Today's General Audience began this morning at 10:00am in Saint Peter's Square, where Pope Francis met with groups of pilgrims and the faithful who had come from all parts of Italy and from other parts of the world.
In his discourse, spoken in Italian, the Pope continued the new cycle of catechisms dedicated to the Sacraments, focusing once again today on Baptism.
Following the entirety of his catechism, syntheses were also spoken in various languages, and the Holy Father addressed particular greetings to each of the various language groups. The General Audience then concluded with the chanting of the Pater Noster and the imparting of the Apostolic Blessing.
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Last Wednesday, we began a brief cycle of teachings on the Sacraments, beginning with Baptism. I want to focus on Baptism again today, in order to pay particular attention to one of the very important fruits of this Sacrament: that it makes us members of the Body of Christ and part of the People of God. Saint Thomas Aquinas affirmed that those who receive Baptism are incorporated into Christ, becoming part of Him, and adding them to the community of the faithful (cf. Summa theologica, III, q. 69, art. 5; q. 70, art. 1) which is the People of God. At the school of the Second Vatican Council, we say today that Baptism brings us into the People of God, makes us members of a People on a journey, a people on a pilgrimage through history.
In fact, just as life is transmitted from one generation to another through rebirth at the baptismal font, grace is also transmitted, and with this grace, the Christian people journey through time, like a river irrigating the earth, and spreading the blessing of God throughout the world. From the moment when Jesus said what we heard in the gospel, the disciples have been baptizing; and from that time until today until now, there has been a chain transmitting this faith through baptism. And every one of us is a link in this chain: a step forward, always, like a river that irrigates. Such is the grace of God, and so it is with the faith, which we must transmit to our sons and daughters, must transmit to our children, so that they in turn, once they are adults, can transmit it to their children. That's what Baptism is. Why? Because Baptism allows us to enter into the People of God who transmit the faith. This is very important. A People of God who are on a journey and who pass on the faith.
In virtue of their baptism, all the members of the People of God have become missionary disciples, called to take the Gospel to the world (cf. Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii gaudium, 120). All the baptized, whatever their position in the Church or their level of instruction in the faith, are agents of evangelization … The new evangelization calls for personal involvement on the part of each of the baptized (Ibid). of all, of all the people of God, a new personal involvement from each of the baptized. The People of God are a Disciple People - because it receives faith - and Missionary - because it transmits faith. And Baptism does this in us. It gives us the Grace and transmits faith. All of us in the Church are disciples, and we are so always, for our whole life; and we are all missionaries, each one in the place the Lord has assigned to him. Everyone: the smallest is also a missionary; and the one who looks like the greatest is a disciple. But some of you may say: The Bishops are not disciples, the Bishops know everything; the Pope knows everything, he is not a disciple. No, even the Bishops and the Pope need to be disciples, because if they are not disciples they are not doing good, they cannot be missionary, they cannot transmit the faith. All of us are disciples and missionaries.
There is an indissoluble bond between the mystical and the missionary dimension of the Christian vocation, both rooted in Baptism. On receiving faith and Baptism, we Christians welcome the action of the Holy Spirit that leads us to confess Jesus Christ as Son of God and to call God 'Abba', Father! All of us baptized men and women … are called to live and transmit communion with the Trinity, because evangelization is an appeal to participation in the Trinitarian communion (Final Document of Aparecida, n. 157).
No one is saved on his own. We are a community of believers, we are People of God and in this community we experience the beauty of sharing the experience of a love that precedes us all, but which at the same time asks us to be channels of grace for one another, despite our limitations and sins. The communal dimension is not just a frame, a garnish, but an integral part of Christian life, of witness and of evangelization. Christian faith is born and lives in the Church and, in Baptism, families and parishes celebrate the incorporation of a new member of Christ in His Body which is the Church (cf. Ibid., n. 175b).
In connection with the importance of Baptism for the People of God, the history of the Christian community in Japan is exemplary. They endured a harsh persecution at the beginning of the 17th century. There were numerous martyrs; members of the clergy were expelled and thousands of faithful were killed. There was not one priest remaining in Japan, all were expelled. Then the community withdrew into the underground, keeping the faith and prayer in hiding. And when a child was born, the father or the mother would baptize it, because all the faithful can baptize in particular circumstances. When after close to two and a half centuries, 250 years later, the missionaries returned to Japan, thousands of Christians came out into the open and the Church was able to flower again. They survived with the grace of their Baptism! This is great: the People of God transmitted faith, baptizeed its children and goes forward. And they maintained, though in secret, a strong community spirit, because Baptism made them become one body in Christ: they were isolated and hidden, but always members of the People of God, members of the Church. We can learn so much from this story!
Following the syntheses of this catechesis, presented in various languages, the Holy Father greeted each group of pilgrims. To the English-speaking pilgrims, he said:
I greet all the English-speaking pilgrims present at today's Audience. Upon you and your families, I invoke God's blessings of joy and peace!
