Respect for UN peacekeeping forces

After praying the Angelus with the faithful gathered in Saint Peter’s Square, on Sunday, 13 October, Pope Francis launched another appeal for peace, and called for the United Nations peacekeeping forces to be respected, following the attack against its headquarters in Lebanon. Earlier, he had reflected on the day’s Gospel Reading from Mark, in which a rich man asks Jesus the way to eternal life. The following is a translation of the Holy Father’s reflection which he shared in Italian.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Happy Sunday!

The Gospel of today’s liturgy (Mk 10: 17-30) tells us about a rich man who encounters Jesus and asks him: “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (v. 17). Jesus invites him to leave everything and follow him, but the man, sorrowful, goes away because, as the text says, “he had many riches” (cf. 23). It is demanding to leave everything behind.

We can see the two movements of this man: at the beginning he runs, to go to Jesus; at the end, though, he goes away sorrowful, he goes away sad. First, he runs towards, and then he goes away. Let us dwell on this.

First of all, this man goes to Jesus running. It is as if something in his heart urges him on: in fact, although he has many riches, he is dissatisfied, he feels restlessness inside, he is searching for a fuller life. As the sick and the possessed often do (cf. Mk 3:10; 5:6), we see this in the Gospel, he throws himself at the Master’s feet; he is rich, yet in need of healing. He is rich, but he needs to be healed. Jesus looks at him with love (v. 21), then proposes a “therapy”: to sell everything he has, give it to the poor and follow him. But, at this point, comes an unexpected conclusion: this man’s face falls and he goes away! So great and impetuous was his desire to meet Jesus; how cold and swift was his farewell.

We, too, carry in our hearts an irrepressible need for happiness and for a life full of meaning. However, we can fall into the illusion of thinking that the answer is found in the possession of material things and earthly securities. Instead, Jesus wants to bring us back to the truth of our desires and make us discover that, in reality, the goodness we yearn for is God himself, his love for us and the eternal life that he and he alone can give us. True wealth is to be looked upon with love by the Lord — this is a great wealth — and, as Jesus does with that man, to love each other by making our life a gift for others. Brothers and sisters, Jesus thus invites us to risk, to “risk love”: to sell everything and give it to the poor, which means stripping ourselves of our own self and our false securities, being attentive to those in need and sharing our possessions, not just things, but who we are: our talents, our friendship, our time, and so on.

Brothers and sisters, that rich man did not want to take a risk — to risk what? He did not want to risk love, and he went away with a sad face. And we? Let us ask ourselves: what is our heart attached to? How do we satisfy our hunger for life and happiness? Do we know how to share with those who are poor, with those who are in difficulty or in need of listening, in need of a smile, of a word to help them regain hope? Or those who need to be listened to… Let us remember this: true wealth is not the goods of this world, true wealth is being loved by God, and learning to love like him.

And now let us ask for the intercession of the Virgin Mary, so that she may help us discover in Jesus the treasure of life.

After praying the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:

Dear brothers and sisters, I am continuing to follow with concern what is happening in the Middle East, and I ask once again for an immediate ceasefire on all fronts. Let us pursue the paths of diplomacy and dialogue to achieve peace.

I am close to all the people affected, in Palestine, Israel and Lebanon, where I ask that the United Nations peacekeeping forces be respected. I pray for all the victims, for the displaced, for the hostages, whom I hope will soon be released, and I hope that this great pointless suffering, engendered by hatred and revenge, will end soon.

Brothers and sisters, war is an illusion, it is a defeat: it will never lead to peace, it will never lead to security, it is a defeat for all, especially for those who think they are invincible. Stop, please!

I make an appeal for Ukrainians, that they will not be left to freeze to death, and that airstrikes against civilians will stop. They are the ones who are always the most affected. Stop killing innocent people!

I am following the dramatic situation in Haiti, where violence against the peoples continues, forcing them to flee from their own homes in search of safety elsewhere, inside and outside the country. Let us never forget our Haitian brothers and sisters. I ask everyone to pray for an end to all forms of violence and, with the commitment of the international community, to continue working to build peace and reconciliation in the country, always defending the dignity and rights of all.

I greet you, people of Rome and pilgrims from Italy and many countries, in particular the Militia of the Immaculate founded by Saint Maximilian Kolbe, the parishes of Resuttano, Caltanisetta, the Italian Paralympic athletes with their guides and assistants, and the Pax Christi International group.

Once again, I greet the new students of the Urban College, whom I met this morning.

On Friday, 18 October, the “Aid to the Church in Need” Foundation is organizing the initiative, “One million children praying the Rosary for peace in the world”. Thank you to all the boys and girls who are participating! Let us join with them and entrust to the intercession of Our Lady — today is the anniversary of her final apparition in Fatima — let us entrust to the intercession of Our Lady, martyred Ukraine, Myanmar, Sudan and other people who suffer because of war and any form of violence and misery.

I greet the young people of the Immacolata, and I see Polish, Brazilian, Argentinian, Ecuadorian and French flags… I greet you all!

I wish everyone a happy Sunday. Please, do not forget to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch. Arrivederci!