Pope warns of top temptations Christians are facing

Pope Francis on Sunday travelled to Ecatepec, Mexico, where he delivered a warning against "wealth, vanity, and pride" as the three temptations Christians currently face.

As he celebrated the Holy Mass on the second day of his pontifical visit, he called upon Christians to stand firm against such temptations.

In a report by America, the Holy Mass was attended by 350,000 in a field in Mexico City's satellite city – Ecatepec, where illegal drugs and violence are serious problems.

Fr. Federico Lombardi, Holy See Press Office Director, noted that the pope had already encountered around a million people during the first events of his apostolic visit, Asia News reported. Since his arrival in the country of 120 million, the pope has appeared to have constantly made emphasis to the theme of his five-day visit – "the call to conversion."

It was a recurring theme in his talks with civic and political leaders, and bishops in Mexico, and it was also the message of his homily. The pope outlined three temptations that "seek to destroy what we have been called to be."

The first temptation, he said, is "wealth," which to him, seizing hold of goods destined for all, and using them for only a select few. He adds that it is the "bread" that a corrupt community gives its children.

He described the second temptation, vanity, as the pursuit of fame, excluding those who are different. The last of the three, pride, puts oneself higher than one truly is, the pope stated. 

Crux reported the pontiff chose Ecatepec as the venue for delivering his message as it is a strategic point for drug cartels that thrive in poverty and unemployment.

Femicide is also known to be rampant, where cases are estimated to have numbered up to 600 in the last two years.