Pope says Good Shepherd brings peace against the Devil’s divisions
(July 23, 2012) While the devil always tries to sow divisions in man God creates
peace, Pope Benedict XVI said on Sunday before reciting the weekly midday ‘Angelus’
prayer. "The devil is always trying to wreck God's work, sowing divisions in the
human heart, between body and soul, man and God, in interpersonal, social and international
relations, even between man and creation. The devil sows war; God creates peace,"
Pope Benedict XVI said commenting in Italian on Sunday’s Gospel about a large crowd
following Jesus, like sheep without a shepherd. The Holy Father was addressing pilgrims
and visitors gathered at the papal summer residence of Castel Gandolfo, just south-east
of Rome, where he is on vacation. Commenting on the figure of Mary of Magdala, whose
feast occurred on Sunday, the Pope said that among the crowd that followed Jesus was
also this woman from whom He had expelled seven demons, thus saving her from total
servitude to evil. This ‘deep healing’ that God works through Jesus consists in true
and complete peace, the fruit of reconciliation within oneself and in his/her relation
with God, others and the world, the Pope explained. This is the opposite of what
evil tries to do. The Pope said that the Gospel episode remind us that God is the
Shepherd of humanity, who wants life for us and leads us to good pasture. He does
not want us to get lost and die; he wants us to reach the goal of our journey, which
is the fullness of life. This is what every father and every mother wants for their
children: goodness, happiness and fulfilment."