Francis, meeting a delegation from the Latin American Rabbinical Seminary, reiterated his denunciation of the arms industry and recalled that new weapons are being tested in Ukraine at the expense of dying people. So he says that in the Bible justice is worshiping God and serving others
Benedetta Capelli – Vatican City
There is the reference to current events in the off-the-cuff speech in Spanish of Pope Francis to a delegation of the Latin American Rabbinical Seminary, coming from Argentina, received at the Vatican on 2 December. In his words, the pain of the war in Ukraine.
This war makes me suffer. Brothers against brothers, but not only that. To think that in one century there have been three world wars: 39-45, 14-18 and this one. To think that if no weapons were made for a year, world hunger would end, because I think it’s the biggest industry. To think that a war is waged when an empire feels weak, so it kills to feel strong and to use the weapons it has to sell or give away to make new ones. It pains me to see those drones that were circling over Ukraine try out. Which are new weapons they’re testing, at the expense of people dying.
Example of brotherhood
The question that the bishop of Rome asks about man’s meekness finds the answer in Jeremiah. The invitation to work as brothers is strong.
Against a culture of cruelty, of man wolf for man, we work starting from our faith, with these common sacred books and setting an example of fraternity.
To adore, to serve, to help
The Pope also dwells on those who, reflecting on his words, judge him “a communist” because he “talks about social things” instead of talking about God. Instead, he emphasizes that “justice of the heart” is present in the Bible, “it is always with God and neighbor” therefore we adore and serve, we adore and help each other.
Anyone who only helps and doesn’t worship is a good atheist, nothing more. Anyone who adores and doesn’t help is a cynic, a liar. The two things go together. And we must fight for this, so that our faith becomes works and that our works lead us to faith. It’s a circle.
Train new social leaders
The delegation of the Latin American Rabbinical Seminary “Marshall T. Meyer”, on the occasion of the audience, presented to the Pope a proposal for social change through the formation of leaders, starting from a common spiritual perspective. A goal to be achieved in union with the Holy See and through educational centres, spirituality centers and youth movements. In an interview with Vatican News, Argentine rabbi Ariel Stofenmacher, rector of the Latin American Rabbinical Seminary, underlined that “the proposal has to do with understanding the needs of this world and with the Pope’s vision regarding these needs , in terms of attention to the poor, to the defense of the environment”. Hence the need to become “agents of change through education” to decisively address “the scourges of society such as discrimination, poverty, lack of work and gender-based violence”.
The Latin American Rabbinical Seminary is the leading center of Jewish spirituality and education in Latin America. It was founded in 1962 in the city of Buenos Aires by Rabbi Marshall T. Meyer and has offices in Montevideo and Santiago de Chile.
The Pope: world hunger would end if weapons were not made for a year – Vatican News