Here is a ZENIT translation of the Pope’s general audience, given today in St. Peter’s Square:
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Dear Brothers and Sisters, good morning and a good Lenten journey!
It is good and also significant to have this Audience precisely on this Ash Wednesday. We begin our Lenten journey and today we pause on the ancient institution of the “jubilee”; it is an ancient thing, attested in Sacred Scripture. We find it in particular in the Book of Leviticus, which presents it as a culminating moment of the religious and social life of the people of Israel.
Every 50 years, “on the day of expiation” (Leviticus 25:9), when the Lord’s mercy was invoked upon all the people, the sound of the horn proclaimed a great event of liberation. In fact we read in the Book of Leviticus: “And you shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants; it shall be a jubilee for you, when each of you shall return to his property and each of you shall return to his family […] In this year of jubilee each of you shall return to his property” (25:10.13). According to these dispositions, if some one was constrained to sell his land or his house, during the jubilee he could repossess it; and if some one had contracted debts and, unable to pay them, was constrained to put himself at the service of the creditor, he could return free to his family and regain all his property.
It was a sort of “general amnesty,” which permitted all to return to their original situation, with the cancellation of all debts, the restitution of land, and the possibility to enjoy freedom again as members of the People of God. A “holy” people, where prescriptions such as that of the jubilee served to combat poverty and inequality, guaranteeing a worthy life for all and a fair distribution of the land on which to dwell and from which to draw sustenance. The central idea is that the land belongs originally to God and has been entrusted to men (Cf. Genesis 1:28-29), therefore no one can arrogate to himself its exclusive possession, creating situations of inequality. We can think and rethink of this today; each one should think in his heart if he has too many things. But why not leave them to those who have nothing? Ten per cent, fifty per cent … I say: may the Holy Spirit inspire each one of you.
With the jubilee, whoever had become poor had again what was necessary to live, and whoever had become rich restored to the poor man what he had taken from him. The aim was a society based in equality and solidarity, where liberty, land and money became a good for all and not only for some, as happens now. If I’m not mistaken … more or less, the numbers aren’t certain, but 80% of the riches of humanity are in the hands of less than 20% of the population. It is a jubilee – and I say this recalling the history of our salvation – to be converted, so that our heart becomes larger, more generous, more a child of God, with more love. I’ll tell you something: if this desire, if the jubilee doesn’t reach pockets, it isn’t a jubilee. Have you understood? And this is in the Bible! This Pope doesn’t invent it: it’s in the Bible. The aim – as I said – was a society based on equality and solidarity, where liberty, land and money were to be a good for all, not for some. In fact, the jubilee had the function of helping the people to live a concrete fraternity, made up of mutual help. We can say that the biblical jubilee was a “jubilee of mercy,” because it was lived in the sincere search for the good of the needy brother.
In the same line, other institutions and other laws also governed the life of the People of God, so that they could experience the Lord’s mercy through that of men. For instance, the biblical law prescribed the giving of the “tithe” which was allocated to the Levites, in charge of worship, who were without land, and to the poor, the orphans, the widows (Cf. Deuteronomy 14:22-29). It provided, namely, that a tenth of what was harvested, or which stemmed from other activities, be given to those who were without protection and in a state of need, thus fostering conditions of relative equality within a people in which all should behave as brothers.
There was also the law concerning the “first fruits.” What is this? The first part of the harvest, the most precious part, was to be shared with the Levites and with strangers (Cf. Deuteronomy 18:4-5; 26:1-11), who didn’t have fields, so that for them also land would be the source of nutrition and life. “The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine; for you are strangers and sojourners with me,” says the Lord (Leviticus25:234). We are all guests of the Lord, in expectation of our heavenly homeland (Cf.Hebrews 11:13-16; 1 Peter 2:11), called to render the world, which receives us, habitable and human. And how many “first fruits” one who is fortunate could give one who is in difficulty! How many first fruits! First fruits not only of fields but of every product of labor, of wages, of savings, of so many things that are possessed and that sometimes are wasted. This also happens today. So many letters arrive at the Apostolic Charities with a bit of money: “This is part of my salary to help others.” And this is beautiful; to help others, welfare institutions, hospitals, rest homes ..; to give also to foreigners, those who are strangers and are passing by. Jesus was passing by in Egypt.
