Pope Francis asked this Sunday to pray for those affected by the wars that plague the world and urged the faithful to come out of indifference and laziness and do good, “getting their hands dirty.”
“At the beginning of this year, we need hope, as the earth needs rain,” the pope said during the first mass of the year at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.
The Pope recalled the victims of the conflicts taking place on the planet, asking the faithful to pray for “the children who suffer and no longer have the strength to pray, for the brothers and sisters affected by the war in many parts of the world , who live these days of celebration in the dark and in the open, in misery and fear, submerged in violence and indifference”.
“In order to welcome God and his peace, we cannot remain motionless and comfortable waiting for things to improve,” he stressed.
The leader of the Catholic Church challenged people, at the beginning of another year, not to sit back and “think” and wait for things to change, pointing out that many in the Church and in society hope for the good, instead of trying to do it.
“Given the laziness that anesthetizes, and the indifference that paralyzes us -running the risk of limiting ourselves to sitting in front of a screen, hands on the keyboard-, the pastors encourage us to go, to be moved by what is happening in the world, getting our hands dirty to do good, giving up so many habits and comforts,” he stressed.
For the Argentine pontiff, societies often end up falling into selfishness and do not provide support to others.
“How many times, because of the rush, we don’t have time to spend a minute in the company of the Lord, to listen to his word, to talk to the children, to ask them how they feel, not just how their studies and health are going” , said.
Source: TSF
