VATICAN CITY, NOV. 16, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI is urging drivers to follow St. Paul’s advice: Be awake and sober.
After today’s midday Angelus, the Pope spoke of the tragedy of traffic accidents. Worldwide organizations mark today the U.N.-sponsored World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. The initiative, the Holy Father said, aims to recall «in a special way all of those who have died from car accidents.»
«Let us pray for their eternal repose and for the consolation of their families who are mourning their loss,» he said. «Dear brothers and sisters, I implore everyone — drivers, passengers and pedestrians — to listen carefully to the words of St. Paul in today’s Liturgy of the Word: ‘Let us be awake and sober.'»
«Our behavior on the road,» he concluded, «must be characterized by responsibility, attention and respect for others. May the Virgin Mary guide us securely along the roads and highways of the world.»
