Pope Francis: Reach out to the poor

Jesus tells us today to reach out to the poor, Pope Francis said Sunday in his address to the Angelus.

Speaking from a window overlooking St. Peter's Square on November 15, the fourth world day of the poor, the pope urged Christians to discover Jesus in the needy.

He said: “Sometimes we think that being a Christian means not doing harm. And doing no harm is good. But not doing good is not good. We have to do good, get out of ourselves and look, look at those who need it most “.

“There is so much hunger, even in the heart of our cities; and many times we enter that logic of indifference: the poor are there and we look the other way. Hold out your hand to the poor: it is Christ “.

The pope noted that at times priests and bishops who preach about the poor are reprimanded by those who say they should talk about eternal life instead.

“Look, brother and sister, the poor are at the center of the Gospel”, he said, “it is Jesus who taught us to speak to the poor, it is Jesus who came for the poor. Reach out to the poor. Have you received many things and left your brother, your sister, to starve? "

The Pope urged the pilgrims present in St. Peter's Square, as well as those who follow the Angelus through the media, to repeat in their hearts the theme of this year's World Day of the Poor: "Reach out to the poor".

“And Jesus tells us something else: 'You know, I am the poor one. I am the poor '”, the pope reflected.

In his speech, the pope meditated on Sunday's Gospel reading, Matthew 25: 14-30, known as the parable of the talents, in which a teacher entrusts wealth to his servants according to their abilities. He said that the Lord also entrusts his gifts to us according to our abilities.

The pope noted that the first two servants offered the master a profit, but the third hid his talent. He then tried to justify his risk-averse behavior to his master.

Pope Francis said: “He defends his laziness by accusing his teacher of being 'tough'. This is an attitude that we also have: we defend ourselves, many times, by accusing others. But they are not at fault: the fault is ours; the fault is ours. "

The pope suggested that the parable apply to every human being, but above all to Christians.

“We have all received from God a 'heritage' as human beings, a human wealth, whatever it is. And as disciples of Christ we have also received faith, the Gospel, the Holy Spirit, the sacraments and many other things, ”he said.

“These gifts must be used to do good, to do good in this life, in the service of God and our brothers and sisters. And today the Church tells you, tells us: 'Use what God has given you and look at the poor. Look: there are so many; even in our cities, in the center of our city, there are many. Do good!'"

He said Christians should learn to reach out to the poor from the Virgin Mary, who received the gift of Jesus himself and gave it to the world.

After reciting the Angelus, the pope said he was praying for the people of the Philippines, struck last week by a devastating typhoon. Typhoon Vamco killed dozens of people and forced tens of thousands to seek refuge in evacuation centers. It was the twenty-first powerful storm to hit the country in 2020.

"I express my solidarity with the poorest families who have suffered these calamities and my support for those who are trying to help them," he said.

Pope Francis also expressed his solidarity with the Ivory Coast, which was overwhelmed by protests following a disputed presidential election. An estimated 50 people have died as a result of political violence in the West African nation since August.

“I join in prayer to obtain the gift of national harmony from the Lord and I urge all the sons and daughters of that dear country to cooperate responsibly for reconciliation and peaceful coexistence,” he said.

“In particular, I encourage the various political actors to re-establish a climate of mutual trust and dialogue, in search of just solutions that protect and promote the common good”.

The pope also launched an appeal for prayer for the victims of a fire in a hospital that treats coronavirus patients in Romania. Ten people died and seven were seriously injured in the fire in the intensive care unit of Piatra Neamt County Hospital on Saturday.

Finally, the pope recognized the presence in the square below of a children's choir from the city of Hösel, in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

“Thanks for your songs,” he said. “I wish everyone a good Sunday. Please don't forget to pray for me "