Pope Francis embraces a girl during his general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican April 5. The pope strongly condemned a chemical attack in Syria the previous day that left 70 people dead. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

Make room for kindness, not hopeless ‘mafia’ mentality, pope says

888 0

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Hope cannot remain hidden within but must break free to overcome vengeful, mafia-like mentalities with mercy and humility, Pope Francis said.

Christians must give witness to hope through their lives as Jesus did and make room for him in their hearts to fight evil by doing good to others, even their enemies, the pope said at his weekly general audience April 5.

“The mafiosi think that evil can be overcome by evil. They take revenge; they do so many things that we all know. But they do not know what humility, mercy and meekness are. And why? Because the mafiosi have no hope,” he said.

Arriving in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis made his way through the crowd of 15,000 people, greeting individuals and even making a quick stop to sip some mate tea offered by a group of pilgrims from his native Argentina.

Arriving at the stage, the pope spotted a familiar face among the Argentine pilgrims, and warmly embraced an elderly woman and spoke to her while other people in the group reached out to touch him.

Continuing his series of talks on Christian hope, the pope reflected on a verse from the First Letter of St. Peter, in which the apostle calls on Christians to “always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope.”

The “secret” to understanding this hope, the pope said, is that it is rooted in the paschal mystery of Christ’s victory over death.

“Our hope is not a concept nor a sentiment; it is not phone call or a pile of riches,” he said. “No, our hope is a person, it is the Lord Jesus who we recognize alive and present in us and in our brothers and sisters.”

A person who lacks hope, the pope added, is incapable of giving or receiving the “consolation of forgiveness” and unable to make room for Christ in their hearts.

St. Peter’s assertion that “it is better to suffer for doing good” than doing evil, he continued, doesn’t mean that it is good to suffer, but that suffering for the sake of good means “that we are in communion with the Lord.”

Christians who wish to follow Jesus’ example are called to love and do good, even to “those who do not wish us well or even harm us,” Pope Francis said.

“It is the proclamation of God’s love, an immeasurable love that is unending, that is never lacking and constitutes the very foundation of our hope,” he said.

Related Post

Pope Francis celebrates the canonization Mass of Sts. Francisco and Jacinta Marto, two of the three Fatima seers, at the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal, May 13. The Mass marked the 100th anniversary of the Fatima Marian apparitions, which began on May 13, 1917. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

Fatima seers become church’s youngest non-martyred saints

Posted by - May 21, 2017 0
FATIMA, Portugal (CNS) — Standing before the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, Pope Francis canonized two shepherd children…
Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, center, leads the opening prayer Nov. 12 during the fall general assembly of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Baltimore. Also pictured are Archbishop Jose H. Gomez of Los Angeles, vice president of the USCCB, and Msgr. J. Brian Bransfield, general secretary. (CNS photo/Bob Roller)

Gobsmacked: Rome steps in, reform votes delayed

Posted by - November 17, 2018 0
BALTIMORE (CNS) — Seasoned bishop watchers know that just about every fall meeting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops…
People look at each other at the Museum of Illusions in Zagreb, Croatia, May 6, 2016. Pope Francis asked Christians to pray at his early morning Mass June 6 so that they may "not fall into this vice of hypocrisy," which applies the "makeup" of adulation to mask "bad intentions." (CNS photo/Antonio Bat, EPA)

Hypocrisy kills the Christian community, pope says at morning Mass

Posted by - June 10, 2017 0
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The diabolical language of hypocrisy, which ensnares others through flattery, has the power to destroy Christian…
Pope Francis shakes hands with Archbishop Rino Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization, after making a surprise visit to a free health clinic for the needy in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Nov. 16. The clinic was open for a week in advance of the Nov. 18 observance of World Day of the Poor. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

Pope makes surprise visit to mobile clinic in St. Peter’s Square

Posted by - November 24, 2018 0
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis made a surprise visit to a mobile health care facility set up in St.…