"L-ibbuljar hu frott ix-Xitan" Papa Franġisku
Bullying is the devil’s work - Pope Francis
If we harbour the desire to attack
someone because they are weak, it is the devil, the Pope said.
Just as the influence of the Holy Spirit is recognized when one does an act of charity, Christians also must recognize the presence of the devil when bullying occurs, Pope Francis said.
“When we realize that we harbour within ourselves the desire to attack someone because they are weak, we have no doubt: It is the devil. Because attacking the weak is the work of Satan,” the Pope said in his homily Jan. 8 at morning Mass in the Domus Sanctae Marthae.
The Pope centred his homily on the day’s reading from the First Book of Samuel, which recounts the verbal abuse Hannah endured because she was unable to conceive a child.
Similar accounts in other Bible stories — from Abraham’s wife Sarah ridiculed by her servant to Job who was rejected by his wife after his misfortune — are stories that Christians should take time to reflect on, the Pope said.
“I ask myself: What is within these people? What is it within us that pushes us to mock and mistreat others weaker than we are?” the Pope asked.
“It is understandable when a person resents someone stronger than them, perhaps because of envy … but toward the weak? What makes us do that? It is something habitual, as if I need to ridicule another person to feel confident; as if it were a necessity,” he said.
Pope Francis said that as a child there was a woman named Angelina in his neighbourhood and she was constantly ridiculed by others, especially children, because of her mental illness.
While people would generously give her food and clothes, local children would make fun of the woman and say, “Let’s find Angelina and have some fun,” the Pope said.
“Today we see it constantly in our schools — the phenomenon of bullying, attacking the weak because ‘you’re fat or foreign or because you’re black,'” he said. “This means there is something within us that makes us act aggressively toward the weak.”
Although psychologists may give a different reason as to why some are inclined to bully the weak, Pope Francis said he believed it was “a consequence of original sin” and the work of Satan who “has no compassion.”
“Let us ask the Lord to give us the grace of God’s compassion,” the Pope said. “He is the one who has compassion on us and helps us to move forward.”
Source: Catholic Herald
http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2018/01/09/bullying-is-the-devils-work-says-pope-francis/
10 Wise words from Pope Francis about bullying
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What is it within ourselves that makes us mock and belittle the weakest among us? That was the question Pope Francis posed during his homily at the morning Mass on Monday in the Casa Santa Marta.
http://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope-francis/mass-casa-santa-marta/2018-01/pope-at-mass--_contempt-for-the-weak-is-work-of-satan.html
By Devin Watkins
Pope Francis at Monday morning’s Mass reflected on the many Biblical stories that tell of a powerful person humiliating someone weaker and more vulnerable. The devil is behind this type of attitude, the Pope said, because there is no compassion in him.
The Holy Father took his cue from the First Reading, taken from the First Book of Samuel, about Samuel’s parents, Elkanah and Hannah. His father, Elkanah, had two wives: Hannah, who was barren, and Peninnah, who had borne him several children. Instead of consoling Hannah, Peninnah scorned and humiliated her on account of her infertility.
Pope Francis said other Biblical stories also tell of scorn towards the weak, as does the story of Abraham’s wives, Hagar and Sarah. He said the same attitude of scorn and contempt occurs between men. Goliath, he said, ridiculed David. Both Job's and Tobias’ wives belittled their suffering husbands.
Pope Francis noted that even among children this happens. The Holy Father said that when he was young, there was a woman with a mental illness, Angelina, who lived in his neighborhood. She would walk the streets all day, and people would give her food to eat and clothes. Local children, however, would make fun of her. They would say: “Let’s find Angelina and have some fun”.
Pope Francis said that psychologists would probably give another explanation of this desire to destroy another because they are weak, but, he said, “I believe it is a consequence of Original Sin. This is the work of Satan.” Satan, he said, has no compassion.
Pope Francis in Angelus: “Abused authority leads to corruption”
Published on Nov 6, 2017
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‘Bible contains many stories of scorn towards the weak’
Pope Francis said other Biblical stories also tell of scorn towards the weak, as does the story of Abraham’s wives, Hagar and Sarah. He said the same attitude of scorn and contempt occurs between men. Goliath, he said, ridiculed David. Both Job's and Tobias’ wives belittled their suffering husbands.
“I ask myself: What is within these people? What is it within ourselves that pushes us to mock and mistreat others weaker than ourselves? It is understandable when a person resents someone stronger than them, perhaps as a result of envy… but towards the weak? What makes us do that? It is something habitual, as if I needed to ridicule another person in order to feel confident. As if it were a necessity…”
Cruelty among children: a childhood memory
Pope Francis noted that even among children this happens. The Holy Father said that when he was young, there was a woman with a mental illness, Angelina, who lived in his neighborhood. She would walk the streets all day, and people would give her food to eat and clothes. Local children, however, would make fun of her. They would say: “Let’s find Angelina and have some fun”.
Pope Francis lamented this situation, saying “How much evil there is, even in children, that they treat the weak in this way!”
“And today we see it constantly in our schools; the phenomenon of bullying, attacking the weak, because you’re fat or foreign, or because you’re black… Attacking and attacking… Children and young people, too. It wasn’t just Peninnah, Hagar, or the wives of Tobias and Job: even children. This means there is something within us that makes us act aggressively toward the weak.”
The desire to destroy another person is the work of Satan
Pope Francis said that psychologists would probably give another explanation of this desire to destroy another because they are weak, but, he said, “I believe it is a consequence of Original Sin. This is the work of Satan.” Satan, he said, has no compassion.
“And so, as when we already have a good desire to do a good act, like an act of charity, we say ‘It’s the Holy Spirit inspiring me to do this’. And when we realize we harbor within ourselves the desire to attack someone because they are weak, we have no doubt: It is the devil. Because attacking the weak is the work of Satan.”
Finally, Pope Francis said, “Let us ask the Lord to give us the grace of God’s compassion. He is the One who has compassion on us and helps us to move forward.”
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Pope Francis in Angelus: “Abused authority leads to corruption”
Published on Nov 6, 2017
