(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Tuesday said that God created man in His image, made him lord of the earth, and gave him a woman at his side to love. The Pope’s words on these three gifts of God in Creation came during his homily at daily Mass in the Casa Santa Marta.
Listen to Devin Watkins’ report:
The Holy Father’s homily at Mass focused on the verses of Psalm 8: “Lord, what is man that you are mindful of him? Yet you have made him little less than a god, crowned him with glory and honor,” and on the Book of Genesis’ account of the Creation of man and woman.
God has given us the DNA of children, in His image
The Pope spoke about the first of three great gifts, which God gave humanity in creation.
“First of all, He gave us His ‘DNA’, that is, He made us children, created us in His image, in His image and likeness, like Him. And when one makes a child, he cannot take it back: the son is made, he exists. And whether or not he carries resembles the father, he is a son; he has received his identity. If the child is good, his father is proud of that son, right?, ‘Look at how good he is!’. And even if he is a little ugly, the father in any case says: ‘Isn’t he beautiful!’, because a father is like this. Always. And if the son is bad, the father justifies him, waiting for him … Jesus taught us how a father waits for his children. He gave us the identity of a child: to ‘man and woman’, we must add the identity of ‘child’. We ‘are like gods’, because we are children of God.”
The Earth is entrusted to humanity to preserve it through work
God’s second gift in Creation, Pope Francis said, is a ‘task’: God ‘gave us all the earth’, to ‘dominate’ and ‘subdue’, as the account in Genesis narrates. God therefore has given humanity a certain ‘royalty’, he added, because God does not want a ‘slave’ but ‘a lord, a king’, entrusted with a task:
“As [God] worked in Creation, He has given us work, the work of advancing Creation. Not to destroy it; but to make it grow, to care for it, to keep it and make it carry on. He gave everything. It’s funny, I sometimes think, ‘He did not give us money.’ We have everything. Who gave us money? I don’t know. Grandmothers have this saying that ‘the devil enters through the pocket’. This may be… God gave humanity all of Creation to preserve it and care for it: this is the gift. And finally, ‘God created mankind in His image, male and female He created them.'”
Love: God’s third gift in Creation
Pope Francis went on to explore the third and final gift, love, beginning with the love shared between a man and a woman.
“Male and female He created them. It is not good for the man to be alone. And He made his partner,” the Pope said. In love, God gives man love and a “dialogue of love”, which, the Holy Father said, must have been the first between man and woman.
The Pope concluded with a look at Creation, thanking God for these three gifts given in Creation.
“Let us thank God for these three gifts He has given us: an identity, a gift/duty, and love. And let us ask for the grace to preserve this identity of a child, to work with the gift He has given us and to advance this gift with our work, and the grace to learn to love ever more each day.”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis’ Lenten message was released on Tuesday entitled “The Word is a gift. Other persons are a gift.”
Listen to Lydia O’Kane’s report
Below find the English language translation of Pope Francis’ Lenten message.
The Word is a gift. Other persons are a gift.
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Lent is a new beginning, a path leading to the certain goal of Easter, Christ’s victory over death. This season urgently calls us to conversion. Christians are asked to return to God “with all their hearts” (Joel 2:12), to refuse to settle for mediocrity and to grow in friendship with the Lord. Jesus is the faithful friend who never abandons us. Even when we sin, he patiently awaits our return; by that patient expectation, he shows us his readiness to forgive (cf. Homily, 8 January 2016).
Lent is a favorable season for deepening our spiritual life through the means of sanctification offered us by the Church: fasting, prayer and almsgiving. At the basis of everything is the word of God, which during this season we are invited to hear and ponder more deeply. I would now like to consider the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (cf. Lk 16:19-31). Let us find inspiration in this meaningful story, for it provides a key to understanding what we need to do in order to attain true happiness and eternal life. It exhorts us to sincere conversion.
The other person is a gift
The parable begins by presenting its two main characters. The poor man is described in greater detail: he is wretched and lacks the strength even to stand. Lying before the door of the rich man, he fed on the crumbs falling from his table. His body is full of sores and dogs come to lick his wounds (cf. vv. 20-21). The picture is one of great misery; it portrays a man disgraced and pitiful.
The scene is even more dramatic if we consider that the poor man is called Lazarus: a name full of promise, which literally means “God helps”. This character is not anonymous. His features are clearly delineated and he appears as an individual with his own story. While practically invisible to the rich man, we see and know him as someone familiar. He becomes a face, and as such, a gift, a priceless treasure, a human being whom God loves and cares for, despite his concrete condition as an outcast (cf. Homily, 8 January 2016).
