This morning's General Audience began at 10:00am in Saint Peter's Square, where the Holy Father, Pope Francis met with groups of pilgrims and the faithful from Italy and from every corner of the world.
During his speech, the Pope continued his catechesis on mercy from the perspective of the bible.
After having summarized his catechesis in various languages, Pope Francis addressed particular greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance. Then, he called for prayer on the occasion of the XXIV World Day of the Sick which will be observed tomorrow, the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lourdes, which this year will be celebrated solemnly in Nazareth.
The General Audience concluded with the chanting of the Pater Noster and the Apostolic Blessing.
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning
I wish you a good journey through Lent!
It is good and also significant to hold this audience on Ash Wednesday. We begin today the journey of Lent, and today we focus on the ancient concept of jubilee; it is something ancient, spoken of in the Holy Scriptures. We find references especially in the Book of Leviticus, which presents it as a culminating moment in the religious and social life of the people of Israel.
Every fifty years, on the day of expiation (Lv 25:9), when the mercy of the Lord would be invoked over all the people, the sound of a horn would announce a great event of liberation. In fact, we read in the book of Leviticus: The fiftieth year you will declare holy and proclaim freedom throughout the land for all its inhabitants. It will be for you a jubilee; every one of you will return property to its rightful owners and slaves to their families ... In this year of jubilee, each of you will return to your own property (Lv 25:10, 13). According to these directives, if someone was forced to sell his land or his house, during the jubilee he could have it returned to him; and if someone had contracted a dept and found it impossible to pay off that debt, perhaps he would place himself at the service of the debtor, but could regain his freedom, return to his family and regain all his lost property.
It was a kind of general amnesty that would allow everyone to return to the original situation, with the cancellation of all debts, the restitution of land and the possibility of enjoying once again the freedom that belongs to every member of the people of God. A holy people, where requirements such as those of the jubilee would serve to fight against poverty and inequality, to guarantee a dignified life for all and an equal distribution of the land on which they lived and from which they drew their sustenance. The central concept is that the land belonged originally to God and was confided to human beings (cf Gn 1:28-29), and for this reason, no one could claim it for their exclusive possession, effectively creating a situation of inequality. Therefore, today we can think and rethink this concept; every one of us in our hearts can think whether we have too many possessions. Why not give some of them to those who have nothing? Ten percent, fifty percent ... I say: may the Holy Spirit inspire every one of you.
With the jubilee, those who had become poor could return to having the necessities of life, and those who had become rich returned to the poor that which had been taken from them. In the end, there was a society based on equality and solidarity, where freedom, the earth and money were seen as goods for all people and not only for the few, as is now the case, if I am not mistaken ... More or less, the numbers are not exact, but eighty percent of humanity's resources are in the hands of less than twenty percent of the population. This is a jubilee - and I say this, mindful of our salvation history - to be converted, so that our hearts can become even larger, more generous, and that we can be more effectively children of God, and more loving. I tell you one thing: if this desire, if the jubilee does not reach into people's pockets, it is not a true jubilee. Do you understand? This is in the bible. The Pope didn't invent it: it's in the bible. In the end - as I have said - there was one society based on equality and solidarity, where freedom, the land and money were seen as a good belonging to all and not to just a few. In fact, the jubilee had the function of helping the people to live in concrete fraternity, created out of mutual help. We can say that the biblical jubilee was a jubilee of mercy, because it was lived in an attitude of sincere searching for the good of brothers and sisters in need.
Along the same lines, other institutions and other laws which govern the life of the people of God because we can experience the mercy of God through the mercy of others. In those norms, we find directives that are still valid today, that cause us to reflect. For example, the biblical law prescribed the payment of tithes which were intended for the Levites, those in charge of acts of worship, those who were without land, the poor, orphans and widows (cf Deut 14:22-29). It was expected that a tenth of the harvest, or of the proceeds from other activities, would be given to those who had no protection and found themselves in a state of need, as well as to foster conditions of relative equality within the people, within which everyone was expected to behave as brothers.
There was also a law concerning the first fruits. What were these? The first part of the harvest, the most precious part, had to be shared with the Levites and with strangers (cf Deut 18:4-5; 26:1-11), who had no fields, so that even for them, the land served as a font of nourishment and life. The earth is mine and you are but aliens and guests, says the Lord (Lv 25:23). We are all guests of the Lord, waiting for the heavenly pasture (cf Heb 11:13-16; 1 Peter 2:11), called to make our world more habitable and humane. And how many first fruits those who were more fortunate could donate to those who were in need! How many first fruits! The best not only of the fruits of the fields, but of every other fruit of human labour, wages, savings and so many other things that people possessed and which sometimes were even wasted. The same thing happens still today. In the offices of the Apostolic almsgiver, we receive many letters that include a little bit of money: This is a part of my pay to help others. This is beautiful; to help others, benevolent institutions, hospitals, homes for the aged ... to give also to strangers, to those who are strangers and travelling. Jesus was once a traveler in Egypt.