And, in fact, thinking of this, Sacred Scripture exhorts with insistence to respond generously to the request for loans, without mean calculations and without taking impossible interest: “And if your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall maintain him; as a stranger and a sojourner he shall live with you. Take no interest from him or increase” (Leviticus 25:35-37). This teaching is always timely. How many families are on the street, victims of usury! Please, let us pray that during this Jubilee the Lord take from all our hearts the desire to have more — usury. That we return to be generous, great. How many situations of usury we are constrained to see and how much suffering and anguish they bring families! And so often, in despair, how many men end in suicide because they can’t make ends meet and have no hope, they don’t have the extended hand to help them; only the hand that comes to make them pay the interest. Usury is a grave sin; it is a sin that cries out to God. The Lord, instead, has promised His blessing to him who opens his hand to give with largesse (Cf. Deuteronomy 15:10). He will give you twofold, perhaps not in money but in other things, but the Lord will always give you twofold.
Dear brothers and sisters, the biblical message is very clear: to open oneself with courage to sharing, and this is mercy! And if we want mercy from God, we must begin to practice it. It is this: we begin to practice it between fellow citizens, between families, between peoples, between continents. Contribute to bring about a land without poor means to build a society without discriminations, based on solidarity that leads to sharing what one has, in a distribution of resources founded on brotherhood and justice. Thank you.
[Original text: Italian]
[Translation by ZENIT]
Greeting in Italian
I give a cordial welcome to the Italian-speaking faithful. I greet in particular the Diocesan Directors of the Pontifical Missionary Works; the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of Lipari; the Mani Tese Association and the teachers of religion of the Diocese of Concordia-Pordenone. I greet the parish groups and the students of theArca School of Legnano and Don Luigi Monza of Cislago. I exhort you to revive the faith with the crossing of the Holy Door, to be witnesses of the Lord’s love with concrete works of charity.
The day after tomorrow I will begin my Apostolic Journey to Mexico, but first I will go to Havana to meet my dear brother Kyrill. I entrust to the prayer of all the meeting with Patriarch Kyrill as well as the trip to Mexico.
A special thought goes to young people, the sick and newlyweds. Today, Ash Wednesday, the Lenten journey begins. Dear young people, I hope you will live this time of grace as a return to the Merciful Father, who awaits all with open arms. Dear sick, I encourage you to offer your sufferings for the conversion of those who live far from God; and I invite you, dear newlyweds, to build your new family on the solid rock of divine love.
[Original text: Italian]
[Translation by ZENIT]
Appeal
Tomorrow, Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lourdes, is the 24th World Day of the Sick, which will have its culminating celebration at Nazareth. In this year’s Message we reflected on the irreplaceable role of Mary at the Wedding of Cana: “Do whatever He tells you” (John 2:5). Reflected in Mary’s solicitude is God’s tenderness and the immense goodness of the Merciful Jesus. I invite to pray for the sick and to have them feel our love. May Mary’s tenderness itself be present in the life of so many people who are at the side of the sick, able to perceive their needs, also those that are most imperceptible, because seen with eyes full of love.
[Original text: Italian]
[Translation by ZENIT
POPE FRANCIS GENERAL AUDIENCE: Ash Wednesday (FULL TEXT: Other translation in English)
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning and good path of Lent!
It is beautiful and also significant to have this hearing at this Ash Wednesday. We begin the journey of Lent, and we are reflecting today on the ancient institution of the "jubilee"; It is an ancient thing, attested in Holy Scripture. We find it especially in the Book of Leviticus, which presents it as a culminating moment of religious and social life of the people of Israel.
Every 50 years, "the day of atonement" ( Lev 25.9), when the mercy of God was invoked on all the people, the sound of the horn announcing a great event of liberation. We read in the book of Leviticus: "You shall hallow the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It will be a jubilee for you; each of you shall return to his property and to his family [...] In this Year of Jubilee each will return to his property "(25,10.13). According to these provisions, if anyone had been forced to sell his land or his home, in the jubilee could repossess; and if anyone had contracted debts and unable to pay them, he had been forced to put themselves at the service of the creditor, could go back free to his family and get back all the properties.
