Widows and widowers, single people and those who no longer live with their spouses are called to fervent prayer and works of charity

The Holy Father continued his discussion of the laity's role in the Church at the General Audience of 10 August, reflecting on the specific contribution to the holiness of Christ's body made by widows and widowers, single people and couples who have separated or divorced, as well as unwed mothers. The Pope stressed that these people should realize that "whatever their personal responsibility for the tragic situation they are in, they continue to belong to the Church". Here is a translation of the Holy Father's catechesis, which was the 98th in the series on the mystery of the Church and was given in Italian. 

1. From earliest times, in the Christian tradition particular attention was given to women who, after losing their husband, were alone in life and frequently poor and defenceless. Already in the Old Testament, widows were often mentioned because of their poverty and recommended to the fraternal care and solidarity of the community and in particular, of those responsible for the law (cf. Ex 22:21; Dt 10:18; 24:17; 26:12; 27:19). 

A spirit of charity towards widows fills the Gospels and the Acts and Letters of the Apostles. Jesus repeatedly showed them thoughtful attention. For example, he publicly praised a poor widow's offering for the temple (cf. Lk 21:3; Mk 12: 43); he was moved to compassion at the sight of the widow in Nain as she accompanied her dead son's funeral procession. He approached her, saying gently: "Do not weep", and gave her back the young man he had restored to life (cf. Lk 7:11-15). The Gospel also reminds us of Jesus’ words on the "need to pray always, without becoming weary", taking as an example the widow who obtained justice from the dishonest judge by her persistence (Lk 18:5); and Jesus’ other words, severely reprimanding the scribes who "devour the houses of widows", but make a hypocritical show of reciting long prayers (cf. Mk 12:40- Lk 20:47).

Christ's attitude, which fulfils the true spirit of the Old Covenant, is at the root of the pastoral exhortations of St. Paul and St. James concerning spiritual and charitable aid to widows: "honor widows who are truly widows" (1 Tm 5:3); "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God is this: to care for widows and orphans in their affliction..." (Jas 1:27). 

Widows had special role in early Church 

2. However, in Christian communities the widows’ lot was not only to be cared for: they also had an active role, an almost distinctive sharing in the universal vocation of Christ's disciples to the life of prayer.

The First Letter to Timothy indicates that a basic duty entrusted to widows was "to continue in supplications and prayers night and day" (5:5). Luke's Gospel introduces a model of holy widowhood in the person of "Anne, daughter of Phanuel", widowed after only seven years of marriage. The Gospel states that she "never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer"(Lk 2:36-37) and she had the great joy of being in the temple when the Child Jesus was presented. In their distress, widows can and must similarly rely on the valuable graces of the spiritual life, to which they are asked to respond generously. 

3. In the pastoral and spiritual framework of the Christian community, there was also a "roll" to which a widow could belong, to use the words of the Letter quoted above, as long as she was "no less than 60 years old [in other words, elderly], married only once, with a reputation for good works, namely, that she has raised children, practiced hospitality, washed the feet of the holy ones [an ancient rite of hospitality adopted by Christianity], helped those in distress, involved herself in every good work..." (I Tm 5:9-10). 

In all this, the early Church was offering an example of charitable solidarity (cf. Acts 6:1), which we find again in many other periods of Christian history, especially when, for social and political reasons, wars and epidemics, etc., the phenomenon of widowhood or other forms of solitary life assumed alarming dimensions. The Church's charity cannot be passive.

Today there are many other cases of people on their own, to whom the Church cannot fail to show sensitivity and concern. First of all there are the "separated" and "divorced", to whom I devoted special attention in the Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris consortio (cf. n. 83). Then there are "unwed mothers" who are subject to particular moral, financial and social difficulties. I would like to say to all these people that whatever their personal responsibility for the tragic situation they are in, they continue to belong to the Church. Pastors, who know about their trials, should not abandon them to themselves, on the contrary they should do all they can to help and comfort them and to make them still feel part of Christ’s flock. 

Even when the Church cannot allow practices that would contradict the demands of truth and the common good of families and society itself, she should never give up loving, understanding and being close to all those in difficulty. The Church feels particularly close to people with a broken marriage in their past, who persevere in fidelity, forgoing a second marriage and dedicating themselves as best they can to raising their children. They deserve support and encouragement from everyone. It would be impossible for the Church and the Pope not to praise them for their beautiful witness of Christian consistency, lived generously in the midst of trial. 

Single state can be path of great holiness 

4. However, since this catechesis, like the others in our series, is dedicated to the lay apostolate, I would once more like to mention the large numbers of single people, and especially widows and widowers, who, having fewer family obligations, willingly devote themselves to promoting Christian activities in parishes or in more extensive projects. Their own lives are thus raised to a higher level of participation in the Church's life as the fruit of a higher degree of charity. Consequently, the Church and the world benefit from the generous dedication of people who thus find the way to attain a higher quality of life, expressing themselves fully in service to their brothers and sisters. 

5. We close then by reaffirming what we read in the Second Vatican Council, that the example of charitable good works should not only be given by Christian married couples and parents, but "in a different way, a similar example is given by widows and single people, who can also greatly contribute to the holiness and activity of the Church"(Dogmatic Constitution Lumen gentium, n. 41). Whatever the cause of their state in life, many of these people can recognize the higher plan of God’s wisdom directing their lives and leading them to holiness on the way of the Cross, a Cross which in their circumstances proves particularly fruitful.