Pope urges dialogue in Libya, not 'use of arms'

(March 28, 2011) Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday urged diplomats to work for immediate dialogue aimed at suspending the use of arms by all sides in Libya. After praying his weekly midday ‘Angelus’ prayer with a large crowd in Rome’s St. Peter’s Square the Pope said he was praying for harmony in Libya and North Africa, but was making “a heartfelt appeal to international bodies and whose who hold military and political responsibility to immediately start a dialogue to suspend the use of arms.” The Pontiff said the “ever more dramatic news coming out of Libya” was increasing his “trepidation for the safety and security of the civilian population as well as his apprehension for how the situation, marked by the use of arms, is developing.” Libyan rebels took back a key oil town and were pushing westward toward the capital on Sunday, seizing momentum from U.N.-authorized international airstrikes that tipped the balance away from Muammar Gadhafi's military. The Holy Father also expressed concern over violent clashes rocking much of the Middle East in recent days. He said he had in mind both “authorities and civilians of the Middle East,” and pressed for “the path of dialogue and reconciliation to have priority in the search for just and fraternal coexistence.” The previous Sunday the pope had issued an urgent appeal to military and political leaders to consider the safety of Libyan civilians and ensure they have access to emergency aid. Significantly, he didn't demand an immediate end to the U.S. and European air and missile strikes.
Before the ‘Angelus’ Pope Benedict invited Catholics to pause a moment in silence this Lent to listen to God speaking to their hearts. Reflecting on Sunday’s Gospel episode of Jesus asking water from the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well, the Pope said, "this thirst, like the weariness, has a physical basis." "But as St. Augustine explains Jesus 'had thirst of the woman's faith,' as he has for the faith of all of us. God the Father sent His Son to quench our thirst for eternal life, giving us His love, but asks our faith for bestowing this gift. “Love's omnipotence always respects man's freedom; it knocks at his heart and awaits his answer with patience." The Pope particularly drew attention to the significance of water as the symbol of the sacrament of baptism, “the source of new life through faith in the grace of God." "Each one of us can identify ourselves with the Samaritan woman," the Holy Father affirmed, adding "Jesus awaits us, especially during this season of Lent, to speak to our hearts, to my heart.”