Francesc condemns the production, sale and trade of weapons in his Christmas message – Agència Flama

To say no to war, you must first say no to weapons, because It is not possible to talk about peace if the production, sale and trafficking of weapons increases at the same time. This was Pope Francis' message last Monday, December 25, during the traditional Christmas blessing The city and the worldFrom the city of Rome to the world, the Pope denounced in front of about 70,000 believers the hypocrisy and cover-ups that hide behind the arms trade.

The Pope wondered: “How many armed massacres occur in complete silence, without coming to light!” Find out how much public money is allocated to arms production. The Pope said: “Let us talk about this, write about it, so that we know what interests and profits drive the threads of wars.”

In his Christmas message, which was marked by the bloody war in the land of Jesus, the Pope brought a remembrance to the peoples of Israel and Palestine. “I embrace both peoples, especially the Christian communities in Gaza, the Latin parish in Gaza, and the entire Holy Land,” he said. The Pope also expressed his “pain for… Victims of the despicable attack last October 7 He called again for the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. “I implore you to stop military operations, with their dire consequences for innocent civilian victims, and to address the desperate humanitarian situation by opening the way for aid to arrive,” Franciszek repeated at the same time as he urged governments to find “a solution to the Palestinian issue on The basis of “sincere and sustained dialogue between the two parties” and supported by “strong political will and the international community.”

But Francis did not stop at the conflict in the Holy Land. Rather, he recalled many other conflicts that are still occurring in the world, despite their disappearance from the media spotlight. Bloody conflicts like that Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, Ukraine, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The Pope also did not forget the wars in the Sahel region, the Horn of Africa, Sudan, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan. As for the Asian continent, this also happened A memory of the latent war between the two KoreasWhich are still facing each other 70 years after the signing of the ceasefire. In this sense, Francesc formulated a wish: He added: “May the day come when fraternal relations on the Korean Peninsula are strengthened, and avenues of dialogue and reconciliation are opened that can create conditions for lasting peace.”

Likewise, the Pope addressed a few words to the American continent, encouraging “political authorities and all people of good will” to find the right solutions “to overcome social and political differences, to combat Forms of poverty that harm people's dignityIn order to reduce inequality and confront the painful phenomenon of migration.”

On the day when all the faithful received plenary indulgence, Francis ended his parliament with a remembrance of all those who They die because of lack of access to basic goods such as water and bread. She also remembers those who cannot find work or have lost it, and those who are forced to flee their place of origin in search of a better future, risking their lives on arduous journeys and being humiliated by “traffickers without scruples.”

Christmas message and blessing Urbi et Orbi

Dear brothers and sisters, Happy Birthday!

The eyes and hearts of Christians all over the world are turned to Bethlehem; There, where pain and silence reign these days, the long-awaited message was brought to life for centuries: “A Savior has been born to you, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). These are the words of the angel in the sky of Bethlehem, and they are also addressed to us. We are full of confidence and hope to know that the Lord was born for us; The Word of the Eternal Father, the infinite God, has established His home among us. He became flesh, He came “to dwell among us” (John 1:14): this is the news that changes the course of history!

What happened in Bethlehem was a declaration of “great joy” (Luke 2:10). What joy is is not the fleeting happiness of the world, not the joy of mirth, but a “great” joy because it makes us “great.” Today, in fact, human beings, with their limitations, accept the unprecedented certainty of hope, which is to be born for heaven. Yes, our brother Jesus came to make fragile dolls of the Father, his Father, and to reveal to us the tenderness of God; And much more: He, the only-begotten Son of the Father, gives us “the ability to be children of God” (John 1:12). This is the joy that consoles the heart, renews hope and gives peace: it is the joy of the Holy Spirit, the joy of being beloved children.

Brothers and sisters, today in Bethlehem, in the darkness of the earth, this inextinguishable flame was lit. Today in the darkness of the world the light of God prevails, “which enlightens every man” (John 1:9). Brothers and sisters, let us congratulate ourselves on this blessing! Rejoice, you who have lost confidence and certainty, because you are not alone, noYou Alone: ​​Christ was born for you! Play, you who have placed hope, because God extends his hand to you: he does not point at you with his finger, but rather offers you the handle of his nest to free you from fears, to raise you from fatigue, and to show you what is in his eyes. Like anything else. Rejoice, you who do not find peace in your hearts, because the ancient prophecy of Isaiah has been fulfilled in you: “To us a child has been born, to us a son has been given… and his name will be.” : :… “Prince of Peace” (9,5). The Bible reveals that his peace and kingdom “will have no end” (9:6).