Lazarus teaches us that other persons are a gift. A right relationship with people consists in gratefully recognizing their value. Even the poor person at the door of the rich is not a nuisance, but a summons to conversion and to change. The parable first invites us to open the doors of our heart to others because each person is a gift, whether it be our neighbor or an anonymous pauper. Lent is a favorable season for opening the doors to all those in need and recognizing in them the face of Christ. Each of us meets people like this every day. Each life that we encounter is a gift deserving acceptance, respect and love. The word of God helps us to open our eyes to welcome and love life, especially when it is weak and vulnerable. But in order to do this, we have to take seriously what the Gospel tells us about the rich man.
Sin blinds us
The parable is unsparing in its description of the contradictions associated with the rich man (cf. v. 19). Unlike poor Lazarus, he does not have a name; he is simply called “a rich man”. His opulence was seen in his extravagant and expensive robes. Purple cloth was even more precious than silver and gold, and was thus reserved to divinities (cf. Jer 10:9) and kings (cf. Jg 8:26), while fine linen gave one an almost sacred character. The man was clearly ostentatious about his wealth, and in the habit of displaying it daily: “He feasted sumptuously every day” (v. 19). In him we can catch a dramatic glimpse of the corruption of sin, which progresses in three successive stages: love of money, vanity and pride (cf. Homily, 20 September 2013).
The Apostle Paul tells us that “the love of money is the root of all evils” (1 Tim 6:10). It is the main cause of corruption and a source of envy, strife and suspicion. Money can come to dominate us, even to the point of becoming a tyrannical idol (cf. Evangelii Gaudium, 55). Instead of being an instrument at our service for doing good and showing solidarity towards others, money can chain us and the entire world to a selfish logic that leaves no room for love and hinders peace.
The parable then shows that the rich man’s greed makes him vain. His personality finds expression in appearances, in showing others what he can do. But his appearance masks an interior emptiness. His life is a prisoner to outward appearances, to the most superficial and fleeting aspects of existence (cf. ibid., 62).
The lowest rung of this moral degradation is pride. The rich man dresses like a king and acts like a god, forgetting that he is merely mortal. For those corrupted by love of riches, nothing exists beyond their own ego. Those around them do not come into their line of sight. The result of attachment to money is a sort of blindness. The rich man does not see the poor man who is starving, hurting, lying at his door.
Looking at this character, we can understand why the Gospel so bluntly condemns the love of money: “No one can be the slave of two masters: he will either hate the first and love the second, or be attached to the first and despise the second. You cannot be the slave both of God and of money” (Mt 6:24).
The Word is a gift
The Gospel of the rich man and Lazarus helps us to make a good preparation for the approach of Easter. The liturgy of Ash Wednesday invites us to an experience quite similar to that of the rich man. When the priest imposes the ashes on our heads, he repeats the words: “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return”. As it turned out, the rich man and the poor man both died, and the greater part of the parable takes place in the afterlife. The two characters suddenly discover that “we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it” (1 Tim 6:7).
We too see what happens in the afterlife. There the rich man speaks at length with Abraham, whom he calls “father” (Lk 16:24.27), as a sign that he belongs to God’s people. This detail makes his life appear all the more contradictory, for until this moment there had been no mention of his relation to God. In fact, there was no place for God in his life. His only god was himself.
The rich man recognizes Lazarus only amid the torments of the afterlife. He wants the poor man to alleviate his suffering with a drop of water. What he asks of Lazarus is similar to what he could have done but never did. Abraham tells him: “During your life you had your fill of good things, just as Lazarus had his fill of bad. Now he is being comforted here while you are in agony” (v. 25). In the afterlife, a kind of fairness is restored and life’s evils are balanced by good.
The parable goes on to offer a message for all Christians. The rich man asks Abraham to send Lazarus to warn his brothers, who are still alive. But Abraham answers: “They have Moses and the prophets, let them listen to them” (v. 29). Countering the rich man’s objections, he adds: “If they will not listen either to Moses or to the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone should rise from the dead” (v. 31).
The rich man’s real problem thus comes to the fore. At the root of all his ills was the failure to heed God’s word. As a result, he no longer loved God and grew to despise his neighbor. The word of God is alive and powerful, capable of converting hearts and leading them back to God. When we close our heart to the gift of God’s word, we end up closing our heart to the gift of our brothers and sisters.
Dear friends, Lent is the favorable season for renewing our encounter with Christ, living in his word, in the sacraments and in our neighbor. The Lord, who overcame the deceptions of the Tempter during the forty days in the desert, shows us the path we must take. May the Holy Spirit lead us on a true journey of conversion, so that we can rediscover the gift of God’s word, be purified of the sin that blinds us, and serve Christ present in our brothers and sisters in need. I encourage all the faithful to express this spiritual renewal also by sharing in the Lenten Campaigns promoted by many Church organizations in different parts of the world, and thus to favor the culture of encounter in our one human family. Let us pray for one another so that, by sharing in the victory of Christ, we may open our doors to the weak and poor. Then we will be able to experience and share to the full the joy of Easter.
