“Have children!” was Pope Francis’ message to spouses, in his words prior to praying the Sunday Angelus in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. And he stressed that in marriage “it is essential to be open to the gift of life.”
The Holy Father recalled that in this Sunday’s Gospel (Mc 10:2-16) “Jesus speaks to us about conjugal love,” responding to a question posed by Pharisees: “a provocative question on a controversial topic: the repudiation of women. on the husband’s side.”
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“They would like to drag him into a controversy, but He does not allow it, in fact, He takes advantage of the occasion to draw their attention to a more important discourse: the value of love between man and woman in God’s plan,” he said.
The Pope noted that, at a time when “women in marriage were at a great disadvantage compared to men,” Jesus “reminds them that the Creator wanted women and men to be equal in dignity and complementary in diversity.” , to be able to be a help and company for each other, but at the same time a stimulus and a challenge to grow.”
The delivery of spouses must be “without ‘half measures’”
The Lord, the Pope added, highlights the need for the dedication of spouses “to be complete” and “without ‘half measures’.”
This mutual dedication, he specified, is “destined to last not ‘until I feel like it’, but forever, welcoming each other and living united as ‘one flesh’.”
“This is not easy, this requires fidelity, also in difficulties, respect, sincerity, simplicity,” he said, noting that it also “requires being open to confrontation, sometimes to discussion, when necessary, but always ready for forgiveness and reconciliation.”
“And I recommend: always reconcile, between husband and wife, after moments of discussion, always, before going to sleep! Husband and wife: argue all you want, as long as you make peace before the day is over. Do you know why? Because the cold war the next day is dangerous. ‘And tell me, Dad, how do you make peace?’ – ‘Just with a caress, like that’, but never get to the end of the day without making peace.”
“Have children!”
Next, Pope Francis encouraged spouses to be “open to life, what God sends you,” because “for spouses it is essential to be open to the gift of life, of children, who are the most beautiful fruit.” of love, God’s greatest blessing, source of joy and hope for every home and for the entire society.”
“Have children!” he encouraged, and then recalled that “yesterday I had great comfort because it was the day of the Gendarmerie (of the Vatican) and one of the gendarmes went with his eight children. “It was a great joy.”
The Holy Father then highlighted that “love is demanding, yes, but it is beautiful and the more we allow ourselves to be involved, the more we discover true happiness in it.”
“Let us ask ourselves then: What is our love like? Is he faithful? Is it generous? “What are our families like: are they open to life, to the gift of children?” he expressed, asking at the end of his message that “the Virgin Mary help Christian spouses.”
David Ramos
Graduated in Communication Sciences from the Universidad Privada del Norte in Trujillo, Peru. With more than 12 years of experience in Catholic journalism working at ACI Prensa, I have been based in Mexico since 2018. I have covered Pope Francis’ trips to Ecuador, Paraguay, Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Peru and Panama.