Pope urges solidarity for disaster victims in Philippines, China, Iran
(August 13, 2012) Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday called on the solidarity of the world
for the Filipinos and Chinese struggling with devastating floods and people in northwest
Iran hit by earthquakes. “These events have caused numerous deaths and injuries,
thousands of displaced people and extensive damage,” the Pope said after his weekly
midday ‘Angelus’ prayer with pilgrims and visitors at the summer papal residence of
Castel Gandolfo, southeast of Rome. Saturday’s twin earthquakes around Tabriz city
has claimed at least 306 lives, while a new storm is threatening northern Phillipines,
including the capital, Manila that has been badly battered by monsoon rains in which
nearly 100 have died; and a typhoon slammed eastern China's coast on Wednesday, washing
out roads, knocking out power and disrupting transport in one of the nation's most
populous regions. Pope Benedict invited all to join him “in prayer for those who have
lost their lives and for all the people tried by such a devastating disaster.” May
our solidarity and our support not lack to these our brothers and sisters,” the Pope
added. Before the ‘Angelus’ prayer, Benedict XVI shared a reflection on Sunday’s
Gospel about Jesus claiming to be “the true bread which came down from heaven, which
is able to keep alive, not for a moment or part of the journey, but forever.” The
Pope noted the Jewish belief that the true bread from heaven was the Law, the Word
of God, and that knowing God's will was the right path of life. Yet when Jesus claims
to be the Word of God and hence the true bread, the Jews refuse to go beyond his earthly
origins as the son of Joseph and Mary and refuse to welcome Him as the Word of God
made flesh. “This bread, indeed, requires the hunger of the inner man,” according
to St. Augustine, the Pope said, adding, “eating the living bread in fact means believing
in Him.” “He that believes eats; he is satisfied invisibly, because invisibly is
he born again,” the Pope added.