It is good to think about this, Sacred Scripture insistently challenges us to respond generously to the requests for loans, without making petty calculations and without charging impossible rates of interest: If your brother, who is loved by you finds himself in trouble and deprived of resources, help him as you would a stranger or a guest, even so that he may live with you. Do not take interest from him, nor his tools; but fear your God who makes it possible for your brother to live with you. Do not exhort from him either money or interest, nor your food at a profit (Lv 25:35-37). This teaching still applies today. How many families are on the streets, victims of being used! Please, I beg you, during this Jubilee of the Lord, let us cut away from the hearts of all, this desire to have more, to use people. May we return to being generous, truly great. How many situations of usury there are, and how much suffering and anguish families have to bear! Many times, in desperation, many people end up facing suicide because they cannot make it and they do not have hope, they have no hands to help them, only hands that force them to pay interest. This is a grave sin of usury, a sin that cries in God's presence. Instead, the Lord has promised his blessing to those who open their hands to give in gratitude (cf Deut 15:10). He will give you double, maybe not in money but in other ways, but the Lord will always give you double.
Dear brothers and sisters, the biblical message is very clear: open yourselves courageously to share with others, and this is true mercy! If we seek God's mercy, let us begin by being merciful ourselves. This is the point: let us begin to be merciful toward our fellow citizens, in our families, among peoples, among various continents. Contributing to the accomplishment of a world without poverty means building a society that is void of discrimination, based on solidarity that leads to sharing what we have, to the sharing of resources based on fraternity and justice. Thank you.
This catechesis was then summarized in various languages and translated into various languages. The Holy Father also offered greetings to each group of the faithful who were in attendance. To English-speaking visitors, he said:
I warmly greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, in particular those from England, Ireland, Croatia, Taiwan and the United States of America. I wish you a good Lenten journey, filled with acts of mercy, especially in this Jubilee Year. May God bless you all!
Finally, the Pope asked for prayers on the occasion of the World Day of the Sick:
Tomorrow, during the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lourdes, we will celebrate the XXIV World Day of the Sick, the celebration of which will culminate in Nazareth. In my message for this year, I reflected on the irreplaceable role of Mary at the wedding of Cana: Do whatever he asks of you (Jn 2:5). In Mary's concern, we see God's tenderness and the immense goodness of the Merciful Jesus reflected. I invite you to pray for the sick and to allow them to hear of our love. May this same tenderness of the heart of Mary also be present in the lives of so many people who find themselves working with the sick, tending to their needs, even those whose sufferings are hidden, so that they might be seen by eyes that are full of love.
During his speech, the Pope continued his catechesis on mercy from the perspective of the bible.
After having summarized his catechesis in various languages, Pope Francis addressed particular greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance. Then, he called for prayer on the occasion of the XXIV World Day of the Sick which will be observed tomorrow, the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lourdes, which this year will be celebrated solemnly in Nazareth.
The General Audience concluded with the chanting of the Pater Noster and the Apostolic Blessing.
Catechesis of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
for the General Audience
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning
I wish you a good journey through Lent!
It is good and also significant to hold this audience on Ash Wednesday. We begin today the journey of Lent, and today we focus on the ancient concept of jubilee; it is something ancient, spoken of in the Holy Scriptures. We find references especially in the Book of Leviticus, which presents it as a culminating moment in the religious and social life of the people of Israel.
Every fifty years, on the day of expiation (Lv 25:9), when the mercy of the Lord would be invoked over all the people, the sound of a horn would announce a great event of liberation. In fact, we read in the book of Leviticus: The fiftieth year you will declare holy and proclaim freedom throughout the land for all its inhabitants. It will be for you a jubilee; every one of you will return property to its rightful owners and slaves to their families ... In this year of jubilee, each of you will return to your own property (Lv 25:10, 13). According to these directives, if someone was forced to sell his land or his house, during the jubilee he could have it returned to him; and if someone had contracted a dept and found it impossible to pay off that debt, perhaps he would place himself at the service of the debtor, but could regain his freedom, return to his family and regain all his lost property.
It was a kind of general amnesty that would allow everyone to return to the original situation, with the cancellation of all debts, the restitution of land and the possibility of enjoying once again the freedom that belongs to every member of the people of God. A holy people, where requirements such as those of the jubilee would serve to fight against poverty and inequality, to guarantee a dignified life for all and an equal distribution of the land on which they lived and from which they drew their sustenance. The central concept is that the land belonged originally to God and was confided to human beings (cf Gn 1:28-29), and for this reason, no one could claim it for their exclusive possession, effectively creating a situation of inequality. Therefore, today we can think and rethink this concept; every one of us in our hearts can think whether we have too many possessions. Why not give some of them to those who have nothing? Ten percent, fifty percent ... I say: may the Holy Spirit inspire every one of you.
