Palermo, Italy, Oct 3, 2010 / 03:23 am
To carry the "explosive force" of the Gospel to the world takes a life based in the faith, said Pope Benedict XVI in his Sunday homily. In living with faith, even a "pinch," he taught, the Christian is able to take courageous action to renew the face of the earth.
The Holy Father began his pastoral visit to Sicily's capital city of Palermo with an outdoor Mass on the city's Mediterranean seafront on Sunday morning. Thousands of people, many with parasols or caps to keep them shaded from warm southern Italian sun, were in attendance to celebrate with the Pontiff.
Noting the difficulties in Sicilian society due to unemployment, uncertainty for what tomorrow might hold and the physical and moral suffering caused by organized crime on the island, the Pope turned to Sunday's liturgy to call them to look to the future with hope.
Turning to Sunday's readings that "speak to us of faith, which is the foundation of all Christian life," the Pope concentrated on the lessons to trust in God and to live with humility from the Gospel reading from Luke.