Pope's 'Angelus' of Sept. 26

(September 27, 2010) Follow God’s path in life because it will be too late to repent after death. "On Judgement Day God will level all injustice in the world.” “He will judge the rich and the poor according to the principle of love”. This was Pope Benedict XVI’s warning on Sunday during his weekly midday ‘Angelus’ prayer with a large crowd gathered at the papal summer residence of Castel Gandolfo, outside Rome. Reflecting on Sunday’s Gospel on the rich man and Lazarus, the Holy Father recalled Jesus’ beatitude, ‘Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours.’ But he said the message of the parable goes further and points to two things. The first is that God loves the poor and raises them from humiliation and the second is that our eternal destiny is determined by our behaviour. It is up to us to follow the path God has shown us…, and this path is love, understood not as a sentiment, but as service to others in the love of Christ. And in this regard coincidentally the Church on Monday was marking the feast of St. Vincent de Paul, patron of Catholic charitable organizations, this year being the 350^th anniversary of his death. In the sixteenth century French society, the Pope said, St. Vincent felt the sharp contrast between the rich and the poor "and" knew how to organize stable forms of service for the marginalized, starting the so-called ‘Charities’ or women's groups who put their time and assets at the disposal of the most marginalized. “Only Love with the capital ‘L’ brings true happiness!” the Pope said, pointing to Chiara Badano, a 19-year old Italian girl declared Blessed the previous day, Saturday. Born in 1971, Badano was a ray light for all, as she was affectionately called ‘Clear Light’, the Pope said.