Pope: 'Do not kill' is a call to love
At the general audience Francis said that Jesus gave the Fifth Commandment a deeper meaning: "if killing means destroying, suppressing, eliminating someone, then not killing means caring, valuing, including. And even forgiving". "Not loving is the first step to killing; and not killing is the first step to loving ".
Vatican City (AsiaNews) - "Do not kill is a call to love", because "whenever we express disinterest in the lives of others, every time we do not love, we despise our life. Not loving is the first step to killing; and not killing is the first step to loving ". The full meaning of the Fifth Commandment was the theme of Pope Francis’ general audience today, continuing the cycle of catechesis dedicated to the Ten Commandments.
Speaking to 30 thousand people present in St. Peter's Square, Francis recalled that if "no one can despise the life of others or his own", because "he carries within himself the image of God and is the object of His infinite love, whatever the condition in which he was called into existence ", Jesus gives the commandment" an even deeper meaning. He states that, before God's judgment, even anger against one’s brother is a form of murder. This is why the Apostle John wrote: "Whoever hates his brother is a murderer" (1 Jn 3:15). But Jesus does not stop at this, and in the same logic he adds that insult and contempt can also kill ".
"No human code equates such different acts by assigning them the same degree of judgment. And coherently Jesus even invites us to interrupt the offering of sacrifices in the temple if we remember that our brother is offended by us, to go and look for him and be reconciled with him. We too, when we go to Mass, should have this conciliatory attitude with the people with whom we have had problems. Often, while we wait for the priest we gossip and this should not be done. What does Jesus mean by extending the field of the Fifth Commandment to this point? Man has a noble, very sensitive life, and possesses a hidden self no less important than his physical being. In fact, an inappropriate sentence is enough to offend the innocence of a child. A cold gesture is enough to hurt a woman. To break the heart of a young person it is enough to deny him trust. To crush a man, just ignore him. Indifference kills. It's like telling the other person, you're dead to me. Not loving is the first step to killing; and not killing is the first step to loving. Every time we express disinterest in the lives of others, every time we do not love, we despise our life. Not loving is the first step to killing; and not killing is the first step to loving".
"In the Bible, at the beginning, we read that terrible phrase that came out of the mouth of the first murderer, Cain, after the Lord asked him where his brother is. Cain replies: "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?" (Genesis 4: 9). This is how killers speak: 'it does not concern me', 'they are yours', and similar things. Let's try to answer this question: are we our brothers keepers? Yes, we are! We are each other’s guardians! And this is the path of life. Human life needs love. And what is authentic love? It is what Christ showed us, that is, mercy. The love we cannot do without is the one that forgives, which welcomes those who have harmed us. None of us survives without mercy, we all need forgiveness. So, if killing means destroying, suppressing, eliminating someone, then not killing will mean caring, valuing, including. And even forgiving".
"No one can deceive himself by thinking, 'I'm fine because I do not do anything wrong'. A mineral or a plant, these very cobblestones that are here, have this kind of existence, not man. More is required of man. There is good to do, prepared for each of us, each his own, which makes us ourselves to the end. 'Do not kill' is an appeal to love and mercy, it is a call to live according to the Lord Jesus, who gave his life for us and rose for us".
"He, who incarnated, has sanctified our existence; He, who with his blood has made it priceless; He, "the author of life" (Acts 3:15), thanks to whom everyone is a gift from the Father. In him, in his love stronger than death, and by the power of the Spirit that the Father gives us, we can welcome the Commandment "Do not kill" as the most important and essential appeal: the call to love ".
"Taking care of our brothers, especially those in need or being forgotten by the culture of waste - the Pope reiterated in the greeting to the Portuguese faithful - means believing that each man and woman is a gift from God. We should spare no effort to ensure that all people can always feel welcomed and loved in our Christian communities."
In the greeting to the Italians, finally, Francis recalled that" today is the liturgical memorial of St. Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr in Rome. We learn from this holy bishop of ancient Syria to courageously witness our faith. Through his intercession, the Lord gives each of us the strength of perseverance, despite adversity and persecution ".
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