come alive is its constant dynamism in order to go and meet those in need and the necessities of those in spiritual and material hardship. Mercy has eyes to see, ears to hear, hands to lift up again....


Daily life allows us to touch, with our hands, many demands that concern the poorest and most tested of people. We are asked for that particular attention that leads us to notice the state of suffering and need in which so many brothers and sisters find themselves. Sometimes we pass by situations of dramatic poverty and it seems that they do not touch us; everything continues as if it were nothing, into an indifference that eventually creates hypocrites and, without our realizing it, leads to a form of spiritual lethargy that numbs the soul and renders life barren. People who pass by, who move on in life without noticing the needs of others, without seeing many spiritual and material needs, are people who pass by without living, they are people who do not need others. Remember well: those who do not live to serve, do not serve to live.

There are so many aspects of God’s mercy toward us! In the same way, there are so many faces turned to us in order to obtain mercy. Those who have experienced in their own lives the Father’s mercy cannot remain indifferent before the needs of their brothers. The lesson of Jesus that we have heard does not allow escape routes: I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was naked, displaced, sick, in prison and you assisted me (Mt 25:35-36). You cannot stonewall a person who is hungry: he must be fed. Jesus tells us this! The works of mercy are not theoretical ideas, but concrete testimonies. They oblige us to roll up our sleeves to alleviate suffering.

Due to changes in our globalized world, certain material and spiritual forms of poverty have multiplied: let us give space, therefore, to the imaginings of charity so as to find new ways of working. In this way, the way of mercy will become more and more concrete. It is necessary therefore, that we remain as vigilant as watchmen, so that, when facing the poverty produced by the culture of wellbeing, the Christian gaze does not weaken and become incapable of focusing on what is essential. Focus on the essentials. What does this mean? To focus on Jesus, to see Jesus in the hungry, in prisoners, in the sick, the naked, in those who don’t have work and need to lead their family forward. To see Jesus in these people, our brothers and sisters; to see Jesus in those who are lonely, sad, in those who have made mistakes and need counsel, in those who need to walk with Him in silence so that they feel accompanied. These are the works that Jesus asks of us! To see Jesus in them, in these people. Why? Because this is the way Jesus sees me, sees all of us.

Now let us move on to another thing.
In recent days the Lord allowed me to visit Armenia, the first nation to embrace Christianity at the beginning of the fourth century. It is a nation that, over the course of its long history, has witnessed the Christian faith with martyrdom. I thank God for this journey, and I am deeply grateful to the President of the Republic of Armenia, to Catholicos Karekin ii, to the Patriarch, the Catholic bishops, and the entire Armenian people for welcoming me as a pilgrim of brotherhood and peace.

In three months, God willing, I will make another journey to Georgia and Azerbaijan, two more countries of the Caucasus region. I accepted the invitation to visit these countries for two reasons: on the one hand to highlight the ancient Christian roots present in those lands — again in a spirit of dialogue with other religions and cultures — and on the other to encourage hope and paths of peace. History teaches us that the path of peace requires great tenacity and continuous steps, starting with small steps and gradually increasing them, going to meet one another. Precisely for this reason my hope is that each and every person may give his or her own contribution to peace and reconciliation.

As Christians we are called to strengthen the fraternal communion among us, so as to bear witness to the Gospel of Christ and to be a leaven of a more just and united society. For this reason, the entire visit was shared with the Supreme Patriarch of the Armenian Apostolic Church, who fraternally hosted me for three days in his home.

I renew my embrace to the Bishops, priests, men and women religious, and to all the faithful of Armenia. May the Virgin Mary, our Mother, help them to remain steadfast in faith, open to encounter and generous in works of mercy. Thank you.

Special greetings:
Let us not allow the culture of wellbeing to weaken our sensitivity to the suffering of our brothers and sisters. Let us be ever vigilant so as to discover their needs, and generous so as to come to their aid.
May God bless you!

I greet the English-speaking pilgrims present at today’s Audience, particularly those from Sweden, China, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Canada and the United States of America. With heartfelt wishes that the current Jubilee of Mercy may be a time of grace and spiritual renewal for you and your families, I invoke upon all of you joy and peace in the Lord Jesus!

I cordially greet the Polish pilgrims. Dear brothers and sisters, I thank you for accompanying me with your prayers during my visit to Armenia. I ask you to continue praying for me and for the young people in Poland and throughout the world who are preparing for our now imminent meeting in Krakow. May the remembrance of “blessed are the merciful” be ever alive in our hearts and in our deeds. I bless you wholeheartedly. Praised be Jesus Christ!

