Pope Francis' joint Video message with General Secretary of UN "Let us recognize ourselves as members of a single humanity, and let us take care of our land which....has been entrusted to us by God." Full Text

VIDEO MESSAGE OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS
AND OF THE GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE UNITED NATIONS ORGANIZATION


It is nice that this meeting of ours takes place in the days that lead us to Christmas. These are days when our eyes are turned to the heavens to entrust to God the people and situations that we most cherish. In this view we recognize ourselves as children of one Father, brothers.

We give thanks for all the good that is in the world, for the many who commit themselves for free, for those who spend their lives in serving, for those who do not give up and build a more humane and more just society. We know: we cannot save ourselves alone.

We cannot, we must not turn away from the other side in the face of injustices, inequalities, the scandal of world hunger, of poverty, of children who die because they have no water, food or the necessary care.

We cannot turn away from the other side in the face of any kind of abuse against children. We must all fight this scourge together.

We cannot close our eyes to the many of our brothers who, due to conflicts and violence, poverty or climate change, leave their countries and often face a sad fate.

We must not remain indifferent to the human dignity trampled on and exploited, to attacks against human life, whether it is yet to be born or that of every person in need of care.

We cannot, we must not turn away when the believers of various faiths are persecuted in different parts of the world.

The use of religion to encourage hatred, violence, oppression, extremism and blind fanaticism, as well as to force exile and marginalization, cries out for God's vengeance.

But the arms race and nuclear rearmament also cries out for God's vengeance. And it is immoral not only the use but also the possession of nuclear weapons, which have such a destructive scope, that even the sole danger of an accident represents a dark threat to humanity.

We do not remain indifferent to the numerous wars that continue to be fought and that see so many innocent people succumb.

Confidence in dialogue between people and between nations, in multilateralism, in the role of international organizations, in diplomacy as a tool for understanding and understanding, is indispensable for building a peaceful world.

Let us recognize ourselves as members of a single humanity, and let us take care of our land which, generation after generation, has been entrusted to us by God in custody because we cultivate it and leave it to our children as a legacy. The commitment to reduce polluting emissions and for an integral ecology is urgent and necessary: ​​let's do something before it's too late!

We listen to the voice of many young people who help us to become aware of what is happening today in the world and ask us to be sowers of peace and builders, together and not alone, of a more human and more just civilization.

Christmas, in its genuine simplicity, reminds us that what really counts in life is love.
Source: Vatican.va - Unofficial Translation - Image Source: Screen Shot - VaticanNews Youtube