Pope Francis asks for “concrete gestures” to give “hope and dignity” to the most disadvantaged

Pope Francis today asked for “concrete gestures” and “tenderness” to give “hope” and “dignity” to the most disadvantaged, “victims of injustice and inequality in a discarded society.”

In addition, he rejected the “restorationists” who want “a rigid Church”, during the celebration in the Vatican of the V World Day of the Poor.

Without “concrete gestures of care, justice, solidarity and care for the common home, the sufferings of the poor cannot be alleviated, the discarding economy that forces them to live on the margins cannot be changed and their hopes will not be able to flourish again ”, he said in the homily before 2,000 poor and destitute, as well as volunteers and members of aid organizations.

Francis had started the Day of the Poor, which includes numerous initiatives to help the weakest around the world, with a call on Twitter “to give them our voice”, but “also to be their friends, to listen to them, to understand them” .

The pontiff, who last Friday traveled to Assisi (central Italy) to meet with 500 needy from all over Europe, began by recalling that the world lives “a history marked by tribulations, violence, suffering and injustice” and “those who are injured Oppressed and sometimes trampled on are the poor, the most fragile rings in the chain. “

“The World Day of the Poor that we are celebrating asks us not to look elsewhere, not to be afraid to see closely the suffering of the weakest”, who because of poverty become “victims of injustice and of the inequality of a discarded society that runs fast without taking them into account and unscrupulously abandons them to their fate “.

However, facing “today’s pain” is “the hope of tomorrow” which “does not consist in passively hoping that things will go better in the future”, but in “that we are an attentive presence in the midst of general indifference”.

Act instead of talking

“The word that gives rise to hope in the world and that alleviates the pain of the poor: tenderness. It is up to us to overcome closure, inner rigidity, the temptation to deal only with our problems, to soften ourselves in the face of dramas of the world, to feel sorry for the pain, “he said.

“It is up to us, especially us Christians, to organize hope, translate it into the concrete life of each day, in human relationships, in social and political commitment,” he added, rejecting the “restorationists” who want “a Rigid Church “, which has no reason to be.

According to Francisco, “it is not useful to talk about the problems, to argue, to scandalize ourselves – this is what everyone knows how to do -“, but rather to be “people who act, who share bread with the hungry, who work for justice, who raise up the poor and restore their dignity.

The readings and prayers of the faithful were proclaimed by some poor people and at the end of the celebration hot food was distributed to all the participants, as has been done in previous days in various House-Homes in Rome, which mainly welcome women and men. children, where sanitary and personal care products have also been distributed.

In addition, a van equipped to carry out tests to evaluate the presence of the HCV virus (hepatitis C) and the HIV virus, will be present today in the Plaza de San Pedro for those who want to have this service. (I)