Charity that does not change the situation of the poor isn't enough.

May we try to listen and be silent in order to make space for the beauty of God.

Today we celebrate Earth Day. I exhort everyone to see the world through the eyes of God the Creator: the earth is an environment to be safeguarded, a garden to be cultivated. The relationship of mankind with nature must not be conducted with greed, manipulation and exploitation, but it must conserve the divine harmony that exists between creatures and Creation within the logic of respect and care, so it can be put to the service of our brothers, also of future generations.

The great danger in today's world, pervaded as it is by consumerism, is the desolation and anguish born of a complacent yet covetous heart, the feverish pursuit of frivolous pleasures, and a blunted conscience. Whenever our interior life becomes caught up in its own interests and concerns, there is no longer room for others, no place for the poor.

Let us pray that the Church be holier and more humble, loving God by serving the poor, the lonely and the sick.

The goods of the earth are meant for everyone.

May the World Day of Consecrated Life be a timely occasion to rediscover the centrality of Jesus in our lives.