Pope: bombs and weapons to be silenced, and conflict not to spread to Lebanon

The Pope's appeal to “raise our humble prayer to the Lord that the clamor of bombs may cease, that weapons may be silenced, and that spaces for dialogue may be opened in the conflict in Iran and the Middle East”, was the main cry of Leo XIV in the Angelus of this Third Sunday of Lent. At the same time, he asked that hatred and fear not spread to other countries such as Lebanon, which could fall back into instability. 

The Pontiff said that “from Iran and from all over the Middle East, news continues to reach us that cause us deep consternation. Episodes of violence and devastation”. And he entrusted the prayer of supplication for dialogue and peace to “Mary, Queen of Peace. May she intercede for those who suffer because of war, and accompany hearts on the long road of reconciliation and hope”.

Prayer for women who suffer violence, and for equality

Secondly, after the recitation of the Marian prayer of the Angelus, the Pope recalled that “today, March 8, is celebrated as International Women's Day. Let us renew our commitment, which for us Christians is rooted in the Gospel, to the recognition of the equality of men and women," he said. the woman. Unfortunately, many women, from childhood, are discriminated against and suffer different forms of violence. To them in a special way goes my solidarity and my prayer”.

Then, as he always does, the Pope greeted numerous groups of pilgrims and faithful from American countries and from all over the world, including Italians.

For those who will be baptized at Easter, and for all those who will be baptized at Easter.

At the beginning of his speech, in which he commented on the Jesus' dialogue with the Samaritan woman At the well of Sychar, the Successor of Peter recalled all those who will receive Baptism at Easter, and said: 

“The dialogue between Jesus and the Samaritan woman, the healing of the man born blind and the resurrection of Lazarus, from the first centuries of the Church's history, illuminate the path of those who, at Easter, will receive Baptism and begin a new life.”.

“These great pages of the Gospel, which we begin to read from this Sunday, are offered to the catechumens, but at the same time they are heard again by the whole community, because they help to become Christians or, if we are already Christians, to be Christians with greater authenticity and joy”, said Leo XIV.

“Jesus is God's answer to our thirst.” “Lent is a gift.”

The Pope went on to emphasize that “Jesus, in fact, is God's answer to our thirst. The encounter with him, as he suggested to the Samaritan woman, activates in the depths of each of us a ‘spring that wells up to eternal life’ (Jn 4:14). How many people throughout the world are still seeking this spiritual source today!.

“Sometimes it is accessible to me,” wrote young Etty Hillesum in her diary. But often there are stones and debris clogging that well and then God is buried. He must be dug up again. Dear brothers and sisters, there is no energy better spent than that which we devote to freeing the heart. For this reason, Lent is a gift: we are entering the third week and we can already intensify our journey".

The Lord says to his Church: “Recognize God's surprises”.”

Commenting on the Gospel episode, in which his disciples were surprised to see [Jesus] speaking with a woman” (Jn 4:27), the Pope encouraged the faithful: “The Lord also says to his Church: ‘Lift up your eyes and recognize God's surprises’”. 

“The harvest is plentiful; perhaps the laborers are few, because they are distracted by other activities. Jesus, on the other hand, is attentive. That Samaritan woman, according to the customs, would simply have had to be ignored; however, Jesus speaks to her, listens to her, gives her confidence without ulterior motives and without contempt”.

“How many people are looking for this same gentleness, this same availability in the Church,” the Pope exclaimed. And how beautiful it is when we lose track of time to pay attention to those we meet, just as they are”. 

The Samaritan woman, first of many evangelizers

The Samaritan woman thus became the first of many evangelizers, said Leo XIV. “From her village of despised and marginalized people, many, thanks to her witness, go out to meet Jesus, and in them too faith springs forth like pure water”. 

“Let us ask Mary, Mother of the Church today,” the Pope concluded, “to be able to serve, with Jesus and like Jesus, humanity's thirst for truth and justice. It is not a time of opposition between one temple and another, between “us” and “the others””.