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."