This morning's General Audience began at 10:00am in Saint Peter's Square. The Holy Father, Pope Francis met there with groups of pilgrims and the faithful from Italy and from all corners of the world.
During his speech, the Pope continued his catechesis on the theme of the family, adding a mediation on the centrality of conviviality in family life (Acts 2:41-43).
Following the usual summaries of His catechesis, the Holy Father addressed particular greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance.
The General Audience concluded with the chanting of the Pater Noster and the Apostolic Blessing.
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
The Church in Italy is currently celebrating our national Convention in Florence. The Cardinals, Bishops, consecrated men and women, laity, everyone all together. I invite you to pray to Our Lady, one Hail Mary for them. Hail Mary ...
Today, let us reflect on one of the characteristic qualities of a family that we learn from the earliest days of our lives: conviviality, that is the attitude of sharing the good things in life and of being happy to be able to do so. To share and to know how to share is a precious virtue! Its symbol, its icon is the family gathered around the family table. The sharing of a meal - and then, in addition to food, also sharing their affections, their stories, the events of their lives ... this is a fundamental expression. When there is a celebration, a birthday, an anniversary, we gather around a table. In some cultures, it is also customary to do so for a death, in order to be close to those who are suffering the loss of one of their family members.
Conviviality is a reliable thermometer for measuring the health of our relationships: if there is something wrong in a family, or there is a hidden wound, at table, these things are quickly understood. A family who almost never eats together, or who never speaks at table but watches television, or their smartphones: these do not make up a family; these are roommates.
Christianity has a special vocation dedicated to conviviality, we all know it. The Lord Jesus willingly taught while at table; the table represents the kingdom of God, a festive banquet. Jesus also chose the table as the place where he presented his spiritual will (testament) to the disciples - he did it at the supper - condensed into the memorial gestures of his Sacrifice: the gift of his Body and of his Blood, the Food and Drink that saves, that nourishes true and enduring love.
In this perspective, we can say that the family is at home when they are at Mass, since they bring to the Eucharist their own experience of conviviality and open themselves up to the universal conviviality which is the gift of God's love for the world. Participating in the Eucharist, the family is purified of all temptations to be closed in upon itself, strengthened in love and in faithfulness, and widens its confines into true fraternity according to the heart of Christ.
In our time, marked by so much closure on the part of people, and by so many walls, conviviality, created in families and expanded by the Eucharist provides a crucial opportunity. The Eucharist and the family are sources for nourishment in order that we can overcome temptations to be closed in upon ourselves, so that we can build bridges of welcome and charity. Yes, within a Church of families, the Eucharist is capable of restoring the ideal level of conviviality and mutual hospitality within a community. It is a school of human inclusion which is second to none! There are no little ones, orphans, weak, disabled, wounded or disillusioned, hopeless or abandoned, that the Eucharistic conviviality of the family cannot nourish, refocus, protect or accommodate.
The memory of family virtue helps us to understand. We ourselves have known, and we still know what miracles can happen when a mother has er eyes, her attention focused on nurturing and caring for other people's children as well as her own. Until just recently, it was enough to have one mother for all the children in the yard! Or again: we know only too well what strength we can draw from people in whom fathers are willing to act in order to protect children since they consider children to be an inseparable good that they are happy and eager to protect.
Today, many social contexts pose obstacles for family life. It is true, it's not easy today. We have to find a way to rebuild it: talking at table, listening at table. There is no room for silence, not monastic silence but the silence of egoism, where everyone does his or her own thing, or the television or the computer ... and don't speak to each other. No, there is no room for such silence. We must re-discover family conviviality while adapting it to our times. Family life seems to have become something that can be bought and sold, but it is something completely different. Such nourishment is not only a symbol of proper sharing of goods, capable of reaching those who have neither bread nor affection. In rich countries, we are enticed to spend in order to acquire excessive nutrition and then we spend more in order to recover from the excess. And this affair senselessly diverts our attention from true hunger of body and soul. When there is no conviviality, there is egoism, everyone is concerned about him or herself, especially since advertising has been reduced to using a language of snacks and a desire for sweets. Meanwhile, too many of our brothers and sisters are far from the table. It is shameful!
Let us look for a moment at the mystery of the Eucharistic banquet. The Lord breaks his Body and shares his Blood for everyone. Truly, there is no division that can resist this communal Sacrifice; only the attitude of falsity, of complicity with evil can be excluded from it. No other distance can resist the power of this defenseless broken bread and this wine that is poured out, the Sacrament of the Body of the Lord. The living and vital covenant of the Christian family, which precedes, supports and embraces our daily joys and trials with the energy of its hospitality, cooperating with the grace of the Eucharist which is prepared to create an ever-new communion with its strength that includes and saves.
The Christian family demonstrates the greatness of its own horizon, which is also the promise of our Mother the Church for all men and women, for all those who are abandoned and excluded, for all people. Let us pray that family life may grow and mature with time and grace during the coming Jubilee of Mercy.
The above catechesis was then summarized in various languages, and the Holy Father presented greetings to each group of the faithful that was in attendance. To English-speaking pilgrims, he said:
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, including those from the United Kingdom, Denmark, the Netherlands, Ghana, Japan, Korea and the United States of America. Upon you and your families I invoke the Lord’s blessings of joy and peace. God bless you all!