Lastly, I address my greeting to young people, to the sick and to newlyweds. Today we celebrate the first martyrs of the Church of Rome and we pray for those who to this day pay dearly for belonging to the Church of Christ. Dear young people, may faith have a place and may it give meaning to your life; dear sick people, may you offer your suffering in order that those far away may encounter the love of Christ; dear newlyweds, may you be educators of life and models of faith for your children.

© Copyright - Libreria Editrice Vaticana


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Tuesday, July 12, 2016
Dewi Fortuna Membalas Tangisan Ronaldo

gambar dari Frank Fife/AFP


Dewi fortuna datang tiba-tiba. Tidak ada yang bisa memprediksinya. Itulah sebabnya, jika ia datang, banyak yang kaget.

Rasa kaget itu juga yang menghinggapi seantero dunia malam ini di Prancis-Eropa atau pagi-pagi buta waktu Indonesia-Asia. Sungguh, para fans dari Ronaldo dkk merasa kaget. Rasa kaget itu muncul tak lain karena dewi fortuna mengantarnya pada Ronaldo dkk.

Dewi fortuna itulah kekuatan dari klub Portugal pada piala Eropa tahun 2016 ini. Dewi fortuna itu sempat kami perbincangan usai makan malam Minggu kemarin. Teman saya yang Italia menjagokan Prancis. Tetapi, ia tidak yakin.

Katanya, “Saya menjagokan Prancis karena Italia sudah kalah.”
Saya menjawabnya, “Io tifoso per il portogallo, saya menjagokan Portugal.”

Dia lalu menatap sinis, “Prancis lebih kuat dari Portugal.”
“Memang Prancis lebih kuat tetapi dewi fortuna selalu datang membantu Portugal,” balas saya.

Dialog tentang dewi fortuna ini rupanya benar-benar terjadi. Jika benar Prancis menang malam ini, teman saya benar-benar bangga. Meski dia tidak 100% mendukung Prancis, bagaimana pun prediksinya tepat. Sebaliknya, jika Portugal menang, apa yang saya ramalkan, benar-benar terjadi. Jadi, dewi fortuna itu memang lagi-lagi datang pada saya.

gambar dari www.telegraph.co.uk

Saya benar-benar senang dengan kemenangan Ronaldo dan kawan-kawan. Kemenangan yang tak terbayangkan. Memang, itulah ciri-ciri dewi fortuna. Tidak ada yang membayangkannya. Kalau pun ada, bisa jadi benar dan bisa jadi kalah. Sulit memberi prediksi yang lebih dari 50%.

Portugal memang tidak dijagokan. Publik cenderung menjagokan Prancis. Di status media sosial seperti facebook, dukungan untuk Prancis datang bertubi-tubi. Sebelum pertandingan dan saat pertandingan berlangsung.

Dukungan itu semakin kuat, kala Ronaldo harus keluar di menit ke 24. Kepergian Ronaldo seolah-olah menjadi penentu kemengan untuk Prancis. Maka, Portugal pun hampir pasti akan kalah di mata publik. Pandangan publik ini kiranya makin dikuatkan dengan tetesan air mata Ronaldo.

Sejak cedera lutut kiri untuk pertama kalinya, Ronaldo memang sudah meneteskan air mata. Seolah-olah, dia tidak punya harapan lagi. Kehadiran teman-temannya di lapangan untuk membangkitkan semangatnya tak mampu membuatnya bangkit. Dia duduk lemas sambil meminta bantuan.

Dia pun keluar untuk sementara. Di luar, regu kesehatan memberinya semangat. Lantas, dia masuk lagi meski tidak bangkit 100%. Ronaldo memang tak beruntung. Banyak yang berkomentar, dia masuk dengan kekuatan hanya lutut kanan saja. Mengandalkan satu kaki saja memang akan sulit.

perayaan kemenangan 


Kesulitan ini bertambah saat pemain Prancis, Payet, memberinya sekali lagi teken tepat pada lutut kiri. Ronaldo betul-betul hilang harapan. Dia mengekspresikan suasana hatinya bukan saja dengan tetesan air mata lagi. Tetapi, dia mencabut ban kapten dari lengan kirinya. Membuangnya ke lapangan, lalu menjatuhkan diri. Saat itulah dia merasa kalah. Menatap regu kesehatan dengan tatapan kekecewaan. Ronaldo pun dibawa keluar.