In the Bible, the Prince of Peace is opposed to “the prince of this world” (John 12:31), who spreads death and works against the Lord, “the lover of life” (Wisdom 11:26). We see this in action in Bethlehem, when the innocents are massacred after the birth of the Savior. How many innocent people are being killed in the world: in the wombs of their mothers, in the paths of desperate people searching for hope, in the lives of so many children whose childhoods were destroyed by war. They are the little Jesus of today, these children whose childhood was destroyed by war.

Therefore, saying “yes” to the Prince of Peace means saying “no” to war, and that with courage: saying “no” to war, to every war, to the logic of war itself, to a journey without a goal, to defeat without a goal. Winners, madness without excuses. This is war: a journey without purpose, defeat without victors, madness without excuses. But to say “no” to war you have to say “no” to weapons. Because if a person, whose heart is unstable and wounded, finds the tools of death in his hands, sooner or later he will use them. How can we talk about peace if the production, sale and trafficking of weapons increases? Today, as in the time of Herod, the evil plots that resist the divine light move under the shadow of hypocrisy and concealment: how many armed massacres are carried out in complete silence, without coming to light! The people, who do not want weapons but bread, and who have difficulty moving forward and asking for peace, ignore the amount of public funds allocated for armaments. However, he should know. Let him talk about it, write about it, so that we know what interests and profits drive the threads of war.

Isaiah, who predicted the Prince of Peace, wrote of the day when “nation will not lift up sword against nation”; The day when “men will no longer learn the art of war,” but rather “And they will beat their swords into sickles and their spears into sickles.” (2,4). With God's help, let's make that day come!

I hope this day will come to Israel and Palestine, where war is shaking the lives of these populations. I embrace them both, especially the Christian communities in Gaza, the parish of Gaza, and the entire Holy Land. I would like to express my sadness for the victims of the despicable attack that took place on October 7, and reiterate the urgent call for the release of the Israeli hostages. I call for an end to military operations and their tragic consequences of innocent civilian casualties, and for addressing the desperate humanitarian situation by opening the flow of aid. Violence and hatred should not continue to be fueled, but rather the Palestinian issue must begin to be resolved through an honest and continuous dialogue between the two parties, supported by a strong political and societal will. Brothers and sisters, we pray for peace in Palestine and Israel.

My thoughts are with the people of martyred Syria, as well as with the people of Yemen, who are still suffering. I think of the beloved Lebanese people and pray for their speedy recovery and political and social stability.

With my eyes fixed on the Child Jesus, I ask for peace for Ukraine. We renew our spiritual and human closeness to his martyred people, because by supporting each one of us, we feel the fulfillment of God’s love.

I hope that the day of final peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan will come. I hope that it will be blessed with the continuation of humanitarian initiatives, the return of the displaced to their homes legally and safely, and mutual respect for the religious traditions and places of worship of each sect.

Let us not forget the tensions and conflicts affecting the Sahel, the Horn of Africa and Sudan, as well as Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan.

I hope that the day will come when fraternal relations on the Korean Peninsula are consolidated, and avenues of dialogue and reconciliation are opened that can create conditions for lasting peace.

The Son of God, who humbled himself as a child, encourages the political authorities and all people of good will on the American continent to find appropriate solutions to overcome social and political differences, and to fight forms of poverty that offend the dignity of people. To allay inequality and confront the painful phenomenon of migration.

From the cave, the child asks us to be the voice of the voiceless: the voice of the innocents who died because of the lack of water and bread; The voice of those who cannot find or have lost work; He sees those who are forced to flee their homeland in search of a better future, risking their lives on arduous journeys and at the mercy of unscrupulous traffickers.

Brothers and sisters, the time of grace and hope is approaching in the Jubilee, which will begin in less than a year. Let this period of preparation be an occasion for the transformation of the heart. To say “no” to war and “yes” to peace; Let us respond with joy to the call of the Lord who calls us, as Isaiah also prophesied, “to bring good news to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom to the captives, and the return of light to the captives” (Isaiah). 61:1).

These words were spoken about Jesus (see Luke 4:18), who was born today in Bethlehem. Let us welcome Him, and open our hearts to Him, the Savior! We open our hearts to Him, the Savior, the Prince of Peace!