Pope Francis in Santa Marta: Prayer will bring about world peace
Pope Francis spoke about peace in his homily at Casa Santa Marta. He said recently fires of war have been ignited. Thus, in order to quench them, there must be prayers for peace.
POPE FRANCIS
When we talk about peace, we immediately think of wars; for there to be no wars in the world, for a secure peace. It is the image that always comes to us, peace and not wars, but always outside: in that country, in that situation…
Each person should make the desire for peace personal. Pope Francis assured that God will provide world peace if He is asked so by everyone in prayer.
SUMMARY OF PAPAL HOMILY
(Source: Vatican News)
The way to remain in the Lord, as St. John says, is by loving one another, This is the secret to peace.
True love, according to Pope Francis, is not that of soap operas and television shows but is something that urges us to speak “well” of others. If one cannot speak well of others, it is better to shut one’s mouth, because speaking ill of others and “skinning” them is war.
Love is revealed in “little things”. “If there is war in my heart”, he argues, “there will be war in my family, in my neighbourhood and my workplace”. Jealousy, envy, slander, lead us to war with one another. They “destroy”, they are like “filth”.
The Holy Father urged Christians to ask themselves the number of times they speak “with a spirit of peace” and how many times “with a spirit of war”.
Pope Francis noted that usually the way we act in the family, in the neighbourhood and the workplace is an attitude of war. It destroys and dirties the other, which, he said, is not the love and the secure peace we asked for. In this, there is no Holy Spirit. Whether a layperson, a priest, a religious, a bishop, a Pope or anyone, the Holy Father said, it happens to each one of us – our immediate reaction is to condemn the other person. “To make war,” he said, “is the temptation of the devil.”
When the devil manages to make us go to war and light the fire of war, the Pope continued, he is happy he does not have to work anymore. “We are the ones who work to destroy each other”, “we are the ones who carry on the war, the destruction”, destroying “first” ourselves, “because we throw love out” and then the others. The Pope noted how much we are addicted to this habit of dirtying others. It is a seed that the devil sows inside us. In conclusion, the Pope prayed for a secure peace, which is “the gift of the Holy Spirit”, by trying to remain in the Lord.
Melissa Butz
© Vatican Media
Pope Francis’ Morning Homily: ‘Little Things’ With Love, to Remain in the Lord
Warns Against the Temptation of War, Provoked by the Devil
Love in ‘little things’ to remain in the Lord….
According to Vatican News, Pope Francis gave this encouragement during his daily morning Mass at Casa Santa Marta, his second of 2020, as he reflected on today’s Gospel according to St. John, which spoke about how peace is achieved in little acts of love, and how through this, we stay in God.
Recalling today’s Gospel, the Pope expressed how Christians must work daily, in their little way, toward closeness to God.
“If we remain in the Lord our heart will be at peace;” and if we remain in the Lord when we slip on a sin or a defect, the Spirit will alert us about this error or this slip.
The Holy Father explained that the way to remain in the Lord, as St. John says, is by loving one another. This, he highlighted, is the secret to peace.
The Argentinian Pontiff also warned that war is a temptation which comes from the devil. In this context, Francis warned against different types of destruction, including first to ourselves, and then others.
Pope Francis concluded, inviting faithful to focus on this gift of the Holy Spirit, namely that of “remaining in the Lord.”
Read the source: https://zenit.org/articles/popes-morning-homily-little-things-with-love-to-remain-in-the-lord/