Pope's Evangelium Vitae Mass : Life is a Gift. Say yes to life, no to death!




June 17, 2013. (Romereports.com) It was a Mass to celebrate life.  As usual, the Pope greeted the faithful who lined the streets near St. Peter's Square. In the background, one could hear the roaring noise of Harley Davidson motorcycles, since thousands of bike owners also attended the Mass.

The celebration, titled 'Evangelium Vitae Day,   translates to the Gospel of Life.

POPE FRANCIS
“Let us say “Yes” to life and not death. Let us say “Yes” to freedom and not enslavement to the many idols of our time. In a word, let us say “Yes” to the God who is love, life and freedom, and who never disappoints.”

The Pope explained that the Gospel itself leads to life. The notion that rejecting God, will lead to freedom, is mistaken, he said.  On the contrary, following the Gospel leads one to a full life.

POPE FRANCIS
“But all too often, people do not choose life, they do not accept the “Gospel of Life” but let themselves be led by ideologies and ways of thinking that block life, that do not respect life, because they are dictated by selfishness, self-interest, profit, power and pleasure, and not by love, by concern for the good of others.”

When it comes to truth, the Pope said the Bible shows all the dimensions of human drama. Everything from good and evil to passion, sin and its consequences. He said, selfishness leads to lies and although we may try to deceive ourselves, God cannot be deceived.

POPE FRANCIS
“Christians are“spiritual.”  This does not mean that we are people who live “in the clouds,” far removed from real life, as if it were some kind of mirage. No! The Christian is someone who thinks and acts in everyday life according to God’s will, someone who allows his or her life to be guided and nourished by the Holy Spirit, to be a full life.”

The Mass was a way to echo John Paul II's encyclical titled 'Evangelium Vitae,' which outlines the Church's stance on the defense of life in all its stages. At the end of the Mass, the Pope blessed the sick, who attended the celebration in St. Peter's Square.

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