Pope: those who make war forget humanity

During the Angelus, the pontiff made an appeal with a “broken heart” in favour of the victims of war in the Ukraine but also in other parts of the world. Noting that “God is with the peacemakers, not with those who use violence,” he stressed the urgent need for “open humanitarian corridors” and reiterated that 2 March, Ash Wednesday, will be a day of fasting and prayer.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) – In today’s Angelus prayer, Pope Francis renewed his call for prayer, noting that “God is with the peacemakers, not with those who use violence”. Speaking with a “broken heart”, he spoke out for the victims of the Russian invasion of Ukraine but also for those suffering because of war in other parts of the world.

“I see many Ukrainian flags!” he said greeting in their own language the many Ukrainians present in St Peter's Square. “In recent days we have been shaken by something tragic: war. Time and again we have prayed that this road would not be taken. And let us not stop talking; indeed, let us pray to God more intensely.”

To this end, the pontiff renewed his call for a day of fasting and prayer for peace on 2 March, Ash Wednesday. This will be a “day to be close to the sufferings of the Ukrainian people, to feel that we are all brothers and sisters, and to implore of God the end of the war.”

The Holy Father went on to say that, “Those who wage war forget humanity. They do not start from the people, they do not look at the real life of people, but place partisan interests and power before all else. They trust in the diabolical and perverse logic of weapons, which is the furthest from the logic of God. And they distance themselves from ordinary people, who want peace”.

Francis added that, “ordinary people are the real victims in every conflict, who pay for the follies of war with their own skin. I think of the elderly, of those who seek refuge in these times, of mothers fleeing with their children… They are brothers and sisters for whom it is urgent to open humanitarian corridors, and who must be welcomed.”

With a heart broken by what is happening in Ukraine but also in wars in other parts of the world “such as in Yemen, Syria and Ethiopia,” the pope said again: “put down your weapons!”

“God is with the peacemakers, not with those who use violence. Because those who love peace, as the Italian Constitution states, ‘reject war as an instrument of aggression against the freedom of other peoples and as a means for the settlement of international disputes.”

Before the Angelus prayer, Pope Francis spoke about the Gospel passage in today’s liturgy, about the splinter in a brother’s eye and not the wooden beam in one’s own (Lk 6:41).

“[V]ery often we complain about things that are wrong in society, in the Church, in the world, without first questioning ourselves and without making an effort to change ourselves first. Every fruitful, positive change must begin from ourselves. [. . .] But, Jesus explains, by doing this, we look blindly. And if we are blind, we cannot claim to be guides and teachers for others.”

By contrast, acknowledging our dejection opens the door of mercy to us. “God always distinguishes the person from his errors. He always saves the person. He always believes in the person and is always ready to forgive errors. We know that God always forgives. And he invites us to do likewise: not to look for evil in others, but good.”

Together with his gaze, in the Gospel Jesus invites us to reflect on what we say. At present, “especially in the digital world, words travel fast,” Francis noted, “but too many of them convey anger and aggression, feed false news and take advantage of collective fears to propagate distorted ideas.”

For this reason, he asked “what type of words we use”. To find an answer, he called on “the Virgin of silence to whom we now pray, [to] help us purify our gaze and our speech.”

Lastly, in his greetings to the various groups present in St Peter's Square, Francis singled out those who came for the Rare Disease Day, which falls tomorrow. To them, he said, “I encourage the various associations of the sick and their families, along with the researchers who work in this field”.

• vatican
• pope francis
• angelus
• prayer
• ukraine
• russia
• invasion
• rare disease day