Pope Francis met with members of the delegation of the International Relations Institute of Salamanca, Spain, emphasizing that mankind must continue on the road of peace. Only “love, brotherhood and true humanitarianism derived from faith can overcome hatred, exclusion and cruelty “.
(Vatican News Network)In the face of the horrors of war, “what appears to be defeat and shame can triumph like the tragedy of the cross”. Even when hate seems to triumph over love in conflict, we need to “come up with solutions and come together” in order to do our part in building peace. This is what Pope Francis emphasized when he received members of the delegation of the Salamanca Institute of International Relations in the Vatican on the morning of January 26.
The Pope first expressed his joy at meeting these scholars and researchers from Spain in Rome, saying: “For thousands of years, Rome has been a melting pot of cultures and peoples. As heirs of this universal vocation, Apostle Peter has always followed the vicissitudes of all peoples, their aspirations, their struggles and their difficulties for a better life, to bring them the peace that Jesus promised his disciples.”
The Pope went on to explain the meaning of this peace: “This peace not only surpasses all that we can achieve with human power alone, it also requires us that it cannot be based simply on the balance of power or on the silence of the just demands of the vulnerable. above. However, peace among men is a fundamental good for which we must actively strive and earnestly beseech God.” Quoting the encyclical “All Brethren,” the Pope said: “War is a political and human Failure is a shameful surrender, a crushing defeat to the forces of evil.” (cf. Brethren, No. 261)
Later, the Pope mentioned his personal feelings: “If we consider that the most important budget is the manufacture of weapons, a year without making weapons can solve the problem of hunger in the world. That is to say, we already have a devastating benefit.” war-inclined. We just have to think that today’s weapon technology has reached such a point that just one bomb can destroy an entire city, what else can’t happen? We are going in this direction, as if people don’t understand this .So the struggle for human unity and peace must never stop, and we must never let up.”
The pope continued: “Every year on November 2, I go to the cemetery. Once I went to the American cemetery in Anzio. I saw soldiers who were only 20, 21, 19, 22 years old. .My heart is full of mixed feelings. We still haven’t learned our lesson. Not long ago, the centenary of the D-Day landings was commemorated. Some heads of government met to commemorate it, because it was the beginning of the end of Nazism in Germany, which started the process of liberation in Europe. But no One remembers the thirty thousand young men who died on the beaches of Normandy, thirty thousand young men! I think of their mothers.’ Madame, you have a letter. I inform you with all respect that you were a The hero’s mother’. And a medal. This is the tragedy of war, when will we understand!”.
Finally, the pope appealed to everyone’s conscience. He said: “War is terrible. But we must not let it win. From the ashes something new is born. In failure we learn life lessons. Things that look like failure and shame are like stumbling blocks to the cross.” That, turns into a victory. How to do it? If we can offer solutions in prayer and work, united, we can see that love, brotherhood and true humanitarianism of faith can triumph over hate, exclusion and cruelty .”
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