‘Scandalous inequality’

In a world that is moving and turning at dizzying speed – and increasingly backward and rightward – Pope Francis had been that rare moral titan, unafraid to say the things that must be said.

May his death jolt and move us toward what is just and humane, now more than ever, and may world leaders heed the lessons he has imparted through all these years.

His last message on Easter Sunday must be said over and over, especially in this era of wars and conflicts:

“On this day, I would like all of us to hope anew and to revive our trust in others, including those who are different than ourselves, or who come from distant lands, bringing unfamiliar customs, ways of life and ideas! For all of us are children of God!

“I would like us to renew our hope that peace is possible! From the Holy Sepulchre, the Church of the Resurrection, where this year Easter is being celebrated by Catholics and Orthodox on the same day, may the light of peace radiate throughout the Holy Land and the entire world.”

He particularly expressed concern for the people of Gaza, calling the situation deplorable.

“I express my closeness to the sufferings of Christians in Palestine and Israel, and to all the Israeli people and the Palestinian people. The growing climate of anti-Semitism throughout the world is worrisome. Yet at the same time, I think of the people of Gaza, and its Christian community in particular, where the terrible conflict continues to cause death and destruction and to create a dramatic and deplorable humanitarian situation.”

A future of peace

Pope Francis also said: “I appeal to the warring parties: call a ceasefire, release the hostages and come to the aid of a starving people that aspires to a future of peace!

“Let us pray for the Christian communities in Lebanon and in Syria, presently experiencing a delicate transition in its history. They aspire to stability and to participation in the life of their respective nations. I urge the whole Church to keep the Christians of the beloved Middle East in its thoughts and prayers.”

With Pope Francis gone, will we ever have a future of peace? Will there be another moral voice who will keep reminding an increasingly authoritarian world that there are no winners in any war?

“I also think in particular of the people of Yemen, who are experiencing one of the world’s most serious and prolonged humanitarian crises because of war, and I invite all to find solutions through constructive dialogue.

“May the risen Christ grant Ukraine, devastated by war, his Easter gift of peace, and encourage all parties involved to pursue efforts aimed at achieving a just and lasting peace,” he also said.

In our daily actions, he said, the principle of humanity should be our guide. We should not forget, said the pope, that in conflicts, it is not targets that are struck, but men, women and children – each possessed of a soul and human dignity.

Pope Francis, with his sincerity and natural warmth, was admired and respected across the globe and had been a strong voice against the many injustices that our world faces today.

In the Philippines during his visit in 2015, I particularly remember his call to put an end to “scandalous inequality” in our country.

He was very much on point and I wonder what he would have said if he visited the Philippines this time, where inequality is even wider than his last visit 10 years ago.

The pontiff arrived in Manila from Sri Lanka on Jan. 15, 2015 at the country’s Villamor Airbase where then president Benigno Aquino III and members of his Cabinet – together with a strong afternoon breeze that blew his white zucchetto or skull cap – welcomed him.

In his first major speech of that five-day visit to the Philippines, Francis called on leaders of our graft-ridden country to put an end “to scandalous inequalities.”

“As many voices in your nation have pointed out, it is now, more than ever, necessary that political leaders be outstanding for honesty, integrity and commitment to the common good,” he said at the presidential palace.

In a homily at the Manila Cathedral during his visit, he also said: “The Church in the Philippines is called to acknowledge and combat the causes of the deeply rooted inequality and injustice which mar the face of Filipino society, plainly contradicting the teaching of Christ.”

Inclusive

From the very beginning of his papacy, Pope Francis worked toward inclusivity. He extended a hand of friendship to Beijing, called an end to the injustices faced by the downtrodden and the marginalized.

Homosexuality, he stressed, is not a crime. “Who am I to judge?” he famously said about gay Catholics. I hope my professor at Ateneo, where I finished my MA, has been enlightened. She shocked our class by saying that gays are living in sin.

Pope Francis, who was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, no doubt steered the Catholic Church toward a path that is truly Christian.

Thank you, Pope Francis, for being that rare guiding light in our increasingly chaotic world.

*      *      *

Email: [email protected]. Follow her on X @eyesgonzales. Column archives at EyesWideOpen on FB.