Vatican City, Sep 14, 2013 / 11:02 am
During his morning Mass homily in Santa Marta, Pope Francis focused on the topic of gossip – saying that when we participate in this sin, we imitate Cain's gesture in killing his brother Abel.
The Pope began his homily Sept. 13 by echoing the words of Jesus in the gospel reading, "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?"
He spoke for a few minutes on the virtue of humility, adding that Jesus addressed those who practice the opposite and who foster "that hateful attitude towards one's neighbor when one becomes a 'judge' of his brother," calling them "hypocrites."
"Those who live judging their neighbor, speaking ill of their neighbor, are hypocrites, because they lack the strength and the courage to look to their own shortcomings."