At the conclusion of the Mass celebrated on the occasion of the second World Day of the Poor, the Holy Father, Pope Francis appeared at the window of his study in the Vatican Apostolic Palace to recite the Angelus with the faithful and with pilgrims gathered in Saint Peter's Square.
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
In the gospel passage for this Sunday (cf Mk 13:24-32), the Lord wants to teach his disciples about future events. This is not primarily a speech about the end of the world, rather, it is an invitation to live well in the present, and to be vigilant and always ready for the moment when we will be called to give an account of our lives. Jesus says: In those days, after the tribulations, the sun will be obscured, the moon will no longer give its light, the stars will fall from the sky (Mk 13:24-25). These words make us think about the first page of the Book of Genesis, the account of creation: the sun, the moon, the stars that from the very beginning of time have shone in their order and given off light, signs of life; here they are described in the process of decline, while we are being plunged into darkness and chaos, a sign of the end times. Instead, the light which on that final day will shine will be the only light and a new light: it will be the light of the Lord Jesus who we will see in glory with all the saints. In that meeting we will finally see his Face in the full light of the Trinity; a Face that is radiant with love, before which every human being will also appear in the fullness of truth.
The history of humanity, like the personal history of each one of us, can not be understood as a simple succession of words and facts that do not make sense. It can not even be interpreted in the light of a fatalistic vision, as if everything were already pre-established according to a destiny that subtracts every space of freedom, preventing the making of choices that are the result of a true decision. In today's Gospel, rather, Jesus says that the history of peoples and of individuals have a goal and a goal to be reached: the definitive encounter with the Lord. We do not know the time nor the ways in which it will happen; the Lord has reiterated that no one knows, neither the angels in the sky nor the Son (Mk 13:32); everything is kept in the secret of the mystery of the Father. We know, however, a fundamental principle which we must confront: Heaven and earth will pass away - says Jesus - but my words will not pass away (Mk 13:31). The real crucial point is this. On that day, each of us will have to understand if the Word of the Son of God has enlightened his personal existence, or if he has turned his back on it, preferring to trust in his own words. More than ever before, that will be he moment in which we will have to abandon ourselves definitively to the love of the Father and entrust ourselves to his mercy.
No one can escape this moment, none of us! The cleverness, which we often put into our behaviour to enhance the image we want to offer, will no longer be needed; in the same way, the power of money and economic means with which we presume to purchase everything and everyone, will no longer be used. We will have with us nothing but what we have achieved in this life by believing in his Word: everything and the nothingness of what we have experienced or neglected to accomplish. We will only bring with us what we have given.
Let us invoke the intercession of the Virgin Mary, so that the constancy of our preparedness here on earth and of our limits may not cause us to give into anguish, but rather recall us to our responsibility toward ourselves, toward our neighbour, toward everyone.
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today, on the occasion of the World Day of the Poor, I celebrated a Mass this morning in Saint Peter's Basilica in the presence of the poor, who were accompanied by various associations and parish groups. In a little while, I will share lunch with many people in need, in the Paul VI Hall. Similar initiatives of prayer and sharing are also being promoted in other dioceses throughout the world, to express the closeness of the Christian community to those living in poverty. This Day, which involves more and more parishes, associations and ecclesial movements, is intended to be a sign of hope and a stimulus to become instruments of mercy in the social fabric of life.
With sadness I have learned the news of the massacre carried out two days ago in a refugee camp in the Central African Republic, in which two priests were also killed. To these people, who are dear to me, where I opened the first Holy Door of the Year of Mercy, I express my closeness and my love. We must pray for the dead and the wounded and that all violence will cease in that beloved country which is in great need of peace. Let us pray together to Our Lady ... (Hail Mary ...)
A special prayer goes out to those who have been affected by the fires that are scourging California, and also to the victims of frost on the east coast of the United States. May the Lord welcome the dead into his peace, comfort their family members and support those who commit themselves to helping those in need.
And now I greet you, families, parishes, associations and individual faithful, who have come from Italy and from many parts of the world. In particular, I greet the pilgrims from Union City and Brooklyn, those from Puerto Rico with the Bishop of Ponce and the group of priests from Campanha (Brazil) who are here with their Bishop; as well as the companions of the Marian shrines throughout the world, the Italian Confederation of the Catholic schools, the faithful from Crotone and the choir from Roncegno Terme.
