Pope appeals to ‘my Russian brothers’ to restore grain agreement
Francis made a heartfelt plea at the end of the Angelus. “This is a grave offense to God, because grain is His gift to feed humanity,” Francis said. “Let us not waste time and freedom on trivial things;” instead, let us seek Jesus, the “precious pearl”.
Vatican City (AsiaNews) – Pope Francis made a plea at the end of today’s Angelus prayer recited with the faithful in St Peter's Square, “to my brothers, the authorities of the Russian Federation, that the Black Sea Initiative may be restored and grain may be transported safely.”
In his address, the pontiff urged the faithful, “not [to] cease to pray for beleaguered Ukraine, where the war is destroying everything, even grain. This is a grave offense to God, because grain is His gift to feed humanity; and the cry of millions of brothers and sisters who suffer hunger rises to Heaven.”
The Black Sea Initiative, which Russia did not renew, is a deal brokered by the United Nations and Turkey to allow grain exports from Ukraine and Russia, despite the conflict. This is essential for the food security of many countries, especially in Africa and the Middle East.
The agreement has so far enabled the safe delivery of more than 33 million metric tonnes of grains and food products to 45 countries on board of more than outbound vessels.
Before the Angelus prayer, Pope Francis spoke about the parable of the merchant, from the Gospel passage in today’s liturgy, stressing the actions of this man who “first seeks, then finds and finally buys.”
The first thing is seeking. It “is an invitation for us not to close ourselves up in habit, in the mediocrity of those who are complacent, but to revive desire” by cultivating “dreams of good, to seek the newness of the Lord, because the Lord is not repetitive, He always brings newness, the newness of the Spirit.”
The merchant’s second action is to find and recognise a pearl of great value. “This too is a teaching for us,” the pope said, “every day, at home, on the street, at work, on holiday, we have the possibility of discerning good.”
For Francis, “it is important to know how to find what counts: to train ourselves to recognize the precious gems of life and to distinguish them from junk. Let us not waste time and freedom on trivial things, pastimes that leave us empty inside, while life offers us every day the precious pearl of the encounter with God and with others!”
Lastly, the merchant buys the pearl, sacrifices everything to get it. Jesus is that pearl. “He is the precious pearl of life,” Francis said, “to be sought, found and made one’s own. It is worth investing everything in Him because, when one encounters Christ, life changes”.
Hence, he asks: “Is He in first place for me, is He the greatest good in life? It would be nice to say to Him today: ‘Jesus, You are my greatest good.’”
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13/08/2023 16:38
