Pope says violence dehumanizes humanity

(March 12, 2012) Violence which is a tool of the Antichrist never serves humanity and one cannot never interpret Jesus as a violent person. This is what Pope Benedict XVI said on Sunday before reciting the weekly midday ‘Angelus’ prayer with pilgrims and tourists in St Peter's Square in Rome. He was commenting on the Gospel of the third Sunday of Lent, which speaks about Jesus driving out merchants from the Temple of Jerusalem. Pope Benedict described Jesus’ action as prophetic, just as the prophets, in the name of God, often denounced abuses, and they sometimes did so with symbolic gestures. It is impossible to describe Jesus as violent, the Pope said, because “violence is contrary to the Kingdom of God; it is a tool of the Antichrist.” “Violence never serves humanity, but dehumanizes," the Pope said. The zeal of Jesus for the Father and His house led him to the cross, and not of a person who wants to serve God through violence, the Pope explained. The power and authority of Jesus is revealed in his words: 'Destroy this temple - he said - and in three days I will raise it'. With the Easter of Jesus begins a new cult, the cult of love the Pope added.
After praying the ‘Angelus’ and imparting his blessing, Pope Benedict appealed for help for the people of Madagascar, who have recently have been hit by severe natural disasters, with serious damage to people, structures and crops. “While I assure my prayers for the victims and families, I hope and encourage the generous assistance of the international community, " the Pope said. Hurricane Joan and tropical storm Irina have killed hundreds of people and destroyed property in Madagascar.