The World has become so used to immense tragedies, war and sufferings that we now overlook them in silence – Pope Francis
Pope Francis, leader of the Roman Catholic Church, has warned that the
world is becoming so desensitised to crises, war and suffering that
people no longer care anymore.
In his annual Christmas Day message delivered Saturday, December 25, the
pontiff pointed to ongoing turmoil in Syria, Yemen and Iraq, as well
as Africa, Europe and Asia.
He spoke to thousands of Catholic faithful who were wearing face
masks amid Covid precautions. The faithful watched in St Peter’s Square
at the Vatican as the Pope delivered his Urbi et Orbi address from the
balcony of the Basilica.
In his address, Pope Francis warned about the social consequences of the
pandemic, saying there was “a growing tendency to withdraw… to stop
making an effort to encounter others and do things together”.
He said that “on the international level too there is the risk of
avoiding dialogue, the risk that this complex crisis will lead to taking
shortcuts rather than setting out on the longer path” to resolve
conflicts.
“We continue to witness a growing number of conflicts, crises and
disagreements,” he said. “These never seem to end and by now we hardly
even notice them.
“We have become so used to them that immense tragedies are being passed over in silence.”
He singled out Syria, Iraq and Yemen “where an enormous tragedy overlooked by everyone has silently gone on for years”.
He also talked about tensions between Israel and the Palestinians, and the “unprecedented” economic crisis gripping Lebanon.
Turning to Asia, the Pope asked God to comfort the people of
Afghanistan “who for more than 40 years have been sorely tested by
conflicts”, and to “sustain the people of Myanmar where intolerance and
violence not infrequently target the Christian community and its places
of worship”.
He also prayed for peace to in Ukraine, Ethiopia and the Sahel, which
has been a front line in the war against Islamist militancy for almost a
decade.
Pope Francis, then urged followers to show more compassion towards the poor and to “value the little things in life”.
“On this night of love, may we have only one fear: that of offending
God’s love, hurting him by despising the poor with our indifference,” he
said.
