VATICAN - At his midday Angelus reflection the Pope says “personal resources must be used not selfishly but with solidarity”: to guarantee justice and development with solidarity is the “way to guarantee the world a future peace”

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - Before reciting the Angelus prayer with visitors gathered in the courtyard of his summer residence, Pope John Paul II reflected on the Sunday Gospel on the parable of the rich man and the poor Lazarus (cfr Lk 16,19-31). The rich man lives in luxury with no thought for the poor hungry man sitting on his doorstep. But when both men die Lazarus is welcomed in heaven while rich man is doomed to torment in hell. “The teaching of this parable is clear: personal resources must be used not selfishly but with solidarity” the Pope explained. “This famous Gospel passage is most appropriate with regard to the imbalance of wealth and poverty in the world today” the Pope said recalling the recent meeting of Heads of state and government in New York on a new initiative to eliminate hunger and poverty for which Cardinal Angelo Sodano Secretary of State present at the meeting, expressed the Holy See full support.
“The Catholic Church assures her full commitment to uproot from the world the plague of hunger and other consequences of poverty, the Pope said, mentioning that the Papal Nuncios’ from all the countries in Africa are in Rome for a special meeting. The Pope ended his address by asking those present to pray “that the Lord will sustain the efforts of the international community with regard to justice and development with solidarity. This in fact is the way to guarantee the world a future peace.” Lastly the Pope asked the Blessed Virgin Mary take care of “all the families and peoples most affected by the unequal distribution of the resources which God intends for all his children”. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 27/9/2004 - Righe 18; Parole 282)