#PopeFrancis "I urge everyone to live the joy of mission by witnessing the Gospel in the environs where each one lives and works.” FULL TEXT + Video at Angelus

Pope Francis FULL TEXT Angelus for October 22,2017 (Google Translation of Official Vatican Release- a better translation will be added when it becomes available) 
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

The Gospel of this Sunday (Mt 22,15-21) presents us with a new face to face between Jesus and his opponents. The theme addressed is the tribute to Caesar: a "thorny" issue, a tribute to Caesar about whether or not to pay the tax to the emperor of Rome, to whom Palestine was subjected to Jesus' time. The positions were different. Therefore, the question asked by the Pharisees: "Is it lawful or not, to pay the?" (V. 17) constitutes a trap for the Master. In fact, depending on how he responded, he would be accused of being or for or against Rome.

But Jesus, in this case too, responds calmly and takes advantage of the mischievous question of giving an important lesson, elevating itself to the controversy and opposing strata. It says to the Pharisees, "Show me the coin of tribute." They present him a money, and Jesus, watching the coin, asks, "Who is this image and the inscription?" The Pharisees can only answer: "Of Caesar". Then Jesus concludes: "Therefore, make Caesar the thing that is of Caesar, and to God what is of God" (cf. vv. 19-21). On the one hand, intimating to return to the emperor what belongs to him, Jesus states that paying the tax is not an act of idolatry, but an act due to earthly authority; on the other - and this is where Jesus gives the "stroke of wings" - recalling the primacy of God, asks him to do what he owes as Lord of man's life and history.

The reference to the image of Caesar, engraved in the coin, says that it is right to feel fully-with rights and duties-citizens of the state; but symbolically makes it think of the other image that is imprinted in every man: the image of God. He is the Lord of all, and we who have been created "in his image" belong first and foremost to Him. postage from the Pharisees, a more radical and vital question for each of us, a question we can make of: who do I belong to? To family, city, friends, school, work, politics, the state? Yes sure. But first of all - reminds us of Jesus - you belong to God. This is the fundamental membership. He has given you everything you are and what you have. Therefore, our lives, day by day, we can and must live it in the re-understanding of our fundamental membership and re-knowledge of our heart towards our Father, who creates each of us individually, unrepeatable, but always according to the image of his beloved Son, Jesus. It is a wonderful mystery.

The Christian is called to commit concretely in human and social realities without opposing "God" and "Caesar"; opposing God and Caesar would be a fundamentalist attitude. The Christian is called upon to engage concretely in earthly realities, but enlightening them with the light that comes from God. Priority trust in God and hope in him do not lead to an escape from reality, but rather to make God's work operative to him . That is why the believer looks at the future reality, that of God, to live the earthly life in fullness, and to respond with courage to his challenges.

The Virgin Mary helps us to live always in accordance with the image of God we bring in us, in, and also our contribution to the construction of the earthly city.
After the Angelus

Dear brothers and sisters,

Yesterday, in Barcelona, ​​beatified were Matteo Casals, Teofilo Casajús, Fernando Saperas and 106 martyr companions, belonging to the Clerical Congregation and killed in hatred of faith during the Spanish Civil War. Their heroic example and their intercession are supported by Christians who, even in our day - and many - in different parts of the world suffer discrimination and persecution.

Today is celebrated the World Mission Day, on the theme "The Mission to the Heart of the Church". I urge everyone to live the joy of the mission by witnessing the Gospel in the environments where each one lives and works. At the same time, we are called upon to support with the affection, the concrete help and the prayer the missionaries who started to announce Christ to those who do not yet know Him. I also remember that I intend to promote an Extraordinary Missionary Month in October 2019 in order to nourish the ardor of the evangelizing activity of the Church ad gentes. On the day of the liturgical memory of Saint John Paul II, missionary Pope, we entrust to his intercession the mission of the Church in the world.

I ask you to join my prayer for peace in the world. These days, I pay close attention to Kenya, which I visited in 2015, and for which I would like the country to be able to tackle the current difficulties in a climate of constructive dialogue, having a heartfelt quest for the common good.

And now I greet you all, pilgrims coming from Italy and from various countries. In particular, the faithful of Luxembourg and those of Ibiza, the Family Movement of the Immaculate Heart of Mary of Brazil, the Sisters of the Most Holy Mother of Sorrows. I greet and bless with affection the Peruvian community of Rome, gathered here with the sacred Image of the Señor de los Milagros.

I greet the groups of faithful of many Italian parishes, and I encourage them to continue their journey of faith joyfully.

And I wish everyone a good Sunday. Please do not forget to pray for me. Good lunch and goodbye!