By Charles Igwe
In his Angelus address on June 9, Pope Francis urged people to reflect on whether they are sacrificing their serenity and freedom by becoming enslaved to money, power, and pleasure.
Speaking from the window of the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace, the pope asked individuals to consider the temptations that can imprison them and to embrace the freedom found in Christ.
“If we let ourselves be conditioned by the quest for pleasure, power, money, or consensus, we become slaves to these things,” he said. “If instead we allow God’s freely-given love to fill us and expand our heart, and if we let it overflow spontaneously by giving it back to others with our whole selves without fear, calculation, or conditioning, then we grow in freedom and spread its good fragrance around us in our homes, in our families, and in our communities.”
Highlighting the example of Jesus, Pope Francis described how Jesus lived a free life unbound by wealth, power, or the need for approval. Jesus embraced a life of poverty and uncertainty, freely caring for the sick and helping those in need without expecting anything in return. He never sought the support of the powerful but consistently sided with the least, teaching his disciples to do the same.
Jesus also maintained his integrity by always speaking the truth, even at the cost of becoming unpopular or misunderstood, and ultimately dying on the cross. He never allowed himself to be intimidated, bought, or corrupted by anyone.
Pope Francis encouraged people to reflect on “this freedom of Jesus” and examine their own lives to see if they are “imprisoned by the myths of money, power, and success.”
After leading the Angelus prayer in Latin, the pope made a passionate appeal for peace in the Holy Land, asking for prayers for cease-fire negotiations and urging the international community to ensure humanitarian aid reaches those in need. He also asked for prayers for those suffering in Myanmar and Ukraine, acknowledging the presence of Ukrainians in the crowd waving flags.
“May the Virgin Mary help us live and love like Jesus taught us, in the freedom of the children of God,” Pope Francis said.
