Pope Francis at the Angelus: Authority that is not a service is a dictatorship

At the Angelus prayer this Saturday, Pope Francis reflected before hundreds of faithful and pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square on the meaning of authority in the Catholic Church and the importance of humility and service to others.

During his message, on the day that the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Saints, Pope Francis recalled the words of Jesus to Simon Peter: “I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of heaven” (Mt 16:19). ). He explained that these keys symbolize “the ministry of authority that Jesus entrusted to him at the service of the entire Church.”

Furthermore, he stressed that “authority is a service, and an authority that is not a service is a dictatorship.”

The Pope highlighted the importance of correctly understanding the meaning of the “keys” given by Christ to Simon Peter. They are not “the keys to a safe,” but to a Kingdom that is like “a little seed, a precious pearl, a hidden treasure, a handful of yeast.” This Kingdom, he added, is achieved by “cultivating virtues such as patience, attention, perseverance, humility, service.”

Peter’s mission, according to the Pontiff, was not to “close the doors of the house, allowing access only to a few selected guests, but to help everyone find the way to enter, in fidelity to the Gospel of Jesus.” .

“Everyone, everyone, everyone can enter,” he said.

Likewise, Francis affirmed that Peter lived this mission “faithfully, until martyrdom,” and that he received the mission of being the first Pope “not because he was perfect – no, he was a sinner – but because he was humble, honest and the Father gave him “I had given sincere faith.”

The Holy Father invited everyone to reflect: “Do I cultivate the desire to enter, with the grace of God, into his Kingdom, and to be, with his help, a welcoming custodian also for others?” he asked.

After the Angelus, Pope Francis expressed his wish that his greeting and prayer reach all the inhabitants of Rome, “especially the families who suffer the most; the elderly, the loneliest; the sick, the imprisoned, and those who for various reasons are in difficulty.”

He also expressed his pain for those who suffer because of the war and thanked God for the release of two Greek Catholic priests.

Pope Francis concluded his message by asking everyone not to forget to pray for him: “I wish you all a good holiday. Please don’t forget to pray for me. Good lunch and see you again!”