In the Angelus today, the first Sunday of Advent, Bergoglio condemned the war. Regarding Lebanon, he asked that the ceasefire be respected and urged the election of the president. He recalled Syria, where Aleppo is under the control of jihadist groups. And Ukraine, which is approaching a tragic winter. The Gospel commentary on hope: “God acts even in dramatic events.”
Vatican City () – From the words of Pope Francis, once again, the firm condemnation of war emerges: “It is a horror, war offends God and humanity, war forgives no one.” Today, the first Sunday of Advent, after praying the Ánelus he also referred to the relief for the ceasefire that was just agreed upon in Lebanon a few days ago: “I hope that it can be respected by all parties, and that it allows the population – Bergoglio said – return to their homes soon and safely. But, above all, he once again strongly condemned conflicts for which no solution is in sight. In Palestine, with the hostages still in captivity and the incessant Israeli attacks on the population; in the “tortured Ukraine”, which awaits winter, and in Syria, with the recent fall of Aleppo.
Regarding the future of Lebanon, Pope Francis affirmed that the return of Lebanese and Israeli civilians to their homes is possible with the “valuable help” of the army and that it will be possible to achieve stability with the immediate election of the President of the Republic. “Let the institutions resume their normal functioning, to proceed with the necessary reforms and ensure the country’s role as an example of peaceful coexistence between different religions,” the pontiff continued. Regarding Syria, where the militiamen of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham – jihadists and pro-Turkish Sunni rebels – have taken control of Aleppo, while rumors of an imminent coup d’état in Damascus are spreading, the Pope noted that “there has been igniting the war causing many victims” and there are also many displaced people. “I am very close to the Church in Syria. Let us pray!”
It is the path of Advent – the wait for Christmas, the “birth of the king of peace” – that can and should bring hope for a peaceful future that, with the commitment of all parties, is lasting and concrete. Because with war “the entire human family is defeated.” Bergoglio also especially remembered Ukraine, which is about to experience a “tragic concomitance” of war and cold. “For three years we have witnessed a terrible sequence of deaths, injuries, violence, destruction… Children, women, the elderly, the weak, are the first victims.” Regarding the arrival of winter, he added that ” threatens to worsen the conditions of millions of displaced people. They will be very hard months for them. He also especially asked in this case for a shared commitment “to stop this war, and to make dialogue, fraternity and reconciliation prevail.”
Before the Marian prayer, Pope Francis commented on the passage from the day’s Gospel (Lk 21:25-28.34-36) that speaks of “cosmic upheavals and anguish and fear in humanity.” But Jesus addresses words of hope to his disciples: “Be of good courage and lift up your heads, for deliverance is about to come to you” (v. 28). The apostles, faced with “persecutions, conflicts, natural calamities,” experience great anguish and “think that the end of the world is approaching,” and Jesus suggests that they “keep their hearts awake” to “read the events from God’s plan.” , which brings about salvation even within the most dramatic circumstances of history.”
Jesus’ recommendation is “Let your hearts not be grieved” (v. 34). “If worries oppress the heart and lead us to withdraw into ourselves, Jesus invites us instead to lift our heads – the Pope explained -. It invites us to make space for it to find hope again.” The theme of hope is central to the month that begins today, in which, in addition to Advent, the Jubilee 2025 is inaugurated with the opening of numerous holy doors. “And So, let us ask ourselves: my heart is heavy with fear, with worries, with anxieties about the future? Is it possible to observe all this with “the eyes of God”? To conclude, he invited, “Now let us invoke the Virgin Mary, who also in moments of trial has been willing to accept God’s project.”
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