It was a kind of "general amnesty", which will allow everyone to get back in the original situation, with the cancellation of all debts, the restitution of the land, and the ability to enjoy their new freedom of the members of God's people. a people "holy", where requirements such as the jubilee needed to combat poverty and inequality, ensuring a decent life for all and a fair distribution of land on which to live and from which to draw sustenance. The central idea is that the land originally belongs to God and is entrusted to men (see January from 1.28 to 29), and therefore no one can arrogarsene exclusive possession, creating situations of inequality. Thus, today, we can think and rethink; each one in his heart think it has too many things. But why not let those who have nothing? Ten percent, fifty percent ... I say, let the Holy Spirit will inspire each of you.With the Jubilee, who had become poor returned to having the necessities of life, and who had become rich gave back to the poor what he had taken from him. The end was a society based on equality and solidarity, where freedom, land and money ridiventassero good for everyone, not just for some, as happens now, if I'm not mistaken ... More or less, the figures are not safe but eighty percent of humanity's wealth is in the hands of less than twenty percent of the population. It is a jubilee - and I say this remembering our history of salvation - to convert, because our heart becomes larger, more generous, more child of God, with more love. I tell you one thing: if this desire, if the jubilee does not come to the pockets, is not a true jubilee. You have understood? And this is in the Bible! Not invent this Pope is in the Bible. The end - as I said - it was a society based on equality and solidarity, where freedom, land and money to become an asset for everyone and not for some. In fact the jubilee function was to help the people to live a real fraternity, made of mutual aid. We can say that the biblical jubilee was a "Jubilee of mercy", because experienced in the sincere search for the good of the poor brother.
In the same line, even other institutions and other laws governed the life of God's people, because you might experience the mercy of the Lord through that of men. In those norms are indications as valid today, that make you think. For example, the biblical law prescribed the payment of "tithes" that were intended for the Levites, in charge of the cult, who were landless and the poor, orphans and widows (cf. Dt 14.22 to 29). It was expected that the tenth part of the harvest, or the proceeds of other activities, might be given to those who were unprotected and in need, as well as to foster conditions of relative equality in a nation in which everyone had to behave brothers.
There was also the law concerning the "first fruits". What is this? The first part of the harvest, the most valuable part, was to be shared with the Levites and the foreigners (cf. Dt 18.4 to 5; 26.1 to 11), who did not own fields, so that for them the earth was the source of nourishment and life. "The land is mine and you are but aliens and from guests," says the Lord ( Leviticus 25:23). We are all guests of the Lord, waiting for the heavenly homeland (cf. Heb 11.13 to 16; 1 Peter 2:11), called to make the world that welcomes us a living and human. And how many "first fruits" who is more fortunate could donate to those in need! How many fruits! First fruits of not only the fruits of the fields, but any other product of labor, wages, savings, so many things that you own and that sometimes are wasted. This also happens today. Apostolic Nell'Elemosineria many letters arrive with a bit 'of money: "This is a part of my salary to help others." And this is nice; help others, charitable institutions, hospitals, retirement homes ...; give also to strangers, those who are strangers and are in transit. Jesus was passing through Egypt.
And just thinking about this, the Holy Scriptures insistently exhort respond generously to requests for loans, without petty calculations and without demanding impossible interests:
"If your brother is with you becomes poor and without resources, help as a stranger and a guest, he may live with thee. Do not take interest from him, or increase; but fear your God and is' live your brother with you. You not lend him money at interest, nor give him your food for wear "( Lv 25.35 to 37). This teaching is always relevant. How many families are on the road, victims of usury! Please, please, because in this Jubilee the Lord remove from the heart of all of us this desire to have more, wear. That you return to be generous, big. How many wear situations we are forced to see and how much suffering and anguish bring to families! And many times, in desperation, many men end in suicide because they do not make it and do not have hope, do not have the outstretched hand to help them; only the hand that is to make him pay interest. It is a grave sin of usury, is a crying sin before God. But the Lord has promised his blessing to those who opens her hand to give generously (cf. Dt 15:10). He will give you double, maybe not in money but in other things, but the Lord will always give you double.
Dear brothers and sisters, the biblical message is very clear: open up courageously sharing, and this is mercy! And if we want mercy from God we begin to make us. It is this: we begin to make us among fellow citizens, between families, between peoples, between continents. Help realize a land without poor means building society without discrimination based on solidarity that leads to share what you have, in a sharing of resources founded on brotherhood and justice. Thank you.
The world trend with a Total fertility Rate under 2...TFR below 2, North of Italy, 0,7...
In the year 2470, only 2 people on the whole planet...without any war or plague...
We need TFR above 2,2 just to reproduce humans...
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