Pope Francis says "The person of peace has a future. This certainty warns us and encourages us. Let us pray for peace." to Germany's Catholic Day - FULL TEXT
MESSAGE FROM POPE FRANCIS
FOR THE 103RD GERMAN CATHOLIC DAY
[Erfurt, May 29 - June 2, 2024]
_______________________________________
Dear brothers and sisters,
I greet all of you from the bottom of my heart for the 103rd Catholic Day in Erfurt to pray together, to exchange ideas, to strengthen one another in faith and to bear witness to the Gospel of Christ.
"The man of peace has a future." That is the motto of these days. Psalm 37 states the reason why the man of peace is promised a future: because he is just, because he does what pleases God, because he trusts in God. However, the tragedy of man from the beginning is that he does not trust God, but distrusts him; that he does not do what pleases God, but goes his own way. The original unity and harmony of all creation, as intended by God, has thus "gone out of joint": Man no longer uses creation in the way the Creator intended, but abuses and mistreats it in his selfish pursuit of power and profit. This is how suffering and death came into the world (cf. Gen 3). What is meant here is felt and named by many people today - especially young people - from very different cultural and ideological backgrounds. They sense that something is wrong with man and with the world, that we cannot simply carry on as before, that we need to turn around and reorient ourselves.
Jesus' mission was all about this reorientation of man towards God - and thus also a renewal and healing of his relationships with his fellow human beings, with creation and, not least, with himself. The peace that Christ brings becomes visible when he gives people new hope, a future in difficult times: those who were excluded, the sick, those who were entangled in guilt. Christ called injustice by its name and condemned imbalances. In order to restore divine order, Jesus often had to turn human logic and values on their head, as is particularly clear in the Sermon on the Mount. But this is precisely how he creates peace: "on the cross through his blood" (Col 1:20). Yes, let us look up to the cross: "There violence was not responded to with violence, death was not answered with the language of death. In the silence of the cross the roar of weapons falls silent and the language of reconciliation, forgiveness, dialogue and peace is heard" (sermon on September 7, 2013). Christ's peace arises from love and devotion. At Easter it becomes clear: the man of peace has a future.
We Christians are called to continue his mission: like him, we want to give new respect to abandoned, excluded and lonely people and let them know that they are not alone. But we also want to work publicly, politically, for better living conditions and give a voice especially to those who are not heard. Without justice there can be no peace. Not only in Europe, but also in other parts of the world, fundamental human rights currently seem to be under threat: through increasing anti-Semitism, racism and other ideologies that tend towards extremism and violence.
The many moral, social, economic and political crises that we are experiencing are all connected. Concern for nature, justice towards the poor, commitment to society, protection of life and the family, defence of the dignity of all human life and external and internal peace belong together. The problems affect everyone and can only be solved together. And accordingly, a broad-based, multi-voiced dialogue is needed at all levels of social, economic and political life. The numerous discussion events at the Catholic Congress with many high-ranking representatives from important areas of social life offer a good opportunity for this.
In this context, it is nice and important that the Catholic Congress is also a place of ecumenical cooperation and interreligious dialogue. Because it requires cooperation with all people of good will who are prepared to build a peaceful future. How powerful the common testimony of Christians can be was experienced in 1989, when people of peace, holding a candle in their hand, triggered the Peaceful Revolution. Here in Erfurt, the peace prayers took place in the Lorenzkirche and in the Protestant Preacherkirche. This miracle of peaceful change, triggered by praying people, shows us what prayer can do. And so this memory is also an encouragement for us today!
The person of peace has a future. This certainty warns us and encourages us. Let us pray for peace. Let us also pray for one another that the power of the Holy Spirit fills us with hope and joy. From the bottom of my heart I wish you spiritually enriching and fruitful days! I accompany you in prayer - please pray for me too. May the God of peace bless you.
From the Vatican, May 2024
FRANCIS
FOR THE 103RD GERMAN CATHOLIC DAY
[Erfurt, May 29 - June 2, 2024]
_______________________________________
Dear brothers and sisters,
I greet all of you from the bottom of my heart for the 103rd Catholic Day in Erfurt to pray together, to exchange ideas, to strengthen one another in faith and to bear witness to the Gospel of Christ.
"The man of peace has a future." That is the motto of these days. Psalm 37 states the reason why the man of peace is promised a future: because he is just, because he does what pleases God, because he trusts in God. However, the tragedy of man from the beginning is that he does not trust God, but distrusts him; that he does not do what pleases God, but goes his own way. The original unity and harmony of all creation, as intended by God, has thus "gone out of joint": Man no longer uses creation in the way the Creator intended, but abuses and mistreats it in his selfish pursuit of power and profit. This is how suffering and death came into the world (cf. Gen 3). What is meant here is felt and named by many people today - especially young people - from very different cultural and ideological backgrounds. They sense that something is wrong with man and with the world, that we cannot simply carry on as before, that we need to turn around and reorient ourselves.
Jesus' mission was all about this reorientation of man towards God - and thus also a renewal and healing of his relationships with his fellow human beings, with creation and, not least, with himself. The peace that Christ brings becomes visible when he gives people new hope, a future in difficult times: those who were excluded, the sick, those who were entangled in guilt. Christ called injustice by its name and condemned imbalances. In order to restore divine order, Jesus often had to turn human logic and values on their head, as is particularly clear in the Sermon on the Mount. But this is precisely how he creates peace: "on the cross through his blood" (Col 1:20). Yes, let us look up to the cross: "There violence was not responded to with violence, death was not answered with the language of death. In the silence of the cross the roar of weapons falls silent and the language of reconciliation, forgiveness, dialogue and peace is heard" (sermon on September 7, 2013). Christ's peace arises from love and devotion. At Easter it becomes clear: the man of peace has a future.
We Christians are called to continue his mission: like him, we want to give new respect to abandoned, excluded and lonely people and let them know that they are not alone. But we also want to work publicly, politically, for better living conditions and give a voice especially to those who are not heard. Without justice there can be no peace. Not only in Europe, but also in other parts of the world, fundamental human rights currently seem to be under threat: through increasing anti-Semitism, racism and other ideologies that tend towards extremism and violence.
The many moral, social, economic and political crises that we are experiencing are all connected. Concern for nature, justice towards the poor, commitment to society, protection of life and the family, defence of the dignity of all human life and external and internal peace belong together. The problems affect everyone and can only be solved together. And accordingly, a broad-based, multi-voiced dialogue is needed at all levels of social, economic and political life. The numerous discussion events at the Catholic Congress with many high-ranking representatives from important areas of social life offer a good opportunity for this.
In this context, it is nice and important that the Catholic Congress is also a place of ecumenical cooperation and interreligious dialogue. Because it requires cooperation with all people of good will who are prepared to build a peaceful future. How powerful the common testimony of Christians can be was experienced in 1989, when people of peace, holding a candle in their hand, triggered the Peaceful Revolution. Here in Erfurt, the peace prayers took place in the Lorenzkirche and in the Protestant Preacherkirche. This miracle of peaceful change, triggered by praying people, shows us what prayer can do. And so this memory is also an encouragement for us today!
The person of peace has a future. This certainty warns us and encourages us. Let us pray for peace. Let us also pray for one another that the power of the Holy Spirit fills us with hope and joy. From the bottom of my heart I wish you spiritually enriching and fruitful days! I accompany you in prayer - please pray for me too. May the God of peace bless you.
From the Vatican, May 2024
FRANCIS
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