Pope Francis sets out for Brazil on Monday, July 22 for World Youth Day. The pontiff has asked Catholics to pray for his trip and for the success of this gathering of the world’s youth.
In the Sunday Angelus at Castel Gandolfo, the Pope entrusted to Our Lady the intention of WYD Rio 2013.
“We see that there are many youth, but all of you are young at heart! Congratulations!” Francis said.
“I will leave in eight days, but many young people will go to Brazil even before. So let’s pray for this great pilgrimage that is now unfolding. Let’s pray that Our Lady of Aparecida, the Patroness of Brazil, will guide the participants in their steps and open their hearts to receive the mission that Christ will give them.”
Here is the full text of the Angelus, which was published by Vatican Radio:
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Today, we are holding our Sunday Angelus appointment here in Castel Gandolfo. I greet the people of this beautiful city! I want to thank you especially for your prayers and I also thank the many pilgrims who came here.
Today’s Gospel – we are in Chapter 10 of Luke – is the famous parable of the Good Samaritan. Who was this man? He was an ordinary man who went down from Jerusalem to Jericho by the road that crossed through the Judean desert. Only recently, on that road, a man had been assaulted by criminals, robbed, beaten, and left half dead. Before the Samaritan, a priest and a Levite passed by. These were two people who were responsible for the worship in the Temple of the Lord. They see that poor man, but they continue on without stopping. But when the Samaritan saw the man, “he had compassion” (Lk. 10:33). He went to him and bandaged his wounds, covering them with oil and wine, then put him on his own beast, brought him to an inn, and paid for his care. In short, he took responsibility for him: it is the example of love for others. But why did Jesus choose a Samaritan as the protagonist of this parable? Because the Jews despised the Samaritans for their different religious traditions, and yet Jesus shows that the heart of that Samaritan is kind and generous and that – unlike the priest and the Levite – he puts into practice the will of God who desires mercy and not sacrifice (cf. Mk. 12:33). God always wants mercy and not condemnation. He wants mercy from the heart, because he is merciful and is able to fully understand our miseries, our difficulties, and our sins. He gives this merciful heart to all of us. The Samaritan does exactly that: he imitates God’s mercy, mercy for those in need.
A man who lived fully the gospel of the Good Samaritan is the saint whom we remember today: St. Camillus de Lellis, founder of the Brothers of the Ministers of the Sick, patron of the sick and health workers. St. Camillus died on July 14, 1614; just today we begin his fourth centenary, which will end within a year.
I greet with affection all the spiritual children of St. Camillus who live with his charism of charity in daily contact with the sick. Be like him, good Samaritans! And I hope that doctors, nurses, and those who work in hospitals and in the homes for the sick will be moved by the same spirit. We entrust this intention to the intercession of Virgin Mary.
And I would like to entrust another intention to the Blessed Virgin. At this point, World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro is close at hand. We see that there are many youth, but all of you are young at heart! Congratulations! I will leave in eight days, but many young people will go to Brazil even before. Pray then for the great pilgrimage that is now unfolding, that Our Lady of Aparecida, Patroness of Brazil, will guide the participants in their steps and open their hearts to receive the mission that Christ will give them.
And today we celebrate...