In the gospel of this Sunday, July 21, St. Mark relates that the apostles tell Jesus what they had done and taught, and the Lord says to them: "Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while. Then, when they disembarked, "Jesus saw a crowd and had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things".
In commenting on this Gospel, before the recitation of the Marian prayer for the AngelusIn St. Peter's Square, the Pope said that he speaks of "two things: rest and compassion. And the two are linked. Only if we learn to rest can we have compassion.
On a very hot Sunday in Rome, where many families were present among the Romans and pilgrims, the Pontiff warned about "haste" and the "dictatorship of doing", in a society dominated by the desire for results, we become agitated, and we lose sight of "the essential" with a tiredness of body and spirit. Pope Francis emphasized that Jesus showed his concern for the weariness of his disciples: "Perhaps he is sensing a danger that can also affect our life and our apostolate".
As an example, he mentioned the "enthusiasm in carrying out the mission, or work, as well as the role and tasks entrusted to us", which "make us victims of activism". Faced with a "society that is often a prisoner of haste, but also for the Church and for pastoral service: let us be attentive to the dictatorship of doing!" the Pope reiterated.
Finding time for family love
In the family sphere, so many times the father leaves the house when the children are asleep, and returns when they are already in bed at night. "It is a social injustice" that this happens, Francis pointed out. "It is necessary to find time for the children and for family love".
In conclusion, the Pope asked whether we know how to find moments for ourselves and for the Lord, or whether we are in a hurry. And he referred to the inner desert that we must find in the midst of the noise, and to "rest in the midst of daily activities". "May the Holy Virgin help us to "rest in the Spirit" also in the midst of all our daily activities, and to be available and compassionate towards others," the Holy Father prayed.
"Athletes, messengers of peace."
After praying the Angelus, the Pope pointed out that sport has a great "social force" and asked that we "pray for peace" and also for an "Olympic truce" for peace, on the occasion of the upcoming Paris Olympics, in the face of so many wars such as those in the martyred Ukraine, Palestine and Israel, Myanmar, etc. Let the athletes be "messengers of peace", he encouraged, recalling the Message sent to the Metropolitan Archbishop of Paris, Laurent Ulrich, in which he pointed out that the Games are "by their very nature, bearers of peace, not war".
The Olympic Games are an occasion to "overcome differences and opposition" and to "strengthen the unity of the nation"; an occasion "to break down prejudices, to promote esteem where there is contempt and mistrust, and friendship where there is hatred," the Pontiff said. "May God have mercy on us," he wrote in the message to Archbishop Ulrich. "May he enlighten the consciences of the rulers about the grave responsibilities incumbent upon them, may he grant the peacemakers success in their efforts and may he bless them."