I wish you all a good Sunday. And please, don't forget to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch and good bye!
(Original text in Italian)
Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
prior to the recitation of the Angelus
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
In the gospel passage for this Sunday (cf Mk 13:24-32), the Lord wants to teach his disciples about future events. This is not primarily a speech about the end of the world, rather, it is an invitation to live well in the present, and to be vigilant and always ready for the moment when we will be called to give an account of our lives. Jesus says: In those days, after the tribulations, the sun will be obscured, the moon will no longer give its light, the stars will fall from the sky (Mk 13:24-25). These words make us think about the first page of the Book of Genesis, the account of creation: the sun, the moon, the stars that from the very beginning of time have shone in their order and given off light, signs of life; here they are described in the process of decline, while we are being plunged into darkness and chaos, a sign of the end times. Instead, the light which on that final day will shine will be the only light and a new light: it will be the light of the Lord Jesus who we will see in glory with all the saints. In that meeting we will finally see his Face in the full light of the Trinity; a Face that is radiant with love, before which every human being will also appear in the fullness of truth.
The history of humanity, like the personal history of each one of us, can not be understood as a simple succession of words and facts that do not make sense. It can not even be interpreted in the light of a fatalistic vision, as if everything were already pre-established according to a destiny that subtracts every space of freedom, preventing the making of choices that are the result of a true decision. In today's Gospel, rather, Jesus says that the history of peoples and of individuals have a goal and a goal to be reached: the definitive encounter with the Lord. We do not know the time nor the ways in which it will happen; the Lord has reiterated that no one knows, neither the angels in the sky nor the Son (Mk 13:32); everything is kept in the secret of the mystery of the Father. We know, however, a fundamental principle which we must confront: Heaven and earth will pass away - says Jesus - but my words will not pass away (Mk 13:31). The real crucial point is this. On that day, each of us will have to understand if the Word of the Son of God has enlightened his personal existence, or if he has turned his back on it, preferring to trust in his own words. More than ever before, that will be he moment in which we will have to abandon ourselves definitively to the love of the Father and entrust ourselves to his mercy.
No one can escape this moment, none of us! The cleverness, which we often put into our behaviour to enhance the image we want to offer, will no longer be needed; in the same way, the power of money and economic means with which we presume to purchase everything and everyone, will no longer be used. We will have with us nothing but what we have achieved in this life by believing in his Word: everything and the nothingness of what we have experienced or neglected to accomplish. We will only bring with us what we have given.
Let us invoke the intercession of the Virgin Mary, so that the constancy of our preparedness here on earth and of our limits may not cause us to give into anguish, but rather recall us to our responsibility toward ourselves, toward our neighbour, toward everyone.
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today, on the occasion of the World Day of the Poor, I celebrated a Mass this morning in Saint Peter's Basilica in the presence of the poor, who were accompanied by various associations and parish groups. In a little while, I will share lunch with many people in need, in the Paul VI Hall. Similar initiatives of prayer and sharing are also being promoted in other dioceses throughout the world, to express the closeness of the Christian community to those living in poverty. This Day, which involves more and more parishes, associations and ecclesial movements, is intended to be a sign of hope and a stimulus to become instruments of mercy in the social fabric of life.
With sadness I have learned the news of the massacre carried out two days ago in a refugee camp in the Central African Republic, in which two priests were also killed. To these people, who are dear to me, where I opened the first Holy Door of the Year of Mercy, I express my closeness and my love. We must pray for the dead and the wounded and that all violence will cease in that beloved country which is in great need of peace. Let us pray together to Our Lady ... (Hail Mary ...)
A special prayer goes out to those who have been affected by the fires that are scourging California, and also to the victims of frost on the east coast of the United States. May the Lord welcome the dead into his peace, comfort their family members and support those who commit themselves to helping those in need.
And now I greet you, families, parishes, associations and individual faithful, who have come from Italy and from many parts of the world. In particular, I greet the pilgrims from Union City and Brooklyn, those from Puerto Rico with the Bishop of Ponce and the group of priests from Campanha (Brazil) who are here with their Bishop; as well as the companions of the Marian shrines throughout the world, the Italian Confederation of the Catholic schools, the faithful from Crotone and the choir from Roncegno Terme.
I wish you all a good Sunday. And please, don't forget to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch and good bye!
(Original text in Italian)
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