Vatican City, Aug 26, 2012 / 11:09 am
Pope Benedict XVI said Sunday that a lack of sincerity in life is "the mark of the devil" as witnessed in the decision of Judas Iscariot to continue following Jesus Christ even after he had ceased to believe in him.
"The problem is that Judas did not go away, and his most serious fault was falsehood, which is the mark of the devil. This is why Jesus said to the Twelve: 'One of you is a devil'," said the Pope in his midday Angelus address to pilgrims at Castel Gandolfo Aug. 26.
The pontiff said that Catholics pray to the Virgin Mary to help them to believe in Jesus as St. Peter did and "to be always sincere with him and with all people."
The Pope continued his recent weeks' reflections upon Jesus's "Bread of Life" discourse as delivered in the synagogue of Capernaum.