At noon today, the Holy Father, Pope Francis appeared at the window of his study in the Apostolic Palace to recite the Angelus with the faithful and with pilgrims gathered in Saint Peter's Square for the usual Sunday appointment.
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Today, the liturgy presents the parable of the good Samaritan, from the Gospel of Luke (10:25-37). In this simple yet inspiring story, we see a lifestyle, whose focus is not on us ourselves, but on others, with their difficulties which we encounter on our journey, difficulties that challenge us. Others challenge us. When others do not challenge us, there is something wrong: something in that heart is not Christian. Jesus uses this parable in his dialogue with a lawyer, concerning the two-fold commandment that permits entry into eternal life: love God with all your heart and love your neighbour as you love yourself (Lk 10:25-28). Yes - the lawyer replied - but tell me, who is my neighbour? (Lk 10:29). We too can ask ourselves this question: who is my neighbour? Who must I love as I love myself? My relatives? My friends? My fellow citizens? Those who share my religion? ... Who is my neighbour?
And Jesus responds with this parable. A man, travelling along the road from Jerusalem to Jericho, was attacked by bandits, mistreated and then abandoned. Along the way, there came first a priest and then a Levite, both of whom, even though they saw the wounded man, did not stop but kept on going (Lk 10:31-32). Then, there came a Samaritan, an inhabitant of Samaria, and as such, one who was despised by Jews because Samaritans did not observe the true religion, yet it was he, he himself, when he saw that poor wretch had compassion for him. He drew close to him, he bandaged his wounds ..., he took him to an inn and took care of him (Lk 10:33-34); and on the following day, he entrusted him to the care of the innkeeper, paid for him and said that he would pay any further expenses (cf Lk 10:35).
At this point, Jesus turned to the lawyer and asked: Which of these three - the priest, the Levite or the Samaritan - do you think was a neighbour to the one who fell into the hands of the bandits? And the lawyer, naturally - since he was intelligent - responded: The one who had compassion for him (Lk 10:36-37). In this way, Jesus completely overturned the lawyer's initial perspective - and ours as well! -: we should not rely on others to decide who is my neighbour and who is not. It is up to each one of us to either be close to others or not - the decision is mine - it is up to me to be close or not to be close to the person or people that we encounter and who need our help, even if they are strangers or hostile. And Jesus concluded: Go, and do the same (Lk 10:37). This is a good lesson! And it is repeated to each one of us too: Go, and do the same, go and be close to your brothers and your sisters, the ones you see are in difficulty. Go, and you too, do the same. Do good works, don't only speak good words that float away in the wind. There is a song that comes to my mind: Words, words, words. No. Do, do. And through your good works, done with love and joy for others, our faith will take root and bear fruit. Let us ask ourselves - every one of us answer in our own hearts - let us ask ourselves: does our faith bear fruit? Does our faith produce good works? Or rather is it sterile, and therefore more dead than alive? Do I draw close to others or do I simply pass by them? Am I the kind of person who chooses people according to my own pleasure? It is good to ask ourselves these questions, and to ask them often, because in the end, we will be judged based on our works of mercy. The Lord will say to us: But you, do you remember that time on the road between Jerusalem and Jericho? That man who was half dead was me. Do you remember? That hungry child was me. Do you remember? That migrant that many others wanted to chase away was me. Those old women who were alone, abandoned in homes for the aged, that was me. That sick person who was alone in hospital, who no one would visit, that was me.
May the Virgin Mary help us to journey along the way of love, generous love toward others, the same road as the good Samaritan. May she help us to live the most important commandment that Christ left us. This is the path we must walk in order to enter into eternal life.
Following the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today is Sea Sunday, in support of those who provide pastoral care to seafarers. I encourage all seafarers and fishermen in their work, which is at times difficult and risky, as well as all the chaplains and volunteers who are involved in this providing this precious service. May Mary, the Star of the Sea, watch over you!
And I greet you all, faithful of Rome and from many other parts of Italy and the world.
I extend a special greeting to the pilgrims from Puerto Rico; to the Polish people who have just completed a relay race from Krakow to Rome - bravo! - and all the participants taking part in the large pilgrimage of those belonging to the Family of Radio Maria to the Shrine of Częstochowa, now in its 25th year. I also hear some of my fellow countrymen who are not very quiet. To all the Argentinians who are here, and making lots of noise - que hacen lío (making a mess) - I extend a special greeting!
I greet the families from the Dioceses of Adria-Rovigo, the Religious Daughters of Charity of the Precious Blood, the Secular Teresian Order, the faithful from Limbiate and the John Paul II Missionary Community.
