Pope Francis regrets families squabbling over inheritance and criticizes greed

Pope Francis lamented today that families squabble over inheritances and called greed a “sickness” of society as it is behind war and inequality, he said during Sunday’s Angelus prayer.

“How many brothers and sisters, how many members of the same family, unfortunately, are at war and, perhaps, no longer talk to each other because of heredity!” the pontiff lamented, reviewing the Gospel from the window of the Apostolic Palace in front of dozens of faithful.

francisco he defined greed as “an unbridled desire for possession” and as “a disease that destroys people because the desire for possession is addictive” and turns them into “servants of money”.

But, he warned, it is also a “dangerous disease” for society: “Because of it, we have today reached other paradoxes, injustices like never before in history, when the few have a lot and the many have little or nothing.” .

war and conflict

And he asked: “Let’s also think about wars and conflicts: there is almost always a desire for resources and wealth. How many interests are behind the war! Without a doubt, one of them is the arms trade, a scandal that We cannot and must not put up with.”

pontiff Argentine He explained that behind this phenomenon is not only “a few powerful people or certain economic systems”, but also greed, “which is in everyone’s heart.”

“Let’s ask ourselves: how does my non-attachment to property, to wealth manifest itself? Am I complaining about what I lack, or am I content with what I have? Am I tempted in the name of money and opportunities to sacrifice relationships and time for others?” he asked.

Because, in his opinion, material goods, money and wealth “can become a cult, a real idolatry.”

“To serve wealth, yes; to serve wealth is not: it is idolatry, it offends God. Brothers and sisters, the accumulation of material goods is not enough to live well, because, Jesus repeats, life does not depend on what you have,” he concluded.

EFE