At the Angelus, Francis’ new call to the international community to respect humanitarian law in the conflicts that bloody the world: “Stop hitting civilians, stop hitting schools, hospitals, stop hitting workplaces. Let us not forget that war is always a defeat.
Vatican City () – “God never stops: he finds a thousand ways to reach each of us, wherever we are, opening even in the darkest nights of humanity windows of light that darkness cannot cover.” This is the message of hope that Pope Francis addressed today to the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square, despite the rain, for the Sunday recitation of the Angelus. Commenting on a verse from the prologue of the Gospel of John proposed for today’s liturgy – “the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it” -, the Pontiff invited us to contemplate in the mystery of Christmas “how powerful love is of God, who does not allow himself to be defeated by anything and who, beyond obstacles and rejections, continues to shine and illuminate our path.
“It is a reality that consoles us and gives us courage,” he continued, “especially in a time like ours, a time that is not easy, in which there is so much need for light, hope and peace, a world in which Men sometimes create situations so complicated that it seems impossible to get out of them. The Word of God tells us that this is not the case. On the contrary, it calls us to imitate the God of love, opening flashes of light wherever we can, with whomever we encounter, in all contexts: family, social, international. In particular, the Lord invites us to “not be afraid to take the first step, opening luminous windows of closeness to those who suffer, of forgiveness, of compassion, of reconciliation.” An invitation – added the Pope – that “resonates in a particular way in the Jubilee Year that has just begun, urging us to be messengers of hope with simple but concrete ‘yes’ to life, with options that bring life.”
Hence the exhortation to ask ourselves at the beginning of the new year: «How can I open a window of light in my environment and in my relationships? Where can I be a loophole that lets the love of God through? What is the first step I should take today?
Finally, after the Angelus prayer, there was also a look at the many areas of the world wounded today by war. «Let us continue praying for peace – said Francis – in Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Myanmar, Sudan. The international community must act firmly to ensure that humanitarian law is respected in conflicts. Stop hitting civilians, stop hitting schools, hospitals, stop hitting workplaces. Let us not forget that war is always a defeat, always.
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