Vatican City, Apr 26, 2017 / 02:15 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Early Wednesday morning Pope Francis addressed the TED 2017 conference, telling participants that to have a hopeful outlook for the future, we must plant seeds of humility, solidarity and tenderness today.
Referencing his 80 years of life, the Pope opened his talk saying that “quite a few years of life have strengthened my conviction that each and everyone’s existence is deeply tied to that of others: life is not time merely passing by, life is about interactions.”
“We all need each other, none of us is an island, an autonomous and independent ‘I,’ separated from the other,” he said.
“We can only build the future by standing together, including everyone,” the Pope continued, adding that that while we might not think about it often, “everything is connected, and we need to restore our connections to a healthy state.”
“Even the harsh judgment I hold in my heart against my brother or my sister, the open wound that was never cured, the offense that was never forgiven, the rancor that is only going to hurt me, are all instances of a fight that I carry within me.”
This “flare” embedded deep within our hearts “needs to be extinguished before it goes up in flames, leaving only ashes behind.”
Pope Francis gave his TED Talk April 26 at 3:30a.m. local time in Rome for TED 2017, which is taking place April 24-28 in Vancouver, Canada.
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TED is an international media organization that posts brief talks online that are for free distribution and run under the slogan “ideas worth spreading.” The organization was founded in February 1984 as a conference, which has been held annually since 1990.
The talks are typically run between 10-20 minutes, and are given by influential speakers who are experts in various fields such as business, science and technology, among others. Subtitles are available in more than 100 languages.
Pope Francis is the first pontiff to give a TED Talk, however, just days before announcing his resignation in 2013 Benedict XVI was given the “Charter of Compassion” by the organization’s European director, Bruno Giussani.
This year’s TED conference holds the theme “The Future You,” and is dedicated to addressing the pressing questions of our time.
In his talk, which lasted 18 minutes and was filmed inside Vatican City, Pope Francis offered a response to today’s challenges, focusing on how to maintain an attitude of hope through solidarity with one another.
He noted that for many people a happy future is something that seems distant and at times impossible to achieve.
However, while these concerns must be taken seriously, they are not “invincible,” he said, explaining that happiness can be discovered when looking to the harmony that exists between the whole and each individual part.
Francis then moved to his second point, saying it would be ideal if scientific and technological growth were coupled with greater equality and social inclusion.
“How wonderful would it be if solidarity, this beautiful and, at times, inconvenient word, were not simply reduced to social work, and became, instead, the default attitude in political, economic and scientific choices, as well as in the relationships among individuals, peoples and countries,” he said.
Only a thorough education in solidarity can overcome the “culture of waste” prevalent in today’s society, turning people’s attention not so much toward goods and food, but toward people.
“Solidarity is a term that many wish to erase from the dictionary,” he said, but noted that solidarity “is not an automatic mechanism.”
“It cannot be programmed or controlled. It is a free response born from the heart of each and everyone,” he said, explaining that to truly do good to another person, courage, memory and creativity are needed.
“I know that TED gathers many creative minds,” the Pope observed, but stressed that when it comes to developing projects and ideas, “good intentions and conventional formulas, so often used to appease our conscience, are not enough.”
Rather, a concrete and “ingenious” attitude is needed, he said. “Let us help each other, all together, to remember that the other is not a statistic or a number. The other has a face. The ‘you’ is always a real presence, a person to take care of.”
Pope Francis then pointed to the parable of the Good Samaritan, explaining, as he often does, that while the two powerful men of the day ignored the man on the side of the road, it was the Samaritan, a “despised ethnicity” at the time, who had compassion and paid for the man’s healing out of his own pocket.
The story of the Good Samaritan can easily sum up the state of humanity today, Francis said, explaining that many people’s paths are “riddled with suffering,” as if everything centered around money and things, rather than people.
“And often there is this habit, by people who call themselves ‘respectable,’ of not taking care of the others, thus leaving behind thousands of human beings, or entire populations, on the side of the road.”
Pointing to Mother Teresa, whom he canonized in September 2016, Francis said she is an example of the people who are “creating a new world” based on care for others.
“We have so much to do, and we must do it together. But how can we do that with all the evil we breathe every day?” he asked.
While not everyone can achieve the scale of Mother Teresa or the Good Samaritan, the Pope stressed that we are all precious and irreplaceable in the eyes of God, and that amid today’s conflicts, each of us “can become a bright candle, a reminder that light will overcome darkness, and never the other way around.”
“To Christians, the future does have a name, and its name is hope,” he said, explaining that hope doesn’t mean being “optimistically naïve,” ignoring suffering or dwelling on the past, but is a virtue that is able “to see a tomorrow.”
“Hope is the door that opens onto the future,” he said, noting that it is like the hidden yeast that makes bread grow, and as such “can do so much, because a tiny flicker of light that feeds on hope is enough to shatter the shield of darkness.”
“A single individual is enough for hope to exist,” telling conference participants: “that individual can be you.”
“And then there will be another ‘you,’ and another ‘you,’ and it turns into an ‘us,’” he said, explaining that hope begins with a “you,” and when an “us” develops, “there begins a revolution.”
