Vatican City (AsiaNews) – Pope Francis led his first Angelus prayer of the summer under a cloudy Roman sky and in sweltering heat.
After the blessing, he repeatedly urged the faithful “to pray for peace, especially in Ukraine, Palestine, and Israel.” Citing the Gaza Strip and northern Congo, he made a forceful appeal to government leaders to achieve, stressing that “It takes negotiation.”
As he did plenty of times before, he urged decision-makers to follow the path of dialogue without hesitation. “May the Holy Spirit enlighten the minds of governors, inspire wisdom and a sense of responsibility in them, to avoid any action or word that may fuel confrontation,” he said.
The Holy Father reiterated again the urgency of achieving a "peaceful resolution of conflicts" as soon as possible. And there is no place where this is needed more than Gaza, where Israeli bombs continue fall, killing at least a hundred people in the last 24 hours, including children, while tensions are rising on Israel’s border with Lebanon accentuating the risk of escalation.
“I can see the flag of Israel," Pope Francis added, pointing to one held up in St Peter's Square, like in previous weeks. Saying that he had seen it in the morning, he added that “It is a call for peace.”
In St Peter's Square, Francis greeted “cyclists from Bollate (Milan), who have come by bicycle” with a flag, light blue background, with the colours of the rainbow and the words "Peace for all”.
During his address, the pontiff also mentioned Father Manuel Blanco Rodríguez, who passed away overnight on Thursday at the age of 85.
“The day before yesterday, Father Manuel Blanco, a Franciscan who had lived in the Church of Santi Quaranta Martiri e San Pasquale Baylon in Rome for forty-four years, passed away,” Francis said.
“He was a superior, a confessor, a man of counsel. In remembering him, I would like to remember so many Franciscan brothers, confessors, preachers, who honoured and honour the Church of Rome. Thanks to all of them!”
Before the Marian prayer, Pope Francis spoke about the Gospel of the day (Mk 4:35-41).
“Today the Gospel presents us with Jesus on the boat with the disciples, on Lake Tiberias. A strong storm arrives unexpectedly, and the boat is in danger of sinking. Jesus, who was asleep, wakes up, threatens the wind and everything becomes calm again,” he explained.
What is a danger to those who sail scares the disciples, even though they were expert fishermen, while Jesus sleeps.
“It seems that Jesus wants to put them to the test,” the pope said. “He reassures them with His presence, He encourages them, He incites them to have more faith and accompanies them beyond the danger.”
Why does Jesus behave this way? The Holy Father’s answer is: “To strengthen the faith of the disciples and to make them more courageous.”
Having faced this trial with him will help them in the future to face others, “even to the cross and martyrdom, to bring the Gospel to all peoples.”
Jesus does the same with all Christians, gathered around the Eucharist. “[H]e invites us to set sail, to transmit everything we have heard and to share what we have received with everyone, in everyday life, even when it is difficult.”
Jesus, therefore, does not remove hardships from people's lives; instead, he helps to live them. “He makes us courageous.”
Thus, by trusting in its "power", which goes beyond human capabilities, it is possible to overcome uncertainties, hesitations, closures, and preconceptions, “to tell everyone that the Kingdom of Heaven is present, it is here, and that with Jesus at our side we can make it grow together, beyond all barriers.
In concluding, Francis said: “May the Virgin Mary, who welcomed God’s will with humility and courage, give us, in difficult moments, the serenity of abandonment in Him.”
