Liliane Borges
Canção Nova News with Vatican Radio
Money Impedes many youth, says the Pope. Photo L’Observatore Romano
The Pontiff, in the liturgy of the day, spoke of the figure of the youth that presented himself to Jesus and asked Him what was necessary to be perfect and he is given the proposal to sell all, to give to the poor and to be disciples. Therefore, the youth became sad because he had many goods, explained the Pope.
“His heart restless, because of the Holy Spirit, that impels him to draw close to Jesus and follow Him, was with a full heart, and he did not have the courage to empty it. He made a choice, money. He was a good man, never robbed, never! Never betrayed anyone, he was honest with money. But his heart was imprisoned there, he was attached to money and did not have the freedom to choose. Money chose him!” the Pope emphasized.
Francis affirmed that in our days many youth are called to follow Jesus, but do not have the courage to leave all to follow Him. The joy, explains the Pope that at the beginning impelled him to draw close to Jesus, becomes sadness, for there is something that paralyzes and does not allow one to follow the Master.
“We should pray in order that these youth can be emptied, emptied of other interests, other loves in order that they may be free. And this is the pray for vocations: “Lord send sisters, send priests and defend us from idolatry, from the idolatry of vanity, of pride, of the idolatry of power and of money,” taught Francis.
Finally, the Pope asked for prayers for vocations, in the way that the “Lord can enter into our hearts and equip them with the undivided joy of those that follow Jesus closely.”