Pope Francis has warned against the temptations of hedonism as so many start the new year struggling with difficulties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Speaking after the Angelus at the Vatican yesterday, he acknowledged the temptation to “take care only of one's own interests, to continue waging war, for example, to focus only on the economic profile, to live hedonistically, that is, trying only to satisfy one's own pleasure.”
He particularly singled out people who have attempted to escape their local lockdowns by taking holidays abroad, not taking into account the economic and other problems of so many hit by the virus.
“Just take a vacation and do your own pleasure. This pained me so much,” he said.
He urged care for neighbours to help towards a better 2021.
“We know that things will get better to the extent that, with God's help, we work together for the common good, putting the weakest and most disadvantaged at the centre. We don't know what 2021 has in store for us, but what each of us and all of us together can do is to commit ourselves a little more to taking care of each other and of creation, our common home.”
On Friday, the World Day of Peace, he spoke after the Angelus of his “pain and concern” at the further escalation of violence in Yemen.
He also called for prayers for Bishop Monsignor Moses Chikwe and his driver, of Owerri in Nigeria, kidnapped a few days ago.
In the Angelus itself on new year's day, he said: “The painful events that have marked humanity's journey in the past year, especially the pandemic, teach us how necessary it is to take an interest in the problems of others and share their concerns.
“This attitude represents the road that leads to peace, because it favours the construction of a society founded on relationships of brotherhood. Each of us, men and women of this time, is called to bring about peace: each of us, we are not indifferent to this.
“We are all called to realise peace and to realise it every day and in every environment of life, extending our hand to our brother who needs a word of comfort, a gesture of tenderness, solidarity help. And this for us is a task given by God.”
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