The shift from working for the poor to working with the poor is an important step. Francis addressed these words of praise this Friday afternoon to the participants of the Concert for the Poor, which will be held this Friday afternoon at the Vatican.
Mário Galgano – Vatican City
Francis told guests at the Vatican that he was eager to meet the musicians and concert organizers who were involved “in different ways” to make the concert with the poor a reality. There were about a hundred guests in the Clementina Hall. The Pope said to them:
Listen – what the Pope said in the audience
“I'm happy because I want to thank you. Each of you made your contribution, and Monsignor Marco Frisina (director of the choir and composer of film music, editor's note) managed to once again bring everything together. It's easier to harmonize with notes than with people… but that's not the case for you! You managed to harmonize, thank you!
The audience at the Vatican
Free concert
He was also grateful because the guests were able to offer a free concert to thousands of people in need and, with music, enabled a moment of meeting, exchange, food and blankets; In a word: fraternity, this is how Francisco summarized his gratitude. This is entirely in the spirit of the Christmas message. And then he added:
“Your concert is a concert with the poor. This is crucial, this “with” is the key. We all need to move from “for” to “with”. From 'For' the poor to 'With' the poor. You start with 'For', but if you want you can change it to 'With'. And that is Christian. God came to us, but how? In which direction? Living with us, or rather, becoming like us. This mystery always leaves us speechless. It's too big, it's beyond our thoughts. But we can experience it in the encounter with others who are different from me: when my donation for them becomes a welcome, a sharing, a friendship.”
The audience at the Vatican
He asked to pray for this: the music alone was not enough, the lights and decorations were not enough either. “No, prayer is necessary. “We entrust you to the intercession of Mary”, the Pope concluded his speech before the musicians returned to the audience room to carry out final rehearsals. The concert starts at 5:30 pm.
(Vatican news)