The "Way of the Cross" in Rome

From Papa's address:

...On the Way of the Cross, there is no possibility to be neutral. Pilate, the skeptic intellectual, tried to be neutral, to stay outside, but precisely by so doing he took his position against justice for the conformism of his career. We must find our place.

In the mirror of the cross we have seen all the suffering of humanity today. On the cross of Christ we have seen today the suffering of abandoned and abused children, the threats against the family, the division of the world between the arrogance of the rich, who do not see Lazarus at the door, and the poverty of so many who suffer due to hunger and thirst.

But we have also seen stations of consolation. We have seen the Mother, whose goodness remains faithful unto death and after death. We have seen the courageous woman who appeared before the Lord, and who was not afraid to show solidarity for this suffering person. We have seen Simon of Cyrene, an African, who carries the cross with Jesus. And finally we have seen in these stations of consolation that, just as suffering does not end, so consolations do not end either.

We have seen how on the way of the cross, Paul found the zeal of his faith and lit the light of love; we have seen how St. Augustine found his way, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Vincent of Paul, St. Maximilian Kolbe, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and so we are also invited to find our place, to find together with these great courageous personages, the way with and for Jesus, the way of goodness, truth, courage and love...

Full address (Zenit)