Racism and Aggressive Nationalism Are Sins, Pope Says

After listening to a sung version of Psalm 36, the Pope explained the scriptural passage for several thousand people attending his weekly general audience Aug. 22.

He said that, in contrasting the evil of the sinner with the goodness of God, the psalmist had described the intensity of both realities. The sinner is seen planning wickedness even before he rises from his bed in the morning, while God's desire for man is depicted with images of generous love, bounty, life and light.

The Pope suggested that morning prayer is a good way to orient oneself spiritually before heading out into the “not always straight paths” of contemporary life.