杏MAP导航 warns against selfish ambition and conceit
By Linda Bordoni
杏MAP导航 Francis has warned that 鈥渞ivalry and vainglory鈥� have the power to destroy the very foundations of communities by sowing division and conflict.
Speaking on Monday morning during the homily at Mass at the Casa Santa Marta, the 杏MAP导航 reflected on the Gospel reading of the day that reaffirms the importance of giving freely.
Gratuitousness is universal, not selective
The 杏MAP导航 explained that Jesus鈥� teaching is clear: 鈥渄o not do things out of [self-]interest鈥�, do not choose your friendships on the basis of convenience.
He said that reasoning on the basis of one's own 鈥渁dvantage鈥� is a 鈥渇orm of selfishness, segregation and self-interest鈥� whilst Jesus鈥� message 鈥渋s exactly the opposite.鈥�
And referring to the first reading in which St. Paul speaks to the Philippians, he urged the faithful to 鈥渄o nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory鈥� but to humbly regard others as more important than themselves.
The 杏MAP导航 also mentioned the negative effects of gossip, which he said, stems from rivalry and is used to destroy others.
鈥淩ivalry is ugly: you can perpetrate it openly, in a direct way, or with white gloves. But it always aims to destroy the other and to 鈥榬aise oneself up鈥� by diminishing the other.鈥� Rivalry, he said, stems from self- interest.
Conceit destroys communities
Equally harmful, the 杏MAP导航 continued, is someone who prides himself on being superior to others.
This attitude, he said, destroys communities and families: 鈥淭hink of the rivalry between siblings for the father鈥檚 inheritance for example鈥�, it is something we see every day.
A Christian life is born from giving freely
Christians, 杏MAP导航 Francis said, must follow the example of the Son of God, cultivating 鈥済ratuitousness鈥�: doing good without expecting or wanting to be repaid, sowing unity and abandoning 鈥渞ivalry or vainglory鈥�.
鈥淏uilding peace with small gestures paves a path of harmony throughout the world鈥� he said.
When we read of wars, he concluded, of the famine of children in Yemen caused by the conflict there, we think 鈥渢hat鈥檚 far away, poor children鈥� why don't they have food?鈥�
鈥淭he same war is waged at home and in our institutions鈥� he warned, 鈥渟temming from rivalry: that鈥檚 where war begins! And that鈥檚 where peace must be made: in the family, in the parish, in the institutions, in the workplace, always seeking unanimity and harmony and not one's own interest.鈥�
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