Pope Francis: we must never resign ourselves to the pain caused by war
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Monday addressed participants of the International
Meeting for Peace in the spirit of Assisi organised by the Rome-based Community of
Saint Egidio.
The meeting, held from September 29 to October 1 sees the
participation of religious leaders of all denominations and of men and women who are
committed to building peace in the world.
Listen to Linda Bordoni's report...
In his
address, the Pope referred to the theme of this year’s event which is “The Courage
to Hope” and noted that it follows in the steps of the historic 1986 meeting in Assisi
that the Blessed John Paul II convened, inviting religious leaders of different Churches
to pray together for peace. And he thanked the St. Egidio Community for continuing
in this path, increasing the momentum, engaging in and promoting meaningful dialogue
between personalities and representatives of all religions and secular humanists.
And
the Pope pointed out that in the past few months it has become evident that the world
needs the "spirit" that sparked that historic meeting. He said “we must never resign
ourselves to the pain of entire peoples who are hostages of war, poverty, exploitation.
We must not stand by helpless and indifferent before the tragedy of children, families
and elderly people who are affected by violence. We can not allow terrorism to imprison
the heart of a few violent people and to sow so much death and pain. Let us all say
out loud, without interruption, that there can be no religious justification for violence;
in whatever way it manifests itself. As Pope Benedict XVI pointed out two years ago,
on the 25th anniversary of the Assisi meeting, all forms of religiously motivated
violence must be stamped out, and together we must make sure the world does not
fall prey to that violence that is contained in every project of civilization which
is based on a "no" to God”.
“As leaders of the different religions we can
do much. Peace is everyone's responsibility. Praying for peace, working for peace!
A religious leader is always a man of peace, because the commandment of peace is inscribed
in the depths of the religious traditions we represent. But what can we do?”
This
meeting – the Pope said - suggests the way to go: “the courage of dialogue which gives
hope”. In the world, in society – he continued - there is little peace also because
there is no dialogue, it is hard to look beyond the narrow horizon of one’s own interests
and be open to a true and sincere exchange. Peace - he said – needs a dialogue that
is tenacious, patient, strong and intelligent. Dialogue can win over war. Thanks
to dialogue people of different generations, who often ignore each other, can live
together; just as citizens from different ethnic backgrounds and different beliefs
can live together if there is dialogue. Dialogue is the way of peace. Because dialogue
encourages understanding, harmony and peace. That’s why dialogue must grow and spread
among people of every condition and conviction, like a network of peace that protects
the world and the most vulnerable.
Pope Francis concluded his message calling
on religious leaders to be true “partners in dialogue". To be active in building
peace, not as intermediaries, but as authentic mediators. “Intermediaries” – he said
- “seek to grant discounts to all parties in order to obtain gains for themselves.
Mediators are the ones who keep nothing for themselves, but expend themselves generously,
in the knowledge that the only true gain is that of peace”. Each of us – he said
- is called to be an artisan of peace, uniting and not dividing, extinguishing - not
conserving - hatred, opening the paths of dialogue, not erecting new walls! And he
urged them to “talk and meet to establish the culture of dialogue, the culture of
encounter, in the world”.
Finally the Pope remembered the legacy of that
first Assisi meeting that continues to be nurtured year after year thanks also to
the work of the Saint. Egidio community. He said it shows how dialogue is intimately
linked to prayer. “Dialogue and prayer grow or perish together”. And he recalled that
Pope Paul VI spoke of "the transcendent origin of dialogue" saying: "Religion is by
nature a relationship between God and man. Prayer expresses this relationship through
dialogue" (Encyclical Ecclesiam suam , 72) .
“Continue to pray for the
peace of the world, in Syria, in the Middle East, in many countries of the world.
May this courage of peace give the courage of hope to the world, to all those who
suffer in war, to young people who look with concern to their future. Almighty God,
who listens to our prayers, support us in this journey of peace.