With the jubilee, those who had become poor could return to having the necessities of life, and those who had become rich returned to the poor that which had been taken from them. In the end, there was a society based on equality and solidarity, where freedom, the earth and money were seen as goods for all people and not only for the few, as is now the case, if I am not mistaken ... More or less, the numbers are not exact, but eighty percent of humanity's resources are in the hands of less than twenty percent of the population. This is a jubilee - and I say this, mindful of our salvation history - to be converted, so that our hearts can become even larger, more generous, and that we can be more effectively children of God, and more loving. I tell you one thing: if this desire, if the jubilee does not reach into people's pockets, it is not a true jubilee. Do you understand? This is in the bible. The Pope didn't invent it: it's in the bible. In the end - as I have said - there was one society based on equality and solidarity, where freedom, the land and money were seen as a good belonging to all and not to just a few. In fact, the jubilee had the function of helping the people to live in concrete fraternity, created out of mutual help. We can say that the biblical jubilee was a jubilee of mercy, because it was lived in an attitude of sincere searching for the good of brothers and sisters in need.
Along the same lines, other institutions and other laws which govern the life of the people of God because we can experience the mercy of God through the mercy of others. In those norms, we find directives that are still valid today, that cause us to reflect. For example, the biblical law prescribed the payment of tithes which were intended for the Levites, those in charge of acts of worship, those who were without land, the poor, orphans and widows (cf Deut 14:22-29). It was expected that a tenth of the harvest, or of the proceeds from other activities, would be given to those who had no protection and found themselves in a state of need, as well as to foster conditions of relative equality within the people, within which everyone was expected to behave as brothers.
There was also a law concerning the first fruits. What were these? The first part of the harvest, the most precious part, had to be shared with the Levites and with strangers (cf Deut 18:4-5; 26:1-11), who had no fields, so that even for them, the land served as a font of nourishment and life. The earth is mine and you are but aliens and guests, says the Lord (Lv 25:23). We are all guests of the Lord, waiting for the heavenly pasture (cf Heb 11:13-16; 1 Peter 2:11), called to make our world more habitable and humane. And how many first fruits those who were more fortunate could donate to those who were in need! How many first fruits! The best not only of the fruits of the fields, but of every other fruit of human labour, wages, savings and so many other things that people possessed and which sometimes were even wasted. The same thing happens still today. In the offices of the Apostolic almsgiver, we receive many letters that include a little bit of money: This is a part of my pay to help others. This is beautiful; to help others, benevolent institutions, hospitals, homes for the aged ... to give also to strangers, to those who are strangers and travelling. Jesus was once a traveler in Egypt.
It is good to think about this, Sacred Scripture insistently challenges us to respond generously to the requests for loans, without making petty calculations and without charging impossible rates of interest: If your brother, who is loved by you finds himself in trouble and deprived of resources, help him as you would a stranger or a guest, even so that he may live with you. Do not take interest from him, nor his tools; but fear your God who makes it possible for your brother to live with you. Do not exhort from him either money or interest, nor your food at a profit (Lv 25:35-37). This teaching still applies today. How many families are on the streets, victims of being used! Please, I beg you, during this Jubilee of the Lord, let us cut away from the hearts of all, this desire to have more, to use people. May we return to being generous, truly great. How many situations of usury there are, and how much suffering and anguish families have to bear! Many times, in desperation, many people end up facing suicide because they cannot make it and they do not have hope, they have no hands to help them, only hands that force them to pay interest. This is a grave sin of usury, a sin that cries in God's presence. Instead, the Lord has promised his blessing to those who open their hands to give in gratitude (cf Deut 15:10). He will give you double, maybe not in money but in other ways, but the Lord will always give you double.
Dear brothers and sisters, the biblical message is very clear: open yourselves courageously to share with others, and this is true mercy! If we seek God's mercy, let us begin by being merciful ourselves. This is the point: let us begin to be merciful toward our fellow citizens, in our families, among peoples, among various continents. Contributing to the accomplishment of a world without poverty means building a society that is void of discrimination, based on solidarity that leads to sharing what we have, to the sharing of resources based on fraternity and justice. Thank you.
This catechesis was then summarized in various languages and translated into various languages. The Holy Father also offered greetings to each group of the faithful who were in attendance. To English-speaking visitors, he said:
I warmly greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, in particular those from England, Ireland, Croatia, Taiwan and the United States of America. I wish you a good Lenten journey, filled with acts of mercy, especially in this Jubilee Year. May God bless you all!
Finally, the Pope asked for prayers on the occasion of the World Day of the Sick:
Tomorrow, during the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lourdes, we will celebrate the XXIV World Day of the Sick, the celebration of which will culminate in Nazareth. In my message for this year, I reflected on the irreplaceable role of Mary at the wedding of Cana: Do whatever he asks of you (Jn 2:5). In Mary's concern, we see God's tenderness and the immense goodness of the Merciful Jesus reflected. I invite you to pray for the sick and to allow them to hear of our love. May this same tenderness of the heart of Mary also be present in the lives of so many people who find themselves working with the sick, tending to their needs, even those whose sufferings are hidden, so that they might be seen by eyes that are full of love.
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