VATICAN - Benedict XVI at the Angelus: “to 'do' works of peace we need to 'be' men of peace, entering the school of 'the wisdom that comes from above,' to assimilate its qualities and produce its effects,” and expresses sorrow for the attack in Afghanistan

Castel Gandolfo (Agenzia Fides) – The “true wisdom” described by Saint James in the readings from the Sunday Liturgy (3:16-4:3) was the theme chosen by the Holy Father Benedict XVI for his address given prior to the recitation of the Angelus with faithful gathered in the courtyard of the Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo on Sunday, 20 September. While “false wisdom” is “worldly, material and diabolical,” and is recognized by the fact that it provokes jealousies, arguments, disorder and every kind of evil deed; on the contrary "[true] wisdom, which comes from above is first of all pure, then peaceful, meek, docile, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere" (3:17).
The Holy Father reflected on the “seven qualities,” according to Biblical use, from which perfection of authentic wisdom comes along with the positive effects that it produces. “As first and principal quality, almost the premise for the others, St. James sets down 'purity,' that is, sanctity, the transparent reflection -- so to say -- of God in the human soul...is peaceful, meek and docile; it does not need to be partial, nor does it need to lie; it is indulgent and generous, it is recognized by the good fruits that it bears in abundance.”
The Pope then encouraged all to stop every once in awhile contemplate “the beauty of this wisdom” and to “draw from this unpolluted source of God’s love the wisdom of the heart.” This holds true for everyone, Benedict XVI said, “in the first place, for those who are called to be promoters and 'weavers' of peace in religious and civil communities, in social and political relations and in international relations. In our day -- perhaps also because of certain dynamics proper to mass society -- one often sees a lack of respect for truth and the word together with a widespread tendency to aggressiveness, hatred and vendettas...But to 'do' works of peace we need to 'be' men of peace, entering the school of 'the wisdom that comes from above,' to assimilate its qualities and produce its effects. If everyone, in his own circle, succeeds in rejecting the lie and violence in intentions, in words and in actions, carefully cultivating sentiments of respect, understanding and esteem for others, perhaps it would not resolve every daily problem, but we could face them more serenely and effectively.”
After the Angelus, the Pope expressed his sorrow for the attack that took place in Afghanistan with these words: “From the numerous conflicts going on in the world, almost daily tragic news reaches us of both military and civilian victims. These facts that we must never get used to and that arouse a profound outcry and perplex societies that have the good of peace and civil coexistence at heart.
In these days, news of the deadly attack in Afghanistan on Italian soldiers gave me great sorrow. In prayer I share in the sufferings of relatives and the civil and military communities and, at the same time, with the same sentiments of participation, I think about the other international contingents, which have also recently had victims and that work to promote peace and the development of the institutions so necessary for human coexistence; I assure all of a remembrance before the Lord, with a special thought for the dear civilian populations, and I invite all to lift up our prayer to God. I would also like here to renew my encouragement for the promotion of solidarity among the nations to fight the logic of violence and death, favor justice, reconciliation, peace and sustain the development of peoples beginning with love and mutual understanding, as I recently wrote in my encyclical 'Caritas in Veritate' (no. 72).”
Lastly, the Pope recalled that September 26-28, he will make an apostolic journey to the Czech Republic: “Following in the footsteps of my beloved predecessor John Paul II, who visited that country 3 times, I too will pay homage to the ancient and recent heroic witnesses to the Gospel, and I will encourage everyone to move forward in charity and in truth.” (SL) (Agenzia Fides 21/9/2009)