Portugal sampai titik ini betul-betul dinilai tak berdaya lagi. Publik pun setuju dengan penilaian ini. Harapan untuk menang telak ada pada pihak Prancis. Puyet dan kawan-kawan merasa akan dengan mudah meraih kemenagan itu. Ini yang terbaca oleh publik.

Kalau pun Prancis akan menang, hati Puyet kiranya tidak tenang. Dialah ujung tombak yang membuat permainan malam ini kurang indah. Payet menguburkan impian publik Portugal untuk melihat langsung aksi idola mereka, Ronaldo. Payet memang merasa tidak tenang. Tekelannya membuatnya tidak bisa bermain indah. Dia pun akhirnya keluar pada menit ke-56. Publik Portugal pun risau.

Kerisauan publik Portugal ini berubah menjadi kekuatan baru bagi pemain Portugal. Setelah menerima ban kapten dari Ronaldo, Nani menjadi pemimpin Portugal di lapangan hijau. Di hadapan penonton Prancis dan Portugal, dia mengarahkan teman-temannya untuk bermain dengan semangat baru. Semangat inilah yang membuat mereka bermain dengan tenang.

Pelatih Portugal Fernando Santos pun dengan tenang membimbing anak asuhnya. Nani, Pepe, Fonte, dan Sanches berusaha untuk mengimbangi permainan Prancis. Nani dan Sanches berjuang dengan sekuat tenaga. Mereka lah yang dengan tenang mengejar bola di segala lini. Depan dan belakang. Sanches dengan kemampuannya berlari kencang dan kelincahan mengocek bola, mampu merebut bola dari para pemain Prancis.

Pepe dan Fonte juga demikian. Mereka berdua berusaha bukan saja menghadang ujung tombak Prancis seperti Griezmann dan Evra, tetapi juga berusaha membuang bola ke depan. Uniknya mereka bermain tenang. Sesekali mereka mengamankan bola di wilayah bek, maju sedikit ke wilayah tenang, atau juga mengembalikan ke penjaga gawang. Inilah cara mereka bertahan.

Usaha Nani dkk pun berbuah. Mereka bisa bertahan imbang sampai babak kedua. Mereka laju ke babak berikutnya yakni 2 kali 15 menit. Di sini, ritme permainannya agak riskan. Siapa yang pertama mencetak gol, dialah yang menang. Tidak ada lobi-lobi lagi.



Dengan tenang juga, Nani dkk mampu menahan imbang laju permainan Prancis yang menguasai 55% pertandingan itu. Boleh dibilang, babak pertama dari pertambahan waktu itu berjalan mulus untuk kedua kesebelasan. Kemenangan itu kiranya muncul di babak kedua dari perpanjangan waktu ini. Hanya berharap pada keuntungan.

Dan benar yang diprediksikan. Keberuntungan, dewi fortuna, itu berpihak pada Nani dkk. Eder yang menggantikan Sanches pada menit ke-79 mampu menjebol gawang tuan rumah Prancis pada menit ke-109. Melewati dua bek Prancis, Eder maju dengan percaya diri yang tinggi. Tendangannya tak mampu dihadang oleh kiper Prancis Hugo Lloris. Bola pun masuk jala pertahan mereka. Portugal menang.
Eder berlari, menjauh dari gawang Prancis. Teman-temannya berlari ikut mengejarnya. Di luar lapangan pelatih dan Ronaldo serta para pemain cadangan berjingkrak-jingkrak merayakan kemenangan ini. Ya, betul-betul kemenangan yang tak terduga.

Dewi fortuna memang datang tak terduga. Ronaldo beruntung lagi. Dewi fortuna betul-betul menjawab keinginannya. Boleh jadi sang dewi, melihat tetesan air mata Ronaldo. Ronaldo ingin mengukir sejarah untuk bangsanya tahun ini. Dan, sejarah itu pun benar-benar terjadi malam ini.

Sejarah itu mengizinkan Ronaldo, Nani, Pepe dkk mengangkat piala kemenangan itu. Di hadapan para petinggi publik sepak bola Eropa, pelatih Portugal, Fernando Santos, mengambil piala. Ronaldo mengangkatnya untuk pertama kali. Lalu, Pepe dan Nani.

