READING OF THE DAY
PRV 21:1-6, 10-13
Like a stream is the king’s heart in the hand of the LORD;
wherever it pleases him, he directs it.All the ways of a man may be right in his own eyes,
but it is the LORD who proves hearts.To do what is right and just
is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.Haughty eyes and a proud heart–
the tillage of the wicked is sin.The plans of the diligent are sure of profit,
but all rash haste leads certainly to poverty.Whoever makes a fortune by a lying tongue
is chasing a bubble over deadly snares.The soul of the wicked man desires evil;
his neighbor finds no pity in his eyes.When the arrogant man is punished, the simple are the wiser;
when the wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge.The just man appraises the house of the wicked:
there is one who brings down the wicked to ruin.He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor
will himself also call and not be heard.
GOSPEL OF THE DAY
LK 8:19-21
The mother of Jesus and his brothers came to him
but were unable to join him because of the crowd.
He was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside
and they wish to see you.”
He said to them in reply, “My mother and my brothers
are those who hear the word of God and act on it.”
WORDS OF THE HOLY FATHER
Referring to the First Reading from the liturgy of the day — from the Book of Proverbs (21:1-6,10-13) — Francis repeated the concluding phrase in particular: “He who closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself cry out and not be heard”. And in this way, he explained, “if today we close our ears to the cries of these people who are suffering under bombs, who suffer the exploitation of arms traffickers, it could happen that when it’s our turn we may not receive a response”.
In this context, the Pope re-launched his appeal: “We cannot close our ears to the cry of pain of our brothers and sisters who are suffering from war”. He also warned against thinking that the issue does not concern us: “Is the war far away? No, it is very close!”, he said. This is because “war touches everyone”, beginning “with the heart: for this reason we must pray today for peace”, he said, asking “that the Lord give us peace in our hearts, and take away all desires of greed, covetousness and struggle”.
“Peace, peace!” was the exclamation the Pope asked everyone to repeat. With the hope “that our heart may be the heart of a man or woman of peace”, ready to look “beyond religious differences — everyone, everyone, everyone! — Because we are all children of God”. Indeed, “God is the God of peace, there is no god of war: what creates war is evil, it is the devil, who wants to kill everyone”.
The Pontiff explicitly invited everyone to think “today, not only of the bombs, the deaths, and those who are injured, but also of the people — the children and the elderly — of those who cannot be reached by humanitarian aid, to eat; they cannot get medicine”. And “they are hungry and sick because bombs prevent them” from receiving food and necessary treatment. “While we pray today, it would be good if each one of us should feel ashamed that humans, our brothers, are capable of doing this”.
Therefore, Francis said, today must be a “day of prayer, penance, and tears for peace; a day to hear the cry of the poor”, the cry that “opens the heart to mercy, to love, and saves us from selfishness”. In conclusion, the Pope thanked all those who responded to his invitation, “for everything that you will do for this day of prayer and penance for peace”.
(Santa Marta, 20 September 2016)