May COP29 effectively contribute to caring for our common home

After praying the Angelus with the faithful gathered in Saint Peter’s Square on Sunday, 10 November, Pope Francis renewed his appeal for peace in the world, and expressed his hope that cop29 will make a positive contribution in efforts to protect our common home. Earlier, he had reflected on the day’s Gospel Reading in which Jesus speaks of the hypocrisy of some of the scribes. The following is a translation of the Holy Father’s words.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Happy Sunday!

Today the Gospel of the liturgy (cf. Mk 12:38-44) tells us about Jesus denouncing the hypocritical attitude of some scribes, before the people in the temple of Jerusalem (cf. vv. 38-40).

The scribes were accorded an important role in Israel’s community: they read, transcribed and interpreted the Scriptures. They were thus held in high esteem and people revered them.

Beyond appearances, however, their behaviour often did not correspond to what they taught. They were not consistent. Some, in fact, on the strength of the prestige and power they enjoyed, looked down on others “from above” — this is very ugly, looking down on another person from above — they put on airs and, hiding behind a façade of feigned respectability and legalism, arrogated privileges to themselves and even went so far as to commit outright theft to the detriment of the weakest, such as widows (cf. v. 40). Instead of using the role they were invested with to serve others, they made it an instrument of presumption and manipulation. And it happened that even prayer for them, was at risk of no longer being a moment of encounter with the Lord, but rather an occasion to flaunt respectability and feigned piety, which was useful for attracting people’s attention and gaining approval (cf. ibid.). Let us remember what Jesus said about the prayer of the publican and the Pharisee (cf. Lk 18:9-14).

They — not all of them — behaved like corrupt people, feeding a social and religious system in which it was normal to take advantage of others behind their backs, especially the most defenceless, committing injustices and ensuring impunity for themselves.

Jesus warned to stay away from these people, to “beware” of them (cf. v. 38), not to imitate them. Indeed, with his word and his example, as we know, he taught very different things about authority. He spoke about it in terms of self-sacrifice and humble service (cf. Mk 10:42-45), of maternal and paternal tenderness towards people (cf. Lk 11:11-13), especially those most in need (Lk 10:25-37). He invited those invested with it to look at others from their position of power, not to humiliate them, but to lift them up, giving them hope and assistance.

So, brothers and sisters, we can ask ourselves: how do I behave in my fields of responsibility? Do I act with humility, or do I boast about my position? Am I generous and respectful with people, or do I treat them in a rude and authoritarian way? And with my most fragile brothers and sisters, am I close to them, do I know how to bow to help lift them up?

May the Virgin Mary help us fight the temptation of hypocrisy within ourselves — Jesus tells them they are hypocrites, hypocrisy is a great temptation — and help us to do good, simply and without ostentation.

After praying the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:

Dear brothers and sisters, Fr Giuseppe Torres Padilla, co-founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Company of the Cross, was proclaimed Blessed in Seville yesterday. He lived in 19th-century Spain, and distinguished himself as a priest confessor and spiritual guide, bearing witness to great charity with those in need. May his example sustain priests in their ministry. A round of applause for the new Blessed!

Three years ago, the Laudato Si’ Action Platform was launched. I thank those who work in support of this initiative. In this regard, I hope that the cop29 Climate Change Conference, that begins tomorrow in Baku, will make an effective contribution to the protection of our common home.

I am close to the people of the Island of Flores in Indonesia, struck by a volcanic eruption; I pray for the victims, their relatives and the displaced. And my thoughts again go out to the inhabitants of Valencia and other parts of Spain, who are facing the consequences of the flood. I will ask you a question: have you prayed for Valencia? Have you thought about making some contribution to help those people? It is just a question.

News arriving from Mozambique is concerning. I invite everyone to engage in dialogue, tolerance and the tireless search for just solutions. Let us pray for the entire Mozambican population, that the present situation does not cause them to lose faith in the path of democracy, justice and peace.

And let us please continue to pray for martyred Ukraine, where even hospitals and other civilian buildings have been struck; and let us pray for Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Myanmar and Sudan. Let us pray for peace in the whole world.

Today the Church in Italy is celebrating a Day of Thanksgiving. I express gratitude to the agricultural sector, and I encourage the cultivation of the land in a way that preserves its fertility also for future generations.

I affectionately greet you all, people of Rome and pilgrims, and the young people of the Immacolata. In particular, I greet the faithful from Kazakhstan, Moscow, New York, Bastia in Corsica, Beja and the Algarve in Portugal, Warsaw, Lublin and other parts of Poland. I greet the Committee for the Promotion of the Global Compact on Education, with the representatives of numerous Catholic universities; I greet the confirmands from Empoli; the volunteers from the Food Bank and the Italian band of the Transportation and Materials Corps. Let us hope that the band will play something beautiful for us!

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