It was widely reported that in his Christmas sermon in the Vatican, Pope Leo decried conditions for Palestinian Arabs in Gaza, in what was noted as an unusually direct appeal during what is typically a solemn, spiritual service marking Christmas, on which Christians across the globe celebrate the birth of Jesus.

Leo cleverly connected the story of Jesus being born in a manger to draw a metaphor that God had "pitched his fragile tent" among the people of the world. Then, speaking of tents, he took his metaphor further, saying, "How, then, can we not think of the tents in Gaza, exposed for weeks to rain, wind and cold?" 

Indeed. I agree with Pope Leo that many Gazans are facing harsh situations in a Holy Land winter that’s cold and particularly rainy this year.  On a simple humanitarian basis, it’s hard not to have empathy for them. But the week in which it was reported that a record number of iPhone 17s are flooding into Gaza and sold at unusually high prices of up to $36,000, there are many questions that the Pope didn’t address. 

Dipping his toes in the cold water addressing the Gazan’s plight, he probably should have widened the conversation. 

For instance, Pope Leo could have used his pulpit to minister to the Gazans rather than preach rhetorically about them. He could have urged Hamas to surrender its weapons and cease the theft and hoarding of food and humanitarian supplies to keep for their own terrorists, or scalp at exorbitant prices on their black market. 

He could have noted that rather than importing the latest iPhone to make profit and benefit the wealthy, they should be importing baby formula, or at least stop the hoarding that was documented........

© Townhall