Pope Francis remembers Fr. Marcelo Pérez

Pope Francis remembered priest Marcelo Pérez, “fervent servant of the Gospel and the faithful People of God,” murdered in Chiapas, Mexico.

At the end of the Angelus prayer this Sunday, Pope Francis showed his closeness “to the beloved Church of San Cristóbal de las Casas, in the Mexican state of Chiapas, which mourns the priest Marcelo Pérez Pérez, murdered last Sunday.”

The Holy Father referred to the priest as “a fervent servant of the Gospel and the faithful People of God.” “May his sacrifice, like that of other priests murdered for fidelity to the ministry, be seeds of peace and Christian life,” added the Pontiff.

Father Marcelo was murdered by two men who shot him after celebrating Mass. After hearing the news, he was remembered by his diocese as a “tireless apostle of peace.”

The Conference of the Mexican Episcopate (CEM) lamented the “brutal murder,” stating that this fact “not only deprives the community of a dedicated pastor, but also silences a prophetic voice who tirelessly fought for peace with truth and justice in the region of Chiapas.”

A special greeting to the Lord of Miracles

Pope Francis also addressed a special greeting to the fraternity of the Lord of miracles present in Rome. “I thank you for your testimony and encourage you to continue on the path of faith,” said the Holy Father.

Early this morning, the procession began from the beginning of Way of Conciliation of Rome, the long avenue that leads to San Pedro Square, to commemorate this tradition that has deeply penetrated the Peruvian soul and culture and is celebrated every October 28.

From the window of the Apostolic Palace, the Pontiff also recalled that the Synod of Synodality has come to an end and invited people to pray “so that everything we have done this month goes forward for the good of the Church.”

Likewise, he expressed his closeness to the population of the Philippines, affected by a “very strong” cyclone. “May the Lord sustain those people, so full of faith,” the Holy Father asked.

“When you approach a poor person and become close, it is Jesus who draws closer.”

In his reflection on the Gospel of the day, Pope Francis recalled that Jesus heals a man of blindness, Bartimaeus, a beggar to whom Jesus asks: “What do you want me to do for you?”

As Pope Francis explained, Jesus is asking Bartimaeus who he is really looking for, “and for what reason.”

“Who is the Son of David to you? And so, the Lord begins to open the eyes of the blind. Let us consider three aspects of this meeting, which becomes a dialogue: the shoutthe fehe camino”.

Regarding the first aspect, the “cry”, he stated that “it is not just a plea for help. It is an affirmation of oneself.”

“Yes, Jesus sees the beggar and listens to him, with the ears of the body and with those of the heart. Think of us, when we pass by a beggar on the street: how many times we look away, how many times we ignore him, as if he did not exist. And do we hear the cry of the beggars?” he asked the faithful.

Regarding faith, Pope Francis recalled that “Bartimaeus sees because he believes; Christ is the light of his eyes.”

He then encouraged the faithful to ask themselves the following questions: “How do I look at a beggar? Do I ignore it? Do I look at him like Jesus? Am I able to understand their questions, their cry for help? When you give alms, do you look the beggar in the eyes? Do you touch his hand to feel his flesh?”

Finally, he noted that “each of us is Bartimaeus, blind inside, who follows Jesus once he has approached Him.”

“When you approach a poor person and become close, it is Jesus who approaches you in the person of that poor person. Please make no mistake: giving alms is not charity. “He who receives the most grace from alms is the one who gives it, because it is seen in the eyes of the Lord,” he concluded.