© Excelsior
Pope Francis urged the faithful to pray “for those who have treated us badly, it is the first thing to transform evil into good.” Photo: AFP
Pope He lamented that the Christian peoples see each other as “enemies” and think of going to war while defending that “turning the other cheek is not the loser’s retreat, but the action of one who has greater inner strength”.
“How sad it is when people and peoples who are proud to be Christians see others as enemies and think of making war!” exclaimed the pontiff during the Angelus of this Sunday.
His comments, although he has not expressly said what he was referring to, coincide with a moment of military escalation on the border between Ukraine and Russiaa, both countries with an Orthodox Christian majority, although with separate churches.
In 2019, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, signed a decree granting the Ukrainian Orthodox Church independence from that of Russia.
Standing on the balcony of his private study in the Apostolic Palace, Francis asked the following question: “Is it possible for a person to come to love his own enemies?”
For Pope this gesture “would be impossible” with the only strength of man but he has pointed out that “God gives the ability to do it”. “With the Spirit of Jesus we can respond to evil with good, we can love those who do evil to us. This is what Christians do. How sad it is when people and peoples proud of being Christians see others as enemies and think of making war !” Francis said.
Finally, he urged the faithful to pray “for those who have treated us badly, it is the first thing to transform evil into good.” And he added: “May the Virgin Mary help us to be builders of peace towards everyone, especially towards those who are hostile to us and we do not like”.
jcp