Pope: Men talk about light but often prefer the deceiving quiet of darkness

Before the Angelus, Francis talked again about his Message for the World Day of Peace "No longer slaves, but brothers and sisters". Exploitation "is a social evil that humiliates interpersonal relationships and prevents a life of communion." There is also too much "bloodshed in too many regions of the planet." For him, "There is no future without aiming and planning for peace." The pontiff also announced the names of 20 new cardinals (including five cardinals emeriti) with the bishops of Hanoi, Yangon, and Bangkok among them.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - "Men talk a lot about light, but they often prefer the deceiving quiet of darkness," said Pope Francis in this morning's Angelus, for "light highlights their [evil] deeds." Yet, "Small deeds are of great value: they can be seeds that give hope" for there is no future without "paths and prospects for peace".

"What a beautiful Sunday the New Year brought us!" said the pontiff. "What a beautiful day! Saint John, in the Gospel that we read today, said, ' through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.' Men talk a lot about light, but they often prefer the deceiving quiet of darkness. We talk a lot about peace, but we often resort to war; we follow the complicit silence, or we do nothing concrete to build peace. In fact, Saint John noted, 'He came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him.' Such is the judgment: light, Jesus, came into the world and men chose darkness over light because their deeds were evil. "

Speaking without his written notes, the pope went on to say that, "Anyone who does evil hates the light, and does come out into the light, lest his deeds be exposed. Men's heart can refuse light and prefer darkness, for such light highlights their deeds. In the past few days, we began the new year in the name of the Mother of God, celebrating the World Day of Peace on the theme 'No longer slaves, but brothers and sisters'. I hope that we may overcome man's exploitation of man. Such exploitation is a social evil that humiliates interpersonal relationships and prevents a life of communion based on respect, justice and charity. Every man and every people hungers and thirsts for peace. Every man and every people hungers and thirsts for peace. Therefore, it is necessary and urgent to build peace."

Peace, Francis said, "is not only the absence of war, but is a general condition in which the human person is in harmony with himself, with nature and with others. This is peace. However, silencing weapons and putting out the flashpoints of war remain the inevitable condition to start a path that leads to peace in its different aspects. I am thinking about the conflicts that still cause bloodshed in too many regions of the planet, tensions in families and communities - In how many families, in how many communities, even in parishes, is there war! - as well as heated disagreements in our cities and countries between groups of different cultural, ethnic and religious background. We need to convince ourselves that, despite all appearances to the contrary, harmony is always possible, at every level and in every situation. There is no future without aiming and planning for peace! There is no future without peace. "

Everyone, said the pope, "must engage in acts of brotherhood towards others, especially towards those who are afflicted by family tensions or disagreements of various kinds. Small deeds are of great value: they can be seeds that give hope; they can open paths and prospects for peace."

"Let us now invoke Mary, Queen of Peace. During her earthly life, she experienced quite a few difficulties, related to the daily struggle of existence. But she never lost peace of the heart, which stems from the confident abandonment to God's mercy. We call on Mary, our tender Mother, to indicate to the world the sure path of love and peace. "

Immediately after the Marian prayer and blessing, the Pope greeted some groups of faithful and said, "As was already announced, on February 14 next I will have the joy of holding a Consistory, during which I will name 15 new Cardinals who, coming from 13 countries from every continent, manifest the indissoluble links between the Church of Rome and the particular Churches present in the world."

"On Sunday February 15, I will preside at a solemn concelebration with the new Cardinals, while on February 12 and 13, I will hold a Consistory with all the Cardinals to reflect on the orientations and proposals for the reform of the Roman Curia."

"The new Cardinals are:

1 - Mgr Dominique Mamberti, Titular Archbishop of Sagone and Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura

2 - Mgr Manuel José Macario do Nascimento Clemente, Patriarch of Lisbon (Portugal)

3 - Mgr Berhaneyesus Demerew Souraphiel, C.M., Archbishop of Addis Abeba (Ethiopia)

4 - Mgr John Atcherley Dew, Archbishop of Wellington (New Zealand)

5 - Mgr Edoardo Menichelli, Archbishop of Ancona-Osimo (Italy)

6 - Mgr Pierre Nguyên Văn Nhon, Archbishop of Hà Nôi (Viêt Nam)

7 - Mgr Alberto Suàrez Inda, Archbishop of Morelia (Mexico)

8 - Mgr Charles Maung Bo, S.D.B., Archbishop of Yangon (Myanmar)

9 - Mgr Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovithavanij, Archbishop of Bangkok (Thailand)

10 - Mgr Francesco Montenegro, Archbishop of Agrigento (Italy)

11 - Mgr Daniel Fernando Sturla Berhouet, S.D.B., of Montevideo (Uruguay)

12 - Mgr Ricardo Blázquez Pérez, Archbishop of Vallodolid (Spain)

13 - Mgr José Luis Lacunza Maestrojuán, O.A.R., Bishop of David (Panamá)

14 - Mgr Arlindo Gomes Furtado, Bishop of Santiago de Cabo Verde (Cape Verde)

15 - Mgr Soane Patita Paini Mafi, Bishop of Tonga (Island of Tonga)

"Additionally," the pope said, "I will join to the Members of the College of Cardinals five Archbishops and Bishops Emeriti who are distinguished for their pastoral charity in the service of the Holy See and of the Church. They represent so many Bishops who, with the same pastoral solicitude, have given witness of love for Christ and for the people of God in particular Churches, in the Rome Curia, and in the Diplomatic Service of the Holy See."

"They are:

1 - Mgr José de Jesús Pimiento Rodriguez, Archbishop Emeritus of Manizales

2 - Mgr Luigi De Magistris, Titular Archbishop of Nova, Pro-Major Penitentiary Emeritus

3 - Mgr Karl-Josef Rauber, Titular Archbishop of Iubaltiana, Apostolic Nuncio

4 - Mgr Luis Héctor Villaba, Archbishop Emeritus of Tucumán

5 - Mgr Júlio Duarte Langa, Bishop Emeritus of Xai-Xai