Today is “Sea Sunday.” My thoughts go out to all sailors, fishermen and port workers around the world who, though marked by separation from their loved ones and sometimes by fear of the conflicts occur on the seas, sustain trade and the lives of many peoples through their patient and quiet labor.
Unfortunately, the winds of war are blowing once again in the Middle East, in Ukraine and in many other parts of the world, sowing violence, terror and death, and once again affecting many innocent people. Let us not allow these winds to extinguish the flame of hope and peace, even when it seems fragile and flickering.
I renew my hope that we will persevere on the path of dialogue, encounter and diplomacy. This is the only path capable of leading to a just and lasting peace, in which peoples can live in reconciliation, mutual security and respect for the dignity of every person.
God's generosity towards us is not naïve but wise. He sees within us the potential of a good that, at times, we ourselves might fail to recognize. For this reason, the Lord, who knows the soil of our hearts better than we, never ceases to believe in us—in who we are and in who we can become, day by day, if we entrust ourselves to him in faith. #GospelOfToday (Mt 13:1–23) #Angelus
Lord of life, today we ask for the grace to recognize and protect the unique and unrepeatable value of every human being. May we learn to welcome life unconditionally, to tenderly care for fragility, to accompany each stage with respect, and to bravely defend those who have no voice. Let’s #PrayTogether at https://t.co/VVI6MfRjM5
Root your hearts in the firm foundation of God's love for you. Discover the Heart of Christ, and do not be afraid to build your lives upon Him (1 Jn 4:16). In doing so, you will not only find the fullness you seek, but you will also be able to share with those around you the warmth of God's love and the reconciling power of His grace.
“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens”, says the Lord in the #GospelOfTheDay (Mt 11:25–30). Jesus takes upon himself humanity wounded by evil in order to heal and care for it.
Only in the cross of Jesus is evil overcome; only in his passion does our mortal weariness find consolation and redemption. In slavery, Christ is liberation. Amid the scourge of war, Christ is hope. In the hour of sin, Christ is forgiveness.
There is no love of God without love of neighbor, and there is no neighbor if I do not draw near. To pause, to be moved, to bend down, to weep before another’s pain — as Jesus did — means entering into the dynamic of love, the very movement in which God has revealed himself. https://t.co/Sp8wiXw1Pr
Only mercy can respond, with new beginnings, to the depths of the human heart and to the horrors of war. We have entered a millennium in which we must give spiritual, cultural, legal, political and economic expression to the civilization of love. May the enormity of the suffering we witness help us grasp the radical nature of this call.
Those who have lost their lives in the Mediterranean Sea are victims both of decisions that were made and of decisions that were not made. Indifference to the common good and corruption in their countries of origin; a global economic system that generates poverty and exclusion; fear that fuels prejudice and contempt; the belief that such problems do not concern us; the criminal calculations of those who profit from the suffering of others; the slow and difficult transition from mere emergency management to the development of comprehensive and shared policies. #PastoralVisit #Lampedusa
I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all Americans on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This anniversary stands as an invitation not only to celebrate the nation’s remarkable journey, but also to reflect upon the responsibilities that the sons and daughters of this country bear to one another, and to the generations who will inherit the nation that is being shaped today. https://t.co/jIio4BBg9v
Among the principles that have guided the development of this country is the God-given dignity of every human life, each person being endowed with an inherent worth that calls for reverence, protection and care. In this spirit, a full understanding of this dignity leads to recognizing the importance of safeguarding human life from its beginning at conception until natural death, and of building a society in which the vulnerable, the suffering and the forgotten are always met with compassion, solidarity and love.
Defending human life also includes welcoming, protecting and assisting immigrants, whose hopes, sacrifices and contribution have formed part of the history of this country from its very beginning. In every generation, those who have arrived seeking freedom, opportunity and a place to belong have helped to shape the nation’s character. To receive them with compassion and generosity is not only an act of charity, but also a recognition of the dignity that belongs to every human person.
Authentic freedom is founded upon the human person’s capacity to know the truth and adhere to what is good, even at great cost.
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A country’s vitality is deeply tied to the value it affords to human life in every form and condition, acknowledging the dignity endowed upon every human person by virtue of their very existence. The moral greatness of a nation is manifested, above all, in its capacity to support, protect and cherish the lives of all, especially the most vulnerable and those whose worth is questioned.
If technology becomes the ultimate criterion, the human person risks being reduced to data, a cog in a machine or a commodity. If, however, technology is integrated with a wise perspective, it can become an instrument of growth, justice and fraternity. #MagnificaHumanitas
The need for greater cooperation amongst Christians in the face of today’s challenges - peace, the proper use of new technologies and care for creation - stems from the Gospel of Jesus Christ itself. Our responsibility for the life and dignity of every human being, especially the youngest and most needy, is the criterion that will determine our present and eternal destiny (Mt 25:31–46). #ChristianUnity
Today we celebrate the Peter's Pence collection. I sincerely thank all those who, through their generosity, support my ministry as the Successor of Peter. Let us continue to walk together in faith and communion.