Pope Francis Reveals "3 words that are the secret of human coexistence" and says "Let us pray for peace in Israel and Palestine!" - FULL TEXT + Video
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POPE FRANCIS at the ANGELUS
in the Vatican's St. Peter's Square on Sunday, October 8, 2023
________________________________________
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Today the Gospel presents us with a dramatic parable, with a sad epilogue (see Mt 21:33-43). The owner of a piece of land has planted a vineyard there and has looked after it well; then, having to leave, he entrusts her to some farmers. At harvest time, he sends his servants to collect the harvest. But the farmers mistreat them and kill them; then the master sends his son, and they even kill him. How come? What went wrong? There is a message from Jesus in this parable.
The owner does everything well, with love: he works hard himself, plants the vineyard, surrounds it with a hedge to protect it, digs a hole for the wine press and builds a watchtower (see v. 33). Then he entrusts the vineyard to farmers, renting them his precious asset and therefore treating them fairly, so that the vineyard is well cultivated and bears fruit. Given the premises, the harvest should end happily, in a festive atmosphere, with a fair sharing of the harvest to everyone's satisfaction.
Instead, ungrateful and greedy thoughts crept into the minds of the farmers. Note that at the root of conflicts there is always some ingratitude and greedy thoughts, to quickly possess things. “We don't need to give anything to the master. The product of our work is ours alone. We don't have to answer to anyone! Such is the discourse of these workers. And this is not true: they should be grateful for what they received and how they were treated. Instead, ingratitude fuels greed and a progressive sense of rebellion grows in them, which leads them to see reality in a distorted way, to feel that they are in credit rather than indebted to the boss who gave them work. When they see the son they even go so far as to say: «This is the heir. Come on, let's kill him and we will have his inheritance! » (v. 38). And from farmers they become murderers. It's all a process. And this process happens many times in people's hearts, even in our hearts.
With this parable, Jesus reminds us what happens when man deludes himself into thinking that he is self-made and forgets gratitude, forgets the fundamental reality of life: that good comes from God's grace, that good comes from his free gift. When we forget this, the gratuitousness of God, we end up experiencing our own condition and limitations no longer with the joy of feeling loved and saved, but with the sad illusion of not needing either love or salvation. We stop letting ourselves be loved and we find ourselves prisoners of our own greed, prisoners of the need to have something more than others, of wanting to stand out above others. It's bad, this process, and it happens to us many times. Let's think about it seriously. This is where so much dissatisfaction and recrimination, so much misunderstanding and so much envy come from; and, driven by resentment, one can fall into the vortex of violence. Yes, dear brothers and sisters, ingratitude generates violence, takes away our peace and makes us feel and speak screaming, without peace, while a simple "thank you" can bring peace!
Let us ask ourselves then: do I realize that I have received life and faith as a gift? Do I realize that I am myself, myself, a gift? Do I believe that everything begins with the grace of the Lord? Do I understand that I have been benefited without merit, loved and saved gratuitously? And above all, in response to grace, do I know how to say "thank you"? Do I know how to say “thank you”? The three words that are the secret of human coexistence: thanks, permission, forgiveness. Do I know how to say these three words? Thank you, permission, forgiveness, sorry. Do I know how to pronounce these three words? It's a small word, "thank you" - it's a small word, "permission", it's a small word to apologize, "forgiveness" - expected every day from God and from brothers. Let's ask ourselves if this little word, "thank you", "permission", "forgiveness, sorry" is present in our lives. Do I know how to thank, say “thank you”? Do I know how to apologize, forgiveness? I know not to be intrusive – “permission”? Thank you, sorry, permission.
May Mary, whose soul magnifies the Lord, help us to make gratitude the light that rises every day from her heart.
After the Angelus
Dear brothers and sisters!
I follow with apprehension and pain what is happening in Israel, where violence has exploded even more ferociously, causing hundreds of deaths and injuries. I express my closeness to the families of the victims, I pray for them and for all those who are experiencing hours of terror and anguish. Please stop the attacks and weapons and understand that terrorism and war do not lead to any solution, but only to the death and suffering of many innocent people. War is a defeat: every war is a defeat! Let us pray for peace in Israel and Palestine!
in the Vatican's St. Peter's Square on Sunday, October 8, 2023
________________________________________
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Today the Gospel presents us with a dramatic parable, with a sad epilogue (see Mt 21:33-43). The owner of a piece of land has planted a vineyard there and has looked after it well; then, having to leave, he entrusts her to some farmers. At harvest time, he sends his servants to collect the harvest. But the farmers mistreat them and kill them; then the master sends his son, and they even kill him. How come? What went wrong? There is a message from Jesus in this parable.
