Cardinal Parolin calls on mankind, Europe to turn to Christ, seek healing, peace (Vatican News (Italian))

Preaching at a Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on April 1 for the second Italian synodal assembly, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, compared mankind and Europe to the paralytic in the day’s Gospel reading.

Mankind, he said, is “in the grip of the madness of power on the one hand and heavily wounded by violence on the other.” He continued:

Do you want to get well? Do you really want to free yourself from the illusory logic that paralyzes you? Because first of all you need to put your inner resources into motion. If so, then get up, take your stretcher and walk. That is, free yourself from everything that prevents you from walking towards healing and peace .

Mankind can free itself through Jesus, “the source of gushing water,” Cardinal Parolin explained, since Christ is capable of “making everything he touches to flourish again.”