Nani dkk menampilkan wajah kerendahan hati yang mendalam. Nani menerima ban kapten dari Ronaldo lalu menyerahkannya pada Ronaldo saat mereka menang. Dengan sikap rendah hatinya ini, Nani menunjukkan pada publik bahwa kemenangan itu adalah keberuntungan. Maka, dia pun tidak ingin tampil sebagai kapten saat mengangkat piala itu. Dia hanya beruntung menjadi kapten dalam pertandingan yang menegangkan ini. Ronaldo tetaplah kapten mereka.

Selamat untuk Ronaldo, Nani, Pepe dkk yang memenangkan pertandingan final Piala Eropa 2016 ini. Parabens.

PRM, 11/7/2016
Gordi

Dipublikasikan pertama kali di kompasiana



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Monday, July 11, 2016
ANGELUS POPE FRANCIS
Saint Peter's Square
Sunday, 3 July 2016




Dear Brothers and Sisters, Good morning!
Today’s Gospel passage, taken from the tenth Chapter of the Gospel of Luke (vv. 1-12, 17-20), makes us consider how necessary it is to invoke God, “the Lord of harvest to send out laborers” (v. 2). The “laborers” whom Jesus speaks of are the missionaries of the Kingdom of God, whom he himself calls and sends on “ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to come” (v. 1). Their task is to proclaim a message of salvation addressed to everyone. Missionaries always proclaim a message of salvation to everyone; not only those missionaries who go afar, but we too, [are] Christian missionaries who express a good word of salvation. This is the gift that Jesus gives us with the Holy Spirit. This message is to say: “The kingdom of God has come near to you” (v. 9), because God has “come near” to us through Jesus; God became one of us; in Jesus, God reigns in our midst, his merciful love overcomes sin and human misery.

This is the Good News that the “laborers” must bring to everyone: a message of hope and comfort, of peace and charity. When Jesus sends the disciples ahead of him into the villages, he tells them: “first, say ‘Peace be to this house!’ [...]; heal the sick in it” (vv. 5, 9). All of this signifies that the Kingdom of God is built day by day and already offers on this earth its fruits of conversion, of purification, of love and of comfort among men. It is a beautiful thing! Building day by day this Kingdom of God that is to be made. Do not destroy, build!

With what spirit must disciples of Jesus carry out this mission? First of all they must be aware of the difficult and sometimes hostile reality that awaits them. Jesus minces no words about this! Jesus says: “I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves” (v. 3). This is very clear. Hostility is always at the beginning of persecutions of Christians; because Jesus knows that the mission is blocked by the work of evil. For this reason, the laborer of the Gospel will strive to be free from every kind of human conditioning, carrying neither purse nor bag nor sandals (cf. v. 4), as Jesus counseled, so as to place reliance solely in the power of the Cross of Jesus Christ. This means abandoning every motive of personal advantage, careerism or hunger for power, and humbly making ourselves instruments of the salvation carried out by Jesus’ sacrifice.

A Christian’s mission in the world is splendid, it is a mission intended for everyone, it is a mission of service, excluding no one; it requires a great deal of generosity and above all setting one’s gaze and heart facing on High, to invoke the Lord’s help. There is a great need for Christians who joyfully witness to the Gospel in everyday life. The disciples, sent out by Jesus, “returned with joy” (v. 17). When we do this, our heart fills with joy. This expression makes me think of how much the Church rejoices, she revels when her children receive the Good News thanks to the dedication of so many men and women who daily proclaim the Gospel: priests — those brave parish priests whom we all know —, nuns, consecrated women, missionary men and women.... I ask myself — listen to the question —: how many of you young people who are now present today in the Square, hear the Lord’s call to follow him? Fear not! Be courageous and bring to others this guiding light of apostolic zeal that these exemplary disciples have given to us.

Let us pray to the Lord, through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, that the Church may never lack generous hearts that work to bring everyone the love and kindness of our heavenly Father.

After the Angelus:
Dear brothers and sisters, I express my closeness to the families of the victims and those injured in the attack that happened yesterday in Dhaka, and also in that which happened in Baghdad. Let us pray together. Let us pray together for them, for the deceased and let us ask the Lord to convert the hearts of the violent blinded by hate. Hail Mary....

I greet all of you, faithful of Rome and pilgrims coming from all over Italy and from other countries.

In the Holy Year of Mercy I dearly recall that next Wednesday we will celebrate the memory of St Maria Goretti, the young martyr who forgave her murderer before she died. This courageous young lady deserves a round of applause from the entire Square!

And I wish everyone a happy Sunday. Please, do not forget to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch. Arrivederci!

