Pope: Missions Sunday and sorrow for war victims in Gaza

Francis at the Angelus invited dioceses and parishes to be "burning hearts and walking feet". Proximity to the Anglican hospital and the Greek Orthodox church hit by bombing in recent days. "Brothers, stop. Open spaces for humanitarian aid."

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - On the Sunday in which the 97th World Missionary Day is celebrated, entitled "Hearts burning, feet on the move" (Lk 24, 13-35), Pope Francis, at the end of the recitation of the Angelus, returned to talk about the chosen theme, inspired by the passage of the disciples of Emmaus, from which in the Message for the current day he drew the essential stages of the conversion of the two disciples: listening to the Word, meeting with Christ and enthusiasm to get back on the path. “These are two images that say it all,” he said today, returning to the title. I urge everyone in the dioceses and parishes to actively participate."

There was no lack of appeal for what is happening in recent days in Israel and Palestine. “I am very worried, saddened. I pray and am close to all those who suffer: the hostages, the injured, the victims and their families. I think of the serious humanitarian situation in Gaza. It saddens me that the Anglican hospital and the Greek Orthodox parish were also hit in recent days", said Pope Francis, referring to the hall of the church of San Porfirio which was targeted on Friday by a hail of missiles which caused a massacre. But also to what happened on Tuesday 17th at the Al-Ahli hospital in Gaza: another attack that caused hundreds of victims.

“I renew my appeal for space to be opened up: humanitarian aid to continue to arrive and the hostages to be freed,” he continued. Leaving it to be understood that the humanitarian aid arriving in the Strip from Egypt, through the Rafah pass, opened momentarily and then closed yesterday, is not sufficient until now. “War, every war in the world, I am also thinking of the tormented Ukraine, is a defeat! War is always a defeat! It is a destruction of human brotherhood. Brothers, stop!”

The Pope then recalled that for Friday 27 October he had called "a day of fasting, prayer and penance", to which he also invited other religions. The prayer meeting "to implore peace in the world" is scheduled in San Pietro, Rome, at 6 pm.

Pope Francis, before the Marian Angelus prayer, commented on the Gospel of the day. This is the episode (Mt 22, 15-21) in which some Pharisees and Herodians join together to test Jesus by asking him whether or not it is lawful to pay taxes to Caesar.

“It is a deception - said the Pope. "If Jesus legitimizes the tax, he places himself on the side of a political power that is resented by the people, while if he says not to pay it he can be accused of rebellion against the empire. However, he escapes this trap."

He does so by responding with words that "have become common use". “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's” (v. 21).

Despite the widespread use of this response - Pope Francis admitted - these are often words used in the wrong way "to talk about the relationships between Church and State, between Christians and politics", intended as to separate "earthly and spiritual reality".

"This is schizophrenia, as if faith had nothing to do with concrete life, with the challenges of society, with social justice”, added the Holy Father, explaining that “we must give back to society what it offers us through our contribution as responsible citizens, paying attention to what is entrusted to us, promoting law and justice in the world of work, paying taxes honestly, committing ourselves to the common good".

At the same time, however, we do not belong to any earthly reality. “We belong to the Lord and must not be slaves to any worldly power.”

Pope Francis concluded the commentary on the Gospel with a series of questions, addressed to all the faithful listening, urging them to respond.

Among these: "On the currency of this world there is the image of Caesar, but what image do you carry within you?", and "Whose image are you in your life?".

Finally adding: “May the Holy Virgin help us to recognize and honor our dignity and that of every human being”.