The Pope then repeated his frequent call for a “revolution of tenderness,” which is “the love that comes close and becomes real.”
“Tenderness means to use our hands and our heart to comfort the other, to take care of those in need,” he said, noting that God himself descended to our level, which is the same thing the Good Samaritan did.
To have tenderness, he said, “the path of choice for the strongest, most courageous men and women. Tenderness is not weakness; it is fortitude. It is the path of solidarity, the path of humility.”
Pointing to a common phrase in Argentina, Francis said “power is like drinking gin on an empty stomach. You feel dizzy, you get drunk, you lose your balance and you will end up hurting yourself and those around you if you don’t connect your power with humility and tenderness.”
Pope Francis closed his speech saying the future of humanity isn’t just in the hands of politicians or great leaders or big companies, but is primarily in the hands “of those people who recognize the other as a ‘you’ and themselves as part of an ‘us.’”
“We all need each other, he said. “So, please, think of me as well with tenderness, so that I can fulfill the task I have been given for the good of the other, of each and every one, of all of you, of all of us.”
[…]
Did you know that McCarrick had a thick dossier on him and you then appointed him to power? Answering no…would protect the flock from the feeling that you can dish out resignations but can’t take one for yourself nor can you let go of the attachment to the papacy and its ego thrills. So what is stopping you from answering…no. Has nothing to do with Christ’s use of silence.
Lk 4:16-30. Our Lord says quite a few things (understatement) in this Gospel before “he passed through the midst of them and went away.”
Is there no end to the manipulation of even the words of the Holy Gospel by Bergoglio (on the Memorial of St. Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church) for the sake of himself and the “pack” he so readily defends?
So we should speak out against injustice, but not at this time, not regarding the scandal in the Church? Is the current “division” in the Church the actual scandal and not the history of sexual abuse, exploitation and cover up that may go “straight to the top?” Is the real or even worse “scandal” our speaking about it and wanting answers? Did the fact that many did not accept Bergoglio’s profound “silence”(not really “silence”)in response to Vigano’s letter/accusations demonstrate who was a member of “a pack of wild dogs,” not like Our Lord Himself and not “using reason?” Were these Catholics (who did not accept Bergoglio’s “answer” regarding Vigano) being led by the Devil and not Christ who expressed views on “scandal” Himself? Were they not being taught by St. Paul or the Saints? Not following the teachings of the Church? Not being led by reason?
His attempt to connect this Gospel with “disagreements” regarding “politics, sports or money” is also manipulative (an attempt at attenuation of the current “disagreement” in the Church) but somewhat laughable. He is though, getting warmer, as they say, with his reference to “the father of lies, the accuser, the devil.” But is all “unity” a good thing? Socrates would ask: is the “unity” of criminals a good thing or only a unity of those who seek the good and justice?
At what point does Bergoglio realize that Christ was being “led to the brow of hill” for stating the Truth and not because of an evasive, manipulative “silence” he imagines is like his own?
The Holy Father raises an important point with respect to silence and prayer, albeit one could argue that he uses it in the wrong context with respect to the current sexual crisis facing the Church. The report states that Pope Francis’ homily stated that ‘the people “rose up, drove [Jesus] out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill… to hurl him down headlong. But he passed through the midst of them and went away.”’ These verses (referenced in the article by the Pope it appears) are found in Lk 4:29-30).
It is important to note that one cannot read scripture in isolation as the previous verses Lk 4:23-27, (apparently not cited in the report or the homily) speak to the reasons why they “rose up” to drive Jesus out of town. Jesus told the Jews that God’s salvation was not limited to them alone, but that Gentiles too would be saved (see Lk 4:23-27). Our Lord goes on to cite the death that ravaged the land during the drought prophesized by Elijah, (1 Kings 17), which killed Jew and Gentile alike. Christ further states that Elijah had been sent to the aid of a Gentile woman (see 1 Kings 17:9-24) and not a Jew when he says “It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon” (Lk 4:26). Similarly, Christ states that Elisha the prophet did not cleanse the Jewish lepers, “but only Naaman the Syrian” (Lk 4:27). The footnotes of the USCCB New American Bible state the following regarding these verses: A widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon: like Naaman the Syrian in Lk 4:27, a non-Israelite becomes the object of the prophet’s ministry.
Thus, Christ was targeted by the mob not because he spoke falsehoods or refused to acknowledge the truth, but precisely because He was speaking the truth and the truth made high-minded Jews most uncomfortable, just as now those voices speaking for truth in the Church are making high-minded members of the hierarchy most uncomfortable.
By all means, prayer and silence are important and there is a time for such things. Equally, however, prayer must be accompanied with action or it is of little service to the Kingdom of God. Consider St. James who wrote that:
“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?
If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day,
and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it?
So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:14-17).