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Thursday, July 07, 2016
ANGELUS POPE FRANCIS

SOLEMNITY OF SAINTS PETER AND PAUL, APOSTLES

Saint Peter's Square
Wednesday, 29 June 2016



Dear Brothers and Sisters, Good morning!
Today we celebrate the Feast of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, praising God for their preaching and their witness. On the faith of these two Apostles was founded the Church of Rome, which has always venerated them as Patrons. However, the entire universal Church, which looks to them with admiration, considers them as two pillars and two great lights that shine not only in the sky of Rome, but in the heart of believers of the East and of the West.

In the narrative of the Apostles’ mission, the Gospel tells us that Jesus sent them out two by two (cf. Mt 10:5; Lk 10:1). In a certain sense Peter and Paul too, from the Holy Land, were sent as far as Rome to preach the Gospel. The two men were very different from one another: Peter a “humble fisherman”, Paul a “teacher and doctor”, as recited in today’s liturgy. But if we know Jesus here in Rome, and if the Christian faith is a living and fundamental part of the spiritual patrimony and of the culture of this territory, it is due to the apostolic courage of these two sons of the Near East. Out of love for Christ they left their homeland and, undaunted by the difficulty of the long journey or by the risks and diffidence they were sure to encounter, they arrived in Rome. Here they proclaimed and witnessed to the Gospel among the people, and with their martyrdom they sealed their mission of faith and charity.

Today Peter and Paul return ideally among us, retracing the streets of this City, knocking at the doors of our houses, but above all of our hearts. They want yet again to bring Jesus, his merciful love, his consolation, his peace. We have great need of this! Let us receive their message! Let us treasure their testimony! The sincere and steadfast faith of Peter, the great and universal heart of Paul will help us to be joyful Christians, faithful to the Gospel and open to the encounter with everyone.

During the Holy Mass in St Peter’s Basilica this morning, I blessed the Pallia of the Metropolitan Archbishops appointed this past year, who have come from various countries. I renew my greeting and my prayerful good wishes to them, to their relatives and to those who have accompanied them on this pilgrimage; and I encourage them to continue with joy their mission in service to the Gospel, in communion with the whole Church and especially with the See of Peter, as expressed by the very symbol of the Pallium. In the same celebration, with joy and affection I welcomed the Members of the Delegation who have come to Rome on behalf of the Ecumenical Patriarch, my dearest Brother Bartholomew. This presence, too, is a sign of the fraternal bonds existing between our Churches. Let us pray that the bonds of communion and common witness may be strengthened ever more.

To the Virgin Mary, Salus Populi Romani, let us entrust today the entire world, and in particular the City of Rome, that it might always find in its spiritual and moral wealth and values the foundation of its civil life and of its mission in Italy, in Europe, and in the world.

After the Angelus:
Dear brothers and sisters, last evening, in Istanbul, a brutal terrorist attack was carried out, killing and injuring many people. Let us pray for the victims, for the families and for the dear people of Turkey. May the Lord convert the hearts of violent people and support our steps on the path of peace. Let us all pray in silence.

[A moment of silence]
Hail Mary....

Recently concluded in Rome was the International Conference on impact investing, entitled: “Making the Year of Mercy a Year of Impact for the Poor”. May both private and public investments enable many marginalized people to overcome poverty.

I address a cordial greeting to all of you, families, parish groups, associations and individual faithful from Italy and from many parts of the world, particularly from Spain, Ukraine and China. I greet Catholic-school students from London and from the United States of America, as well as Sisters of the USMI from Lombardy.

Today my greeting goes above all to the faithful of Rome, on the Feast of Sts Peter and Paul, Patrons of the City! For this occasion the Pro Loco of Rome has sponsored the traditional Infiorata, created by various artists and Civil Service volunteers. Thank you for this initiative and for the beautiful floral decorations! I also wish to acknowledge the fireworks display that took place last evening in Piazza del Popolo, the proceeds of which will go to support works of charity in the Holy Land and in countries of the Middle East.

I wish you all a happy feast day, the Feast of the Patron Saints of Rome. Please, do not forget to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch!Arrivederci!


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Sunday, July 03, 2016


Lo sguardo lungo, ricordando questa parola del Signore: ^La messe è molta, ma gli operai sono pochi. Pregate dunque il padrone della messe perché mandi operai per la sua messe. Andate: ecco io vi mando come agnelli in mezzo a lupi; non portate borsa, né bisaccia, né sandali e non salutate nessuno lungo la strada. In qualunque casa entriate, prima dite: Pace a questa casa^. — presso Casatico City-Parma



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