• Home
  • Diocese
  • Bishop Burns
  • Synod
  • Columnists
  • Revista Catolica
  • Vatican
  • Subscribe
The Texas Catholic
The Texas Catholic

Dallas, Texas

Today is Wednesday, May 31, 2023
  • Home
  • Diocese
  • Bishop Burns
  • Synod
  • Columnists
  • Revista Catolica
  • Vatican
  • Subscribe
  • Follow
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Linkedin
    • Instagram
Home
Pope Francis

Lack of love is life’s greatest disease, pope says

Monday, June 28, 2021

Pope Francis greets the crowd as he leads the Angelus from the window of his studio overlooking St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican June 28, 2021. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

By Junno Arocho Esteves
Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY — While the suffering brought on by the coronavirus pandemic continues to make headlines, there is another serious illness plaguing the world today that deserves attention, Pope Francis said.

“What is the biggest disease in life? Cancer? Tuberculosis? The current pandemic? No. The greatest disease in life is the lack of love — not being able to love,” the pope said June 27 during his Sunday Angelus address.

The pope reflected on the Sunday Gospel reading from of St. Mark in which Jesus raised a girl from the dead and healed a woman afflicted with hemorrhages after she touched his cloak.

Although both episodes of healing are meant “to tell us that neither suffering nor death have the last word,” the pope said he wanted to focus on the healing of the woman with hemorrhages who suffered not only physically but also emotionally since she was marginalized and deemed impure due to her illness.

As a result, he said, the woman “lived alone with a wounded heart” and “tried many treatments” to heal from her suffering to no avail.

“We, too, how often do we throw ourselves into the wrong cures to satisfy our lack of love?” the pope asked.

“We think that success and money make us happy, but love cannot be bought; it is free. We take refuge in the virtual world, but love is concrete. We do not accept ourselves as we are and we hide behind the exterior ‘make up,’ but love is not an appearance. We search for answers from magicians and from gurus, to then find ourselves without money and without peace, like that woman,” he said.

However, the pope said the woman’s healing emphasizes the importance of direct contact with Jesus who, in turn, “waits for us to encounter him, to open our hearts to him” and looks beyond “the ugly matters of our history” in order to heal.

“Jesus goes beyond sins. Jesus goes beyond prejudices. Jesus does not stop at appearances, but reaches the heart,” Pope Francis said. “Sister, brother, you are here, let Jesus look at and heal your heart. I too must do this: let Jesus look at my heart and heal it. And if you have already felt his tender gaze upon you, imitate him, and do as he does.”

  • Tags
  • Pope Francis
  • Vatican
Facebook Twitter Google+ LinkedIn Pinterest
Next article Pope asks for local events coinciding with World Meeting of Families 2022
Previous article Catholic agency offers help after 'heartbreaking' collapse of building

Related Posts

Promote Christian values, not divisions, on social media, Vatican says Pope Francis
Tuesday, May 30, 2023

Promote Christian values, not divisions, on social media, Vatican says

Pope on Pentecost: Synod is journey in the Spirit, not 'a parliament' Pope Francis
Sunday, May 28, 2023

Pope on Pentecost: Synod is journey in the Spirit, not 'a parliament'

Pope prays Chinese Catholics can practice faith fully, freely Pope Francis
Thursday, May 25, 2023

Pope prays Chinese Catholics can practice faith fully, freely

Texas Catholic Classics

A look at the five Dallas law enforcement officers who gave their lives while protecting citizens during a mass shooting in downtown Dallas in July 2016.

 

How a child with special needs inspired a high school volleyball team, community and a family who heeded God’s call to protect life.

 

After a young runner collapsed at a Dallas marathon, grace and providence unfolded for those involved in the valiant effort to help her.

   

In the summer of 2016, 50 students and 25 chaperones from Dallas Catholic high schools traveled to Nicaragua for a 10-day mission trip.

 

Early on a November morning, Kenndrick Mendieta bounded from the gym at Cristo Rey Dallas College Prep toward the campus’ athletic fields as clouds lifted on a fresh new day.

 

Subscribe

Get the award-winning Texas Catholic delivered to your door. Use the menu below to subscribe now.


Subscription length




 

Photo Gallery

Click here to find your favorite Texas Catholic photographs.

The Texas Catholic Newspaper

Catholic Diocese of Dallas
Michael Gresham, Editor

3725 Blackburn Street
Dallas, Texas 75219
(214) 379-2800

Our Affiliated Sites

Texas Catholic Youth

Revista Católica

Legal and Other

Contact us

Terms of service

Privacy policy

Site map

Site powered by TexasCatholicMedia

© 2013-2019 The Texas Catholic Publishing Company. All rights reserved.