杏MAP导航

By Devin Watkins

鈥淚t is not just about migrants. It is about not excluding anyone.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis made that statement in a video message sent on Tuesday to help Christians prepare for the 105^th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, held on 29 September 2019.

The Holy Father opened his message with Jesus鈥� words in the Gospel of Matthew 18:10: 鈥淪ee that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.鈥�

Cruelty towards excluded

鈥淭oday鈥檚 world is increasingly becoming more elitist and cruel towards the excluded,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 noted.

With those words of warning, 杏MAP导航 Francis reflected on situations that force people to leave their homelands.

Developing countries, he said, continue to exhaust their natural and human resources for the benefit of a few privileged markets.

Peace spoken, arms sold

杏MAP导航 Francis added that wars affect only certain regions of the world but that other nations sell arms which stoke these conflicts.

鈥淲eapons of war are produced and sold in other regions, which then refuse to accept the refugees produced by these conflicts 鈥� they are unwilling to take them in.鈥�

The poor and the most vulnerable suffer the consequences of this attitude, he said. They are the same who are 鈥渘ot allowed to sit at table and receive only the 鈥榗rumbs鈥� left over from the banquet.鈥�

Authentic, inclusive development

杏MAP导航 Francis said the Catholic Church has an obligation to speak up fearlessly on behalf of these people 鈥渨hom we ourselves as a society are excluding鈥�.

鈥淎 development that excludes makes the rich richer and the poor poorer,鈥� he said.

He contrasted this type of economic advancement with a more inclusive, authentic development that includes all men and women around the world and is aware of the needs of future generations.

鈥淩eal development,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 concluded, 鈥渋s inclusive and fruitful, oriented towards the future.鈥