Catholics must “watch their tongues” and resist the temptation to resolve disputes with “insults, slander, and defamation,” Pope Francis has said.
Delivering a homily at morning Mass on Thursday, which was attended by men and women who work at Argentina’s embassies and consulates to Italy and the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation in Rome, the Pope said: “There is no need to go to a psychologist to know that when we denigrates another person it is because we are unable to grow up and need to belittle others, to feel more important.
“Jesus, with all the simplicity says: ‘Do not speak ill of one another. Do not denigrate one another. Do not belittle one another’.”
The Pope went to say that “in the end we are all travelling on the same road that will take us to the very end,” before adding, “if we do not choose a fraternal path, it will end badly, for the person who insults and the insulted. If we are not able to keep our tongues in check, we lose.”
Pope Francis concluded: “I would ask the Lord to give us all the grace to watch our tongues, to watch what we say about others. It is a small penance, but it bears a lot of fruit.”
The homily was delivered by Pope Francis in Spanish for the first time since he was elected Pontiff. He said: “It’s the first time I have celebrated Mass in Spanish since February 26th, and it feels good!”
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