Similarly, one cannot remain silent and simply pray that the evil in the Church will be routed out. Without concrete steps taken to feed, clothe, and care for the body of Christ by way of demanding a full, transparent, comprehensive, and independent investigation into the evil that has found its way to high-placed positions (McCarrick, etc.) within the Church, then the Church will further become a place for resident evil. We must remember the words of Christ “whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” (Mt 25:40), and, “what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me” (Mt 25:45). To stand by and simply pray and be silent is to stand by and watch the “least of these brothers of [Christ]” to be sexually, physically, emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually abused and those of us who stand by “will go off to eternal punishment” (Mt. 25:46).
Consider as well the parable of the Good Samaritan:
Jesus replied, “A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead.
A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight.
He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn and cared for him.
The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, ‘Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.’
Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?”
He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” (Lk 10:30-37).
To simply pray and be silent, is simply to cross the road on the opposite side and that is not what Christ asks of His people.
Write letters to your Bishops, start signature campaigns within your parish, participate in the “white ribbon campaign” wearing a white ribbon to demonstrate your support of those abused by clergy and let your voice be heard for a full, comprehensive, transparent, and independent investigation. Find out what programs and measures are in place in your parish, hold a group meeting to discuss these measures with your pastor and let it be known that you care about the safety of every single child in your parish, whether you have children or not.
Christ is asking each of us right now, “who do you say that I am” (Mt. 16:15), and if we truly believe and answer that “[He] is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God” (Mt. 16:16), then we have no choice but to help save His Church.
Thank you for your reasoned fast ball. If only he had ears to hear. Since he does not, it is up to us. This is the time for great saints. Let us not be afraid.
Excuse me? Did my Pope, in response to credible allegations of multiple incidents of criminal behavior, and moral turpitude of Priests, Bishops, and Cardinals, actually tell me, and the rest of the faithful, to sit down and shut up? Is that what has just happened? NO sir! That ship sailed 16 years ago! Here’s what I’m going to do my Dear Pope Francis. Since you refuse to hear the tortured voices of the faithful crying out for justice and a full accounting of the obvious cancer in the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church, perhaps you’ll hear this…( ). That’s the sound of not one more penny of donation. I don’t know how long it will take for you, and the miscreants you’re protecting, to feel the financial pain, but when you do, perhaps then you can tell us in our prayerful silence what you are going to do about the aforementioned criminal behavior, and moral decay in the shepherds of the Catholic Church. I know that my paltry $20.00+ per day doesn’t mean much to royalty, but I do hope, that if there are enough like minded faithful who are as angry as I am, maybe the sum will be great enough to get your attention. By the by, I’m withholding my donations to the Church because the scope of sinful behavior which has been revealed has convinced me that, at least, some of my donations have been used for the commission of grave sin and if I continue to fund that sin, then I become accessory to that sin.
Shine SWF,
That is EXACTLY what I am going to do. I have supported seminarians, helped put a roof on my parish church, put a bucket into Catholic Charities, and steward my parish above 5%. Then there are all sorts of incidental expenses here and there which I erase, expel, repel, and pay. Absolutely no more. I informed my Archbishop and my parish priest. Until they write to PF, demanding answers and asking for reversals of his unjust tinkering with doctrine and resultant confusion, until then I give nothing. My church does not consist of my bishop and my priest. It does consist of the sacraments, and those can be provided through itinerants clothed in sack-cloth and knocking on doors for a cup of water. To such as those I shall give of my munificence.
It looks like Pope Francis is reverting to pay, pray, and obey.
“Pope Francis said Monday that to division and scandal the answer should be silence and prayer.”
Seems to me that was the protocol for decades when dealing with the wayward clergy. How did that work out?
Excuse me your Holiness, but we just want the TRUTH, we are already humiliated enough and don’t want to spread gossip …. FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!!!! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!!!
Would that the Pope followed his own advice and remained silent when he spoke. Now is the time for speaking and he chooses silence.
This tells us how upside down his idea of spirituality and right conduct is.
Wherever pervs and coverups throb, the spirit (& tactics) of Marcial Maciel continues to animate them.
*
Likely into the corners of eternity itself.
So the Pope is comparing his silence to that of Christ???
Does this confirm working as an anti-Christ? Christ spoke out against those who abused his sheep. Pope Francis sits in silence and protects those who abuse Christ’s sheep. Christ spoke plainly. Pope Francis speaks in ambiguities. Yet he compares his response with being Christlike? Please…not even close.
I pray for your soul that you will have a conversion so your final judgement may be merciful.
The Pope cannot compare himself to Jesus or Padre Pio on remaining silence as he is not subordonate to anybody who could inflict a penalty on him. It comes like Jesus being in the court and Pontius Pirate is not there to place any sentence on Him and Jesus stating what His sentence on himself will be. Secondly when somebody have true silence they do not accuse the one who is accusing them of wantingredients to commit scandal and decision. If Pope Francis said that people are trying to commit scandal then he should show the evidence, how they are trying to. He cannot have it both ways staying silence and hinting insults at the person
I do agree with all of the ideas you’ve introduced in your post.
They’re very convincing and will definitely work.
Nonetheless, the posts are very quick for newbies. May
you please prolong them a bit from next time? Thanks for the post.