Pope at Audience: Meekness unites
us, anger drives us apart
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| A woman gives Pope Francis a bouquet of flowers at the General Audience (Vatican Media) |
At the Wednesday General Audience, Pope Francis reflects on
Jesus’ invitation to meekness in the third Beatitude, and urges Christians to
be people of mercy and hope.
By Devin Watkins
Turning his attention to the third Beatitude of Matthew’s
Gospel – “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” – Pope
Francis said a meek person is kind and shuns violence, refusing to grow angry
when passions run high.
“Anyone can seem meek when all is calm,” he told pilgrims at
the General Audience in the Paul VI Hall, “but how do we react when ‘under
pressure’ or are attacked, offended, or assaulted?”
Jesus, said the Pope, is a model of meekness especially in
how He suffered the Passion.
Landed gentry
Pope Francis added that the Scriptures use the term “meek”
for the poor and those without land.
So Jesus’ statement that the meek will inherit the earth
would seem contradictory. But he promises it all the same, said the Pope. “It
is the Promised Land.”
“That land is a promise and a gift for the people of God,
and becomes a sign of something much greater than a piece of ground.”
He said the third Beatitude ultimately points us to our
heavenly homeland.
Meekness vs. anger
The Pope went on to describe the traits of a meek disciple
of Christ.
“He or she has learned to defend their peace, their
relationship with God, and the gifts of God: mercy, fraternity, trust, and
hope.”
Anger, said Pope Francis, is the opposite of meekness, and
destroys many important things when left uncontrolled.
“Anger has caused many brothers to cease speaking to one
another,” he said. “Meekness unites; anger divides.”
A person who is meek, concluded the Pope, is able to “win
over hearts and save friendships, because people get angry but then they calm
down.”
“This is how we can rebuild relationships with meekness.”
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