In his discourse, spoken in Italian, the Pope continued the new cycle of catechisms dedicated to the Sacraments, focusing once again today on Baptism.
Following the entirety of his catechism, syntheses were also spoken in various languages, and the Holy Father addressed particular greetings to each of the various language groups. The General Audience then concluded with the chanting of the Pater Noster and the imparting of the Apostolic Blessing.
Catechesis of His Holiness, Pope Francis
for the General Audience
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Last Wednesday, we began a brief cycle of teachings on the Sacraments, beginning with Baptism. I want to focus on Baptism again today, in order to pay particular attention to one of the very important fruits of this Sacrament: that it makes us members of the Body of Christ and part of the People of God. Saint Thomas Aquinas affirmed that those who receive Baptism are incorporated into Christ, becoming part of Him, and adding them to the community of the faithful (cf. Summa theologica, III, q. 69, art. 5; q. 70, art. 1) which is the People of God. At the school of the Second Vatican Council, we say today that Baptism brings us into the People of God, makes us members of a People on a journey, a people on a pilgrimage through history.
In fact, just as life is transmitted from one generation to another through rebirth at the baptismal font, grace is also transmitted, and with this grace, the Christian people journey through time, like a river irrigating the earth, and spreading the blessing of God throughout the world. From the moment when Jesus said what we heard in the gospel, the disciples have been baptizing; and from that time until today until now, there has been a chain transmitting this faith through baptism. And every one of us is a link in this chain: a step forward, always, like a river that irrigates. Such is the grace of God, and so it is with the faith, which we must transmit to our sons and daughters, must transmit to our children, so that they in turn, once they are adults, can transmit it to their children. That's what Baptism is. Why? Because Baptism allows us to enter into the People of God who transmit the faith. This is very important. A People of God who are on a journey and who pass on the faith.
In virtue of their baptism, all the members of the People of God have become missionary disciples, called to take the Gospel to the world (cf. Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii gaudium, 120). All the baptized, whatever their position in the Church or their level of instruction in the faith, are agents of evangelization … The new evangelization calls for personal involvement on the part of each of the baptized (Ibid). of all, of all the people of God, a new personal involvement from each of the baptized. The People of God are a Disciple People - because it receives faith - and Missionary - because it transmits faith. And Baptism does this in us. It gives us the Grace and transmits faith. All of us in the Church are disciples, and we are so always, for our whole life; and we are all missionaries, each one in the place the Lord has assigned to him. Everyone: the smallest is also a missionary; and the one who looks like the greatest is a disciple. But some of you may say: The Bishops are not disciples, the Bishops know everything; the Pope knows everything, he is not a disciple. No, even the Bishops and the Pope need to be disciples, because if they are not disciples they are not doing good, they cannot be missionary, they cannot transmit the faith. All of us are disciples and missionaries.
There is an indissoluble bond between the mystical and the missionary dimension of the Christian vocation, both rooted in Baptism. On receiving faith and Baptism, we Christians welcome the action of the Holy Spirit that leads us to confess Jesus Christ as Son of God and to call God 'Abba', Father! All of us baptized men and women … are called to live and transmit communion with the Trinity, because evangelization is an appeal to participation in the Trinitarian communion (Final Document of Aparecida, n. 157).
No one is saved on his own. We are a community of believers, we are People of God and in this community we experience the beauty of sharing the experience of a love that precedes us all, but which at the same time asks us to be channels of grace for one another, despite our limitations and sins. The communal dimension is not just a frame, a garnish, but an integral part of Christian life, of witness and of evangelization. Christian faith is born and lives in the Church and, in Baptism, families and parishes celebrate the incorporation of a new member of Christ in His Body which is the Church (cf. Ibid., n. 175b).
In connection with the importance of Baptism for the People of God, the history of the Christian community in Japan is exemplary. They endured a harsh persecution at the beginning of the 17th century. There were numerous martyrs; members of the clergy were expelled and thousands of faithful were killed. There was not one priest remaining in Japan, all were expelled. Then the community withdrew into the underground, keeping the faith and prayer in hiding. And when a child was born, the father or the mother would baptize it, because all the faithful can baptize in particular circumstances. When after close to two and a half centuries, 250 years later, the missionaries returned to Japan, thousands of Christians came out into the open and the Church was able to flower again. They survived with the grace of their Baptism! This is great: the People of God transmitted faith, baptizeed its children and goes forward. And they maintained, though in secret, a strong community spirit, because Baptism made them become one body in Christ: they were isolated and hidden, but always members of the People of God, members of the Church. We can learn so much from this story!
Following the syntheses of this catechesis, presented in various languages, the Holy Father greeted each group of pilgrims. To the English-speaking pilgrims, he said:
I greet all the English-speaking pilgrims present at today's Audience. Upon you and your families, I invoke God's blessings of joy and peace!
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