From the Vatican, 18 October 2016
Feast of Saint Luc the Evangelist
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) The Holy See’s representative to the United Nations has told a commission for social development that world leaders must address “not only economic poverty but also social and spiritual poverty with policies and investments that people can see and touch”.
Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Apostolic Nuncio and Permanent Observer to the UN, addressed the 55th Session of the Commission for Social Development on Strategies for eradicating poverty to achieve sustainable development for all.
He said, “Wars and conflicts are the main causes of forced migrations and massive displacements of populations. Thus, putting an end to violent conflicts must become our priority, if we are to eradicate poverty and build lasting peace.”
Archbishop Auza also said working with young people on education, jobs, and opportunities encourages their “personal growth and provide them a place in society to make meaningful contributions” so as not to “fall prey to extremist ideologies”.
“While recognizing that poverty eradication is the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development, the 2030 Agenda also recognizes that poverty cannot be reduced to economics,” he said.
Please find below the full text of Archbishop Auza’s address:
Statement of H.E. Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Apostolic Nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, during the 55th Session of the Commission for Social Development
Agenda Item 3 (a): Strategies for eradicating poverty to achieve sustainable development for all
New York, 2 February 2017
Mr. Chair,
At the outset, my delegation wishes to congratulate you and your bureau on your election to the Commission this year. It is the first year that the Commission has been tasked by the Economic and Social Council with providing substantive inputs to the high-level political forum in the area of social development, and so our discussions take on added importance. The focus of this year’s High-level Political Forum in July also fits perfectly within our priority theme for the 55th Session, providing the Commission with a particular opportunity to address poverty eradication by focusing on its social dimensions, a critical element that is often overlooked.
Mr. Chair,
While recognizing that poverty eradication is the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development, the 2030 Agenda also recognizes that poverty cannot be reduced to economics. Instead, it calls on the international community to “address poverty in all its forms and dimensions” in order to ensure that “all human beings can fulfil their potential in dignity and equality and in a healthy environment”. It goes even further in recognizing that poverty eradication is intimately linked with commitments to “combating inequality within and among countries”, “preserving the planet”, “fostering social inclusion” and ultimately “building peaceful societies.” During his annual address to the members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See, Pope Francis similarly recognized that “civil progress” combined with concrete “economic development”, is the only road to peace. Peace, he continued, is an “active virtue, one that calls for the engagement and cooperation of each individual and society as a whole.”
Mr. Chair,
Unfortunately, for many people today, as was also recently emphasized by Pope Francis, “peace appears as a blessing to be taken for granted, for all intents [it is considered] an acquired right to which not much thought is given. Yet, for all too many others, peace remains merely a distant dream.” As we know far too well, millions of people currently find themselves living amid conflicts, fueled by senseless violence, hatred and fear. Even in places that we once considered secure, lack of opportunity and the economic and social strains caused by global insecurity and forced migrations have left the world less stable and in desperate need of concrete signs of hope.
Mr. Chair,
Wars and conflicts are the main causes of forced migrations and massive displacements of populations. Thus, putting an end to violent conflicts must become our priority, if we are to eradicate poverty and build lasting peace. This means addressing not only economic poverty but also social and spiritual poverty with policies and investments that people can see and touch. First and foremost, we must work to provide young people with education, jobs and opportunities that encourage their personal growth and provide them a place in society to make meaningful contributions. Such investments ensure not only that our youth can provide for themselves and their families — but that they can contribute to building a culture of peace; for, when our youth know they are valued and belong, they will not fall prey to extremist ideologies. Additionally, we must also find ways to address the needs of the most marginalized in our societies, such as our elderly who have not only contributed to society’s economic wealth but who continue to generate social wealth through experience and knowledge. Here again, the role of the family is crucial; it also happens to be the most cost effective social safety net that society can offer, especially when supported by tax credits or other targeted government policies that allow the family to provide supports that would otherwise become the responsibility of the State. Finally, sustainable development for all should embrace migrants, displaced persons and refugees. Not only must we respect the right of every person to migrate, but we must also cooperate to make investments that ensure they are integrated fully into the societies in which they are received without, as Pope Francis reminds us, “the latter sensing that their security, cultural identity and political-social stability are threatened.”
Mr. Chair,
Not unlike poverty eradication, “peace will never be achieved once and for all, but must be built up continually.” Thus let us take advantage of the work of this Commission to identify and support those best practices that will contribute most toward making progress on the challenging road that lies before us.
(from Vatican Radio)…