During the Marian prayer on Sunday, July 26, PopeFrancis called for a “renewed effort from the competent local and international authorities” to make sure these clerics are freed. Commenting on the Gospel passage about the miracle of the five loaves and two fish, the Pope recalled that Jesus replaces the buying mentality with that of giving. Concluding, he invited faithful to register for the World Youth Day in Poland and signed up himself in front of the crowd using a tablet.
No matter how poor we are, all of us are capable of giving something. No one should be deprived of bread and a dignified life,” Francis said before a crowd of people gathered in St. Peter’s Square for today’s Angelus. “Jesus satisfies the hunger for giving meaning to life; we need to replace the mentality of buying with the mentality of giving,” Francis also said, before launching a “heartfelt and pressing appeal” for the release of Fr. Dall’Oglio, the Jesuit who was abducted in Syria two years ago and of the Orthodox bishops and other persons “who have been kidnapped in conflict areas”. Francis called for a “renewed effort from the competent local and international authorities” to ensure these individuals are set free.
Today, the Church remembers Sts. Joachim and Anne, parents of the Virgin Mary and therefore Jesus’ grandparents. To mark the occasion I would therefore like to greet all grandfathers and grandmothers for their great and vital presence within the family.” Speaking off the cuff, he said: “let us greet and give a huge round of applause to grandparents who are still living and to those looking down on us from in heaven”.
Today “registrations open for World Youth Day in Poland next year. I wanted to open registrations in person so I have just signed up myself using this electronic device (a tablet, Ed.),” Francis said after reciting the Angelus. Two young people, a boy and a girl, stood by him as he registered. “Since it is going to be celebrated during the Year of Mercy, this World Youth Day is going to be a kind of Youth Jubilee, the young are called to reflect on the theme ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy’,” the Pope said. “I invite young people from all across the world, to take part in this pilgrimage, wither by coming to Krakow, or by participating in this moment of grace in their own communities.”
“The disciples think in ‘market’ terms, but Jesus replaces the buying mentality with that of giving.” This reference was to the Gospel passage of the multiplication of the loaves of bread and fish, a gesture which anticipates the Last Supper and gives “the bread of Jesus its most profound and true meaning”. Commenting on this Gospel story, the Pope said: “Jesus satisfies not only physical hunger, but our innermost hunger, the hunger for giving a meaning to life, the hunger for God.” “Jesus is not only a healer, he is also a Teacher,” Francis underlined recalling the many miracles contained in the Gospel. “Indeed, he goes up onto the mountain and sits, an attitude that is typical of a teacher: he goes up to a natural ‘teaching post’, created by the heavenly Father.” “God’s merciful power manifests itself through him, healing the body and the spirit of all evil,” the Pope observed. Speaking from the central loggia of the Apostolic Palace, the Pope recalled Christ’s gestures during the miracle of the five loaves and two fish: “he took those loaves and fish, gave thanks to the Father and distributed them,” foreshadowing “those at the Last Supper, which give the bread of the heavenly Father its most profound and true significance”. “The bread of God is Jesus himself,” Francis explained. By taking Communion with Him, we receive his life in us and we become children of the heavenly Father and brothers and sisters among us”. So although the crowd was struck by the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves,” in actual fact “the gift that Jesus offers, is fullness of life for hungry humans”. “Participating in the Eucharist,” the Pope said, “means entering into Jesus’ mentality, a mentality of gratuity and sharing.” “‘Taking Communion’,” Francis said in conclusion, “means drawing on the grace of Christ that makes us able to share what we are and what we have with others.”
Fr. Dall’Oglio, the Jesuit priest whose release Francis appealed for today, has been in captivity since 29 July 2013. The 60-year-old priest went missing in Raqqa, a stronghold of the Islamic State “Caliphate” in northern Syria. For 30 years, up until his expulsion in the summer of 2012, Dall’Oglio dedicated his life and work in his adopted country to fostering dialogue between Muslims and Christians. A significant number of Italians have been abducted in North African countries between 2011 and today. Italian journalist Domenico Quirico was abducted in Libya in 2011 for two days along with other Italian journalists from other major national newspapers.
