ANGELUS POPE FRANCIS
Saint Peter's Square
Sunday, 10 July 2016
Sunday, 10 July 2016
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| 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 Częstochowa, 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 lÃo — 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!
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