The Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera publishes excerpts from Don Marco Pozza’s new interview with Pope Francis, in which he explores how doubts and crises of faith lead us deeper into the mystery of God.
For Vatican News
“Of Vices and Virtues” (published by Rizzoli) is the title of Don Marco Pozza’s new book-interview with Pope Francis, which will be published on March 2.
Several parts of the book were published Sunday by the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.
Anger and harassment
In one part of the interview, the Pope describes anger and the path to healing anger.
“[Anger] it is a storm whose purpose is to destroy. An example is harassment that occurs among young people. (…) Harassment arises when, instead of seeking to understand one’s own identity, one despises and attacks the identity of others. When episodes of aggression and bullying occur in youth groups, schools, and among neighbors, we see the poverty of the aggressor’s identity. The only way to “cure” yourself of harassment is to share, live together, dialogue, listen to others, and separate yourself from time, because only time can build a relationship. “
The cleansing wrath of God
Pope Francis continues to consider the wrath of God.
Remember that divine wrath “is directed against evil, not that which comes from human weakness, but evil from satanic inspiration. (…) God’s wrath seeks to do justice and” cleanse. “The flood is the result of God’s wrath, according to the Bible. “
According to some experts, the Pope explains that the flood is “a mythical story.” But, according to archaeologists, it is “a historic event because traces of a flood have been found in their excavations.”
Prudence in governing
On the subject of prudence, the Pope calls it “the virtue of government.”
“It is impossible to govern without prudence. On the contrary, he who rules without prudence rules badly. They do bad things and make bad decisions, which always destroy people. “
But prudence in government, he notes, “sometimes has to be unbalanced to make decisions that bring about change.”
Faith and doubt
Finally, Pope Francis speaks of faith tested by doubts.
“The devil casts doubt on us, and life goes on with his tragedies:‘ Why does God allow it? But a faith certainly cannot advance. (…) The idea of being abandoned by God is an experience of faith that many saints have experienced, along with many people who today feel abandoned by God, but who do not lose faith. They worry about watching over the gift: ‘Right now I don’t feel anything, but I keep the gift of faith. The Christian who has never gone through these moods is missing something, because it means he has settled for less. Crises of faith are not failures against faith. On the contrary, they reveal the need and desire to delve deeper into the depths of the mystery of God. A faith without these tests leads me to doubt that it is a true faith.