Being child-like

During last Sunday’s Angelus, Pope Francis asked the faithful whether, like children, they marvel at God’s works around them, or just let them pass by.

“God reveals himself by liberating and healing the human person, with a gratuitous love that saves. Jesus thanks his father, because his greatness consists in his love and he never works outside of love. Those who are full of themselves, proud, concerned only about their own interests, convinced they do not need anyone, are not able to accept God as father.”

Concluding, Pope Francis invited the faithful to ask ourselves if, “in the deluge of news that overwhelms us today”, we know how to “marvel like a child at the good that silently changes the world” and if we thank God each day for his works.

 

Future-proofing

John Allen, editor of the Catholic news website Crux Now, commented on the pope’s recent announcement of new cardinals:

“No doubt, Francis hopes he’ll be around to see all of those initiatives (his plans for the Church) to conclusion. On the other hand, he’s also not leaving anything to chance, striving to ensure that even if he doesn’t make it across the finish line, he’s leaving people in positions of authority who will see his vision to completion. The bottom line is that this is a pope who wants it all – and, even if he can’t have it all right now, he can at least make sure his people are positioned to have it when the time comes.”

 

Attack slammed

Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, condemned the “unprecedented Israeli aggression” against Jenin. “The city of Jenin has been subject to unprecedented Israeli aggression, which also caused a lot of damage to our Latin parish in Jenin. We condemn this violence, demand a ceasefire, and hope for the pursuit of peace and dialogue to prevent other future unjustified attacks on the population.”

 

(Compiled by Fr Joe Borg)