During his speech, the Pope continued his catechesis on the theme of the family, adding a mediation on the centrality of conviviality in family life (Acts 2:41-43).
Following the usual summaries of His catechesis, the Holy Father addressed particular greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance.
The General Audience concluded with the chanting of the Pater Noster and the Apostolic Blessing.
Catechesis of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
for the General Audience
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
The Church in Italy is currently celebrating our national Convention in Florence. The Cardinals, Bishops, consecrated men and women, laity, everyone all together. I invite you to pray to Our Lady, one Hail Mary for them. Hail Mary ...
Today, let us reflect on one of the characteristic qualities of a family that we learn from the earliest days of our lives: conviviality, that is the attitude of sharing the good things in life and of being happy to be able to do so. To share and to know how to share is a precious virtue! Its symbol, its icon is the family gathered around the family table. The sharing of a meal - and then, in addition to food, also sharing their affections, their stories, the events of their lives ... this is a fundamental expression. When there is a celebration, a birthday, an anniversary, we gather around a table. In some cultures, it is also customary to do so for a death, in order to be close to those who are suffering the loss of one of their family members.
Conviviality is a reliable thermometer for measuring the health of our relationships: if there is something wrong in a family, or there is a hidden wound, at table, these things are quickly understood. A family who almost never eats together, or who never speaks at table but watches television, or their smartphones: these do not make up a family; these are roommates.
Christianity has a special vocation dedicated to conviviality, we all know it. The Lord Jesus willingly taught while at table; the table represents the kingdom of God, a festive banquet. Jesus also chose the table as the place where he presented his spiritual will (testament) to the disciples - he did it at the supper - condensed into the memorial gestures of his Sacrifice: the gift of his Body and of his Blood, the Food and Drink that saves, that nourishes true and enduring love.
In this perspective, we can say that the family is at home when they are at Mass, since they bring to the Eucharist their own experience of conviviality and open themselves up to the universal conviviality which is the gift of God's love for the world. Participating in the Eucharist, the family is purified of all temptations to be closed in upon itself, strengthened in love and in faithfulness, and widens its confines into true fraternity according to the heart of Christ.
In our time, marked by so much closure on the part of people, and by so many walls, conviviality, created in families and expanded by the Eucharist provides a crucial opportunity. The Eucharist and the family are sources for nourishment in order that we can overcome temptations to be closed in upon ourselves, so that we can build bridges of welcome and charity. Yes, within a Church of families, the Eucharist is capable of restoring the ideal level of conviviality and mutual hospitality within a community. It is a school of human inclusion which is second to none! There are no little ones, orphans, weak, disabled, wounded or disillusioned, hopeless or abandoned, that the Eucharistic conviviality of the family cannot nourish, refocus, protect or accommodate.
The memory of family virtue helps us to understand. We ourselves have known, and we still know what miracles can happen when a mother has er eyes, her attention focused on nurturing and caring for other people's children as well as her own. Until just recently, it was enough to have one mother for all the children in the yard! Or again: we know only too well what strength we can draw from people in whom fathers are willing to act in order to protect children since they consider children to be an inseparable good that they are happy and eager to protect.
Today, many social contexts pose obstacles for family life. It is true, it's not easy today. We have to find a way to rebuild it: talking at table, listening at table. There is no room for silence, not monastic silence but the silence of egoism, where everyone does his or her own thing, or the television or the computer ... and don't speak to each other. No, there is no room for such silence. We must re-discover family conviviality while adapting it to our times. Family life seems to have become something that can be bought and sold, but it is something completely different. Such nourishment is not only a symbol of proper sharing of goods, capable of reaching those who have neither bread nor affection. In rich countries, we are enticed to spend in order to acquire excessive nutrition and then we spend more in order to recover from the excess. And this affair senselessly diverts our attention from true hunger of body and soul. When there is no conviviality, there is egoism, everyone is concerned about him or herself, especially since advertising has been reduced to using a language of snacks and a desire for sweets. Meanwhile, too many of our brothers and sisters are far from the table. It is shameful!
Let us look for a moment at the mystery of the Eucharistic banquet. The Lord breaks his Body and shares his Blood for everyone. Truly, there is no division that can resist this communal Sacrifice; only the attitude of falsity, of complicity with evil can be excluded from it. No other distance can resist the power of this defenseless broken bread and this wine that is poured out, the Sacrament of the Body of the Lord. The living and vital covenant of the Christian family, which precedes, supports and embraces our daily joys and trials with the energy of its hospitality, cooperating with the grace of the Eucharist which is prepared to create an ever-new communion with its strength that includes and saves.
The Christian family demonstrates the greatness of its own horizon, which is also the promise of our Mother the Church for all men and women, for all those who are abandoned and excluded, for all people. Let us pray that family life may grow and mature with time and grace during the coming Jubilee of Mercy.
The above catechesis was then summarized in various languages, and the Holy Father presented greetings to each group of the faithful that was in attendance. To English-speaking pilgrims, he said:
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, including those from the United Kingdom, Denmark, the Netherlands, Ghana, Japan, Korea and the United States of America. Upon you and your families I invoke the Lord’s blessings of joy and peace. God bless you all!
No comments:
Post a Comment