I wish you all a good Sunday, and a warm Sunday! Please don't forget to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch and good bye!
Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
prior to the recitation of the Angelus
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Today, the liturgy presents the parable of the good Samaritan, from the Gospel of Luke (10:25-37). In this simple yet inspiring story, we see a lifestyle, whose focus is not on us ourselves, but on others, with their difficulties which we encounter on our journey, difficulties that challenge us. Others challenge us. When others do not challenge us, there is something wrong: something in that heart is not Christian. Jesus uses this parable in his dialogue with a lawyer, concerning the two-fold commandment that permits entry into eternal life: love God with all your heart and love your neighbour as you love yourself (Lk 10:25-28). Yes - the lawyer replied - but tell me, who is my neighbour? (Lk 10:29). We too can ask ourselves this question: who is my neighbour? Who must I love as I love myself? My relatives? My friends? My fellow citizens? Those who share my religion? ... Who is my neighbour?
And Jesus responds with this parable. A man, travelling along the road from Jerusalem to Jericho, was attacked by bandits, mistreated and then abandoned. Along the way, there came first a priest and then a Levite, both of whom, even though they saw the wounded man, did not stop but kept on going (Lk 10:31-32). Then, there came a Samaritan, an inhabitant of Samaria, and as such, one who was despised by Jews because Samaritans did not observe the true religion, yet it was he, he himself, when he saw that poor wretch had compassion for him. He drew close to him, he bandaged his wounds ..., he took him to an inn and took care of him (Lk 10:33-34); and on the following day, he entrusted him to the care of the innkeeper, paid for him and said that he would pay any further expenses (cf Lk 10:35).
At this point, Jesus turned to the lawyer and asked: Which of these three - the priest, the Levite or the Samaritan - do you think was a neighbour to the one who fell into the hands of the bandits? And the lawyer, naturally - since he was intelligent - responded: The one who had compassion for him (Lk 10:36-37). In this way, Jesus completely overturned the lawyer's initial perspective - and ours as well! -: we should not rely on others to decide who is my neighbour and who is not. It is up to each one of us to either be close to others or not - the decision is mine - it is up to me to be close or not to be close to the person or people that we encounter and who need our help, even if they are strangers or hostile. And Jesus concluded: Go, and do the same (Lk 10:37). This is a good lesson! And it is repeated to each one of us too: Go, and do the same, go and be close to your brothers and your sisters, the ones you see are in difficulty. Go, and you too, do the same. Do good works, don't only speak good words that float away in the wind. There is a song that comes to my mind: Words, words, words. No. Do, do. And through your good works, done with love and joy for others, our faith will take root and bear fruit. Let us ask ourselves - every one of us answer in our own hearts - let us ask ourselves: does our faith bear fruit? Does our faith produce good works? Or rather is it sterile, and therefore more dead than alive? Do I draw close to others or do I simply pass by them? Am I the kind of person who chooses people according to my own pleasure? It is good to ask ourselves these questions, and to ask them often, because in the end, we will be judged based on our works of mercy. The Lord will say to us: But you, do you remember that time on the road between Jerusalem and Jericho? That man who was half dead was me. Do you remember? That hungry child was me. Do you remember? That migrant that many others wanted to chase away was me. Those old women who were alone, abandoned in homes for the aged, that was me. That sick person who was alone in hospital, who no one would visit, that was me.
May the Virgin Mary help us to journey along the way of love, generous love toward others, the same road as the good Samaritan. May she help us to live the most important commandment that Christ left us. This is the path we must walk in order to enter into eternal life.
Following the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today is Sea Sunday, in support of those who provide pastoral care to seafarers. I encourage all seafarers and fishermen in their work, which is at times difficult and risky, as well as all the chaplains and volunteers who are involved in this providing this precious service. May Mary, the Star of the Sea, watch over you!
And I greet you all, faithful of Rome and from many other parts of Italy and the world.
I extend a special greeting to the pilgrims from Puerto Rico; to the Polish people who have just completed a relay race from Krakow to Rome - bravo! - and all the participants taking part in the large pilgrimage of those belonging to the Family of Radio Maria to the Shrine of Częstochowa, now in its 25th year. I also hear some of my fellow countrymen who are not very quiet. To all the Argentinians who are here, and making lots of noise - que hacen lío (making a mess) - I extend a special greeting!
I greet the families from the Dioceses of Adria-Rovigo, the Religious Daughters of Charity of the Precious Blood, the Secular Teresian Order, the faithful from Limbiate and the John Paul II Missionary Community.
I wish you all a good Sunday, and a warm Sunday! Please don't forget to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch and good bye!
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