Articles

Papa Francesco: The neighborhood must testify to the children that they are a blessing

The Holy Father has continued his studies of the mercoledì on the neighborhood. As on other occasions, he highlighted the special relationship between children and children.

Javier Garcia-September 8, 2022-Reading time: 2 minutes

Un membro della Guardia Svizzera viene soccorso dopo essere svenuto vicino a Papa Francesco durante l'udienza generale del 17 agosto 2022. ©CNS photo/Paul Haring

Testo originale del articolo in inglese qui

The aneddote of the lesson of this mercoledì 17 August is that of the soldier of the Swiss Guard, killed a few meters from Pope Francis, doing his duty until the end.
Curiosity aside, the Holy Father has continued his catechesis on the neighborhood starting from the reflection of the prophetic dream of Daniele. This vision taken from the beginning of the Apocalypse refers to the risen Jesus, who presents himself as Messiah, Priest and King, eternal, unknowing and immutable (1:12-15).

The Christian artistic tradition has represented God the Father as a benevolent old man with a white beard. Without puerile sentimentality, the Holy Father has evidenced the validity of the image: "The biblical term most commonly used to indicate an old man is `zaqen', which derives from `zaqan', and means 'beard'. The white hairs like snow are an ancient symbol of a very long time, of an immemorial time, of an eternal existence. There is no need to demystify everything for the children: the image of a God that looks over everything with white hair like snow is not a scientific symbol, it is a biblical image, it is noble and persistent. The figure of the Apocalypse that is at the center of the golden candlesticks coincides with that of the prophecy of Daniele, the "Anziano of the days". It is old like all mankind, even older. It is old and new like the eternity of God".

I bimbi sono una benedizione

The Pope also highlighted the biblical example of Simeone and Anna in the presentation of Jesus in the Temple of Jerusalem.
"The neighbourhood" - Pope Francis underlined - "in its journey towards a world in which the love that God has instilled in the Creator finally radiates without hindrance, must compete with this gesture made by Simeone and Anna, before walking. The neighborhood should testify to the children that they are a blessing".
The strength of this sign indicates the dignity and inalienable value of human life, for which the Holy Father has stressed that our destiny in life cannot be annihilated, not even by death.

The credibility of the children is very great for the children, because between them a great complicity is born".Children and adults" - continued the Pope - "I am not able to give such an authentic, tenacious and moving testimony as that of the children. It is irresistible when a neighbor blesses life when he presents himself, giving up every feeling for the life that is going. The witnessing of the old people unites the generations of life, in the same way as the dimensions of time: past, present and future. It is painful - and painful - to see that the ages of life are conceived as separate worlds, in competition with each other, each one trying to live at the expense of the other".

The wisdom of the neighboring country

During the last few months, Pope Francis has underlined the value of the contribution of children to today's families and society. "The alliance between children and children will save the human family", the pontefice emphasized. And he concluded his speech by asking: "Can we give back to the children, who need to be born, the tenacious witness of the children who have the wisdom of death?
Can this humanity, which with all its progress seems like an adolescent born yesterday, recover the grace of an old woman who clings to the horizon of our destiny? Death is certainly a difficult passage of life, but it is also what puts an end to the time of uncertainty and gets through the orologio. Because the beautiful part of life, which has no more stages, begins right there".

La Brújula Newsletter Leave us your email and receive every week the latest news curated with a catholic point of view.
Banner advertising
Banner advertising