Pope urges Christians to proclaim God's love with boldness; supports Italy Church’s pro-life efforts

February 04, 2013 - Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday urged Christians to proclaim God's love with 'boldness, humility and coherence' like Jesus. "Let us ask the Lord to give each of us a spirit of courage and wisdom, so that in our words and actions, we may proclaim the saving truth of God’s love with boldness, humility and coherence," Pope Benedict said before his weekly midday ‘Angelus’ prayer with the faithful and tourists in St. Peter’s Square in Rome. He was reflecting on Sunday’s Gospel where Jesus preaching in his hometown Nazareth, laments that a prophet is never accepted in his homeland. "Jesus did not come to seek the consensus of men, but to give testimony to the truth," the Pope said adding, "the true prophet does not obey anyone other than God and places himself at the service of truth, ready to pay in person." He explained that love and truth are "two names for the same reality" and "two names of God." The pontiff then spoke about the various manifestations of love as elaborated by St. Paul in his letter to the Corinthians. "Love does not boast, it is not puffed up with pride, it is not disrespectful, it does not seek its own interests and does not get angry," Pope Benedict said.
After praying the ‘Angelus’, Pope Benedict addressed Italian pilgrims, speaking about Sunday’s observance of the national Day for Life by the Catholic Church of Italy. “Investing in life and the family is also an effective response to the current crisis," the Pope said. He wished all the best for the pro-life initiative called 'One of us', so that Europe will always be a place where every human being is protected in his or her dignity. The Pope also greeted the representatives of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Rome, and encouraged them to "form health workers in the culture of life." Pope Benedict also addressed English-speaking pilgrims and visitors saying, “Jesus reminds us that being a prophet is no easy task, even among those nearest to us.” “Let us ask the Lord to give each of us a spirit of courage and wisdom, so that in our words and actions, we may proclaim the saving truth of God’s love with boldness, humility and coherence,” he urged.