Pope Francis considered this Sunday that “poverty is a scandal” and asked that “the cry of pain of the most needy, suffocated by the general indifference of a busy and distracted society,” be heard.
During the mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, on the occasion of the VII World Day of the Poor, Pope Francis reflected on poverty in the world.
“Let us think of so much material, cultural and spiritual poverty in our world, of the wounded lives that inhabit our cities, of the poor who have become invisible, whose cry of pain is drowned out by the general indifference of a busy and distracted population.” said the pontiff.
This Sunday Francis is scheduled to have lunch at the Vatican with a group of 1,200 homeless, disabled and refugees.
Many of Francis’ lunch guests were present this morning at the mass presided over by the Pope, along with 26 cardinals, 12 bishops and 150 priests.
In his homily, which he delivered while sitting due to knee pain, the Pope used the “parable of the talents” to explain the importance of each of us, according to our abilities and possibilities, helping the less fortunate.
“The parable tells us that the first two servants multiplied the gift received, the love of the Lord, while the third, instead of trusting his master, was afraid of him and remained paralyzed, ending up burying his talent. We can multiply what we receive, making our lives an offering of love for others, or on the contrary, we can live blocked by fear, hiding the treasure received underground, thinking only of ourselves, without committing ourselves,” he said.
And he continued: “On this World Day of the Poor, the parable of the talents serves as a warning to us to check with what spirit we face the path of life. We receive from the Lord the gift of his love and we are called. be a gift to others.”
The luncheon, organized by the Dicastery for Charity and offered this year by Hilton hotels, is scheduled to take place after the Angelus prayer.
The World Day of the Poor is celebrated at the initiative of Francis “to urge the Church to ‘come out’ of its walls and confront poverty in the multiple meanings in which it manifests itself in the world today,” according to the Vatican, which during This week he organized several initiatives to help those most in need.
Source: TSF
