Reverend Joseph E. Kurtz, D.D. Bishop | Archdiocese of Louisville

Pope Francis has delivered a message for Lent, calling it a time to be liberated from slavery and to take action to free others suffering from various forms of slavery. In his message, the Pope emphasized the need to combat a deficit of hope that stifles dreams and the silent cry that reaches to heaven and moves the heart of God. He stated that even though baptism has initiated a process of liberation, there remains in us an inexplicable longing for slavery, a kind of attraction to the security of familiar things that hampers our freedom.

The Pope drew a parallel between the ancient Israelites and modern-day society, stating that a modern-day Pharaoh stifles dreams, blocks the view of heaven, and makes it appear that the world, where human dignity is trampled upon and authentic bonds are denied, can never change. He highlighted the pollution of not just the earth, air, and water, but also our souls.

Furthermore, the Pope addressed the idols that people set up for themselves, such as a longing for power, the desire to be admired and to dominate others. He stressed that these attachments only paralyze individuals and create conflict. Lent, according to Pope Francis, is a season of conversion and freedom, during which Christians seek to rediscover God's call and promise.

The Pope invited every Christian community to rethink their lifestyles and examine their role in society. He emphasized the need for communitarian decisions that can alter the daily lives of individuals and entire neighborhoods. He encouraged believers to ask themselves if they are ready to leave behind their compromises with the old and to seek a new world.

Cardinal Michael Czerny, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, presented the Pope's Lenten message at a Vatican news conference. He stated that traditionally, Lent is a time for personal conversion. However, the Pope is challenging the faithful to also seek to change the world. Christians should ask themselves where they stand on the journey with those who cry out and ask for solidarity.

Emilia Palladino, a professor at Rome's Pontifical Gregorian University, highlighted the abominable inequalities present today. She pointed out the gap between the haves and have-nots and the denial of human dignity and basic human rights for entire portions of humanity kept in slavery. She cited alarming statistics from the World Health Organization, International Labor Office, and United Nations, highlighting the lack of access to essential health services, prevalence of child labor, forced labor, forced marriage, and human trafficking.

Palladino emphasized the need for change and called for a lifestyle that respects oneself, others, and the environment. She urged individuals to re-learn solidarity and fraternity and work together to build a healthy work environment and promote the common good.

To illustrate the Pope's message throughout Lent, the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development collaborated with Mauro Pallotta, an Italian street artist known as "Maupal." Each week, a new drawing by Maupal will be released, depicting the Pope's message. The first illustration portrays Pope Francis pushing a wheelbarrow containing a sack full of faith through a desert of nails, which symbolize old and new idols and captivity. By following Pope Francis and the power of faith, the road becomes passable for everyone, and the goal becomes attainable.

In conclusion, Pope Francis's Lenten message calls for liberation from slavery and action to free others. It emphasizes the need to combat a deficit of hope and the idols that weigh us down. The message encourages Christians to act, rethink their lifestyles, and work towards a new world that promotes the common good and respects human dignity.