The owner does everything well, with love: he works hard himself, plants the vineyard, surrounds it with a hedge to protect it, digs a hole for the wine press and builds a watchtower (see v. 33). Then he entrusts the vineyard to farmers, renting them his precious asset and therefore treating them fairly, so that the vineyard is well cultivated and bears fruit. Given the premises, the harvest should end happily, in a festive atmosphere, with a fair sharing of the harvest to everyone's satisfaction.
Instead, ungrateful and greedy thoughts crept into the minds of the farmers. Note that at the root of conflicts there is always some ingratitude and greedy thoughts, to quickly possess things. “We don't need to give anything to the master. The product of our work is ours alone. We don't have to answer to anyone! Such is the discourse of these workers. And this is not true: they should be grateful for what they received and how they were treated. Instead, ingratitude fuels greed and a progressive sense of rebellion grows in them, which leads them to see reality in a distorted way, to feel that they are in credit rather than indebted to the boss who gave them work. When they see the son they even go so far as to say: «This is the heir. Come on, let's kill him and we will have his inheritance! » (v. 38). And from farmers they become murderers. It's all a process. And this process happens many times in people's hearts, even in our hearts.
With this parable, Jesus reminds us what happens when man deludes himself into thinking that he is self-made and forgets gratitude, forgets the fundamental reality of life: that good comes from God's grace, that good comes from his free gift. When we forget this, the gratuitousness of God, we end up experiencing our own condition and limitations no longer with the joy of feeling loved and saved, but with the sad illusion of not needing either love or salvation. We stop letting ourselves be loved and we find ourselves prisoners of our own greed, prisoners of the need to have something more than others, of wanting to stand out above others. It's bad, this process, and it happens to us many times. Let's think about it seriously. This is where so much dissatisfaction and recrimination, so much misunderstanding and so much envy come from; and, driven by resentment, one can fall into the vortex of violence. Yes, dear brothers and sisters, ingratitude generates violence, takes away our peace and makes us feel and speak screaming, without peace, while a simple "thank you" can bring peace!
Let us ask ourselves then: do I realize that I have received life and faith as a gift? Do I realize that I am myself, myself, a gift? Do I believe that everything begins with the grace of the Lord? Do I understand that I have been benefited without merit, loved and saved gratuitously? And above all, in response to grace, do I know how to say "thank you"? Do I know how to say “thank you”? The three words that are the secret of human coexistence: thanks, permission, forgiveness. Do I know how to say these three words? Thank you, permission, forgiveness, sorry. Do I know how to pronounce these three words? It's a small word, "thank you" - it's a small word, "permission", it's a small word to apologize, "forgiveness" - expected every day from God and from brothers. Let's ask ourselves if this little word, "thank you", "permission", "forgiveness, sorry" is present in our lives. Do I know how to thank, say “thank you”? Do I know how to apologize, forgiveness? I know not to be intrusive – “permission”? Thank you, sorry, permission.
May Mary, whose soul magnifies the Lord, help us to make gratitude the light that rises every day from her heart.
After the Angelus
Dear brothers and sisters!
I follow with apprehension and pain what is happening in Israel, where violence has exploded even more ferociously, causing hundreds of deaths and injuries. I express my closeness to the families of the victims, I pray for them and for all those who are experiencing hours of terror and anguish. Please stop the attacks and weapons and understand that terrorism and war do not lead to any solution, but only to the death and suffering of many innocent people. War is a defeat: every war is a defeat! Let us pray for peace in Israel and Palestine!
In this month of October, dedicated not only to the missions, but also to the prayer of the Rosary, let us not tire of invoking, through the intercession of Mary, the gift of peace on the many countries of the world marked by wars and conflicts; and we continue to remember dear Ukraine, which suffers so much every day, so tormented.
I thank those who are following and above all accompanying with prayer the ongoing Synod, an ecclesial event of listening, sharing and fraternal communion in the Spirit. I invite everyone to entrust the work to the Holy Spirit.
I greet all of you, Romans and pilgrims from Italy and many parts of the world, in particular the students and teachers of the Stimmatini Training Center in Verona, and the Jesuits from various countries hosted by the San Roberto Bellarmino College in Rome. Lots of Poles: I see lots of Polish flags here. Greetings to all of you and to the children of the Immaculate Conception.
I wish everyone a good Sunday and please don't forget to pray for me. Have a nice lunch and see you!
Source: Vatican with Screenshot
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