This morning's General Audience began at 10:00am in Saint Peter's Square where the Holy Father, Pope Francis met with groups of pilgrims and the faithful from Italy and from every corner of the world.
Before making his way to the Square, the Pope greeted the sick in the Paul VI Hall, where they were gathered because of bad weather.
During his catechesis, the Pope continued his meditations on mercy from the biblical perspective, focusing on the parable of the merciful Father (Lk 15:20-22, 24).
After having summarized His catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father addressed particular greetings to the various groups 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!
Today, this audience is taking place in two places: since there was a risk of rain, those who are sick are in the Paul VI Hall and are connected with us through the jumbotrons; two places but one audience. Let us say hello to all the sick who are in the Paul VI Hall.
We want to reflect today on the parable of the merciful Father. It speaks of a father and his two sons, and helps us to better appreciate the infinite mercy of God.
Let us begin at the end, with the joy of the Father's heart, as he says: Let's have a party, for my son was dead and he has come back to life, he was lost and now he has been found (Lk 15:23-24). With these words, the father interrupted the younger son at the moment when he was confessing his guilt: I am no longer worthy to be called your son ... (Lk 15:19). But this expression is unthinkable in the heart of the father, who instead is in a rush to restore to his son the signs of his dignity: beautiful clothing, a ring and shoes. Jesus does not describe the father as offended or resentful, a father who, for example, says to his son: You will pay for this; no, the father embraces him, lovingly waits for him. On the contrary, the only thing that the father is concerned about is that his son is standing before him, safe and sound, and this makes him happy and wants to celebrate. The welcome extended to the son who returns is described in a moving way: When he was still a long way off, his father saw him, had compassion for him and ran out to meet him, threw his arms around him and embraced him (Lk 15:20). Such tenderness: he saw him from afar; what does this mean? The father would climb onto the roof of the house and from the terrace, would look out at the street; from there he would have seen his son returning; the son who had done everything, but the father was waiting for him. How beautiful it is to see the father's tenderness! The father's mercy is overflowing, unconditional; it manifests itself even before the child can speak. Certainly, the son knew that he had done wrong and recognized his fault: I have sinned ... treat me like one of your hired slaves (Lk 15:19). But these words were dissolved by the father's forgiveness. The embrace and the kiss received from his father helped him to understand that he was still considered a son, despite everything else. This teaching offered by Jesus is important: our condition as children of God is the result of the heart-felt love of God; it does not depend on our own merits or our actions, and no one can take this gift away from us, not even the devil! No one can take away our dignity!
The words of Jesus encourage us to never despair. I think of mothers and fathers who are worried when they see their children going away, taking dangerous paths. I think of priests and catechists who sometimes ask themselves if their work was in vain. But I also think of those who find themselves in prison, and it seems as though their lives are ended; many of them have made wrong choices and cannot manage to look to the future; I think of those who are hungry for mercy and for forgiveness and believe that they are unworthy ... Regardless of my situation in life, I should never forget that I will never stop being a child of God, that He loves me and is waiting for my return. Even in the most difficult life situations, God waits for me, God wants to put his arms around me and to hug me, God is waiting for me.
There is another son in the parable, the elder one; he too needs to discover the father's mercy. He has always remained at home, but he is so different from his father! His words are lacking in tenderness: I have served you all these years and I have never disobeyed even one of your commands ... but now that this son of yours has returned ... (Lk 15:29-30). We see his contempt: he never says father, he never says brother, he only thinks about himself, he boasts that he has always remained with his father, serving him; yet he has never lived this closeness with joy. Now, he accuses his father of never having given him a goat to celebrate. Poor father! One son ran away, and the other was never really close to him! The father's suffering is like God's suffering, like Jesus' suffering when we distance ourselves from him, or when we go far away or when we are close but never truly close to him.
The elder son, he too needs mercy. The just ones, those who believe themselves to be justified, are also in need of mercy. This son represents all of us when we ask ourselves if it's worth all the effort even if we receive nothing in return. Jesus reminds us that in the Father's house, it's not a matter of receiving compensation; we're there because we have the dignity of being children, complete with all the responsibility that entails. It's not a matter of bartering or trading with God, but rather a matter of walking in the footsteps of JEsus who has given himself without measure on the cross.
My son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours, but we needed to celebrate and rejoice (Lk 15:31). This is what the Father says to his elder son. His logic is the reasoning of mercy! The younger son thought that he would be shunned because of his sins, the elder son expected a reward for his service. Neither of the two sons spoke with each other, they lived very different experiences, but both of them thought with a logic that was alien to the heart of Jesus: if I'm good, I'll receive a prize; if I do bad things I'll be punished; and this is not Jesus' logic, no! This kind of reasoning is overpowered by the words Jesus speaks: It was necessary for us to celebrate and rejoice because this brother of yours was dead and he has come back to life, he was lost and now he has been found (Lk 15:31). The father has found the son who was lost, and now, he can also return him to his brother! Without the younger brother, the elder child too would cease to be a brother. The greatest joy for the father is to see that his children are recognized as brothers.
The children are free to decide whether they will join in the father's joy or not. They need to question their own wishes and desires, and their outlook on life. The parable ends, leaving the hearer in suspense: we do not know what the elder brother decided to do. This is a source of motivation for us. This gospel teaches us that we all need to enter into the Father's house, to participate in his joy, in his feast of mercy and in his fraternity. Brothers and sisters, let us open our hearts so that we can be merciful like the Father!
The Holy Father's catechesis was then summarized in various languages, and His Holiness offered greetings to each of the groups of pilgrims in attendance. To English-speaking visitors, he said:
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, particularly those from England, Ireland, Denmark, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Seychelles and the United States of America. In the joy of the Risen Lord, I invoke upon you and your families the loving mercy of God our Father. May the Lord bless you all!
Before making his way to the Square, the Pope greeted the sick in the Paul VI Hall, where they were gathered because of bad weather.
During his catechesis, the Pope continued his meditations on mercy from the biblical perspective, focusing on the parable of the merciful Father (Lk 15:20-22, 24).
After having summarized His catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father addressed particular greetings to the various groups 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!
Today, this audience is taking place in two places: since there was a risk of rain, those who are sick are in the Paul VI Hall and are connected with us through the jumbotrons; two places but one audience. Let us say hello to all the sick who are in the Paul VI Hall.
We want to reflect today on the parable of the merciful Father. It speaks of a father and his two sons, and helps us to better appreciate the infinite mercy of God.
Let us begin at the end, with the joy of the Father's heart, as he says: Let's have a party, for my son was dead and he has come back to life, he was lost and now he has been found (Lk 15:23-24). With these words, the father interrupted the younger son at the moment when he was confessing his guilt: I am no longer worthy to be called your son ... (Lk 15:19). But this expression is unthinkable in the heart of the father, who instead is in a rush to restore to his son the signs of his dignity: beautiful clothing, a ring and shoes. Jesus does not describe the father as offended or resentful, a father who, for example, says to his son: You will pay for this; no, the father embraces him, lovingly waits for him. On the contrary, the only thing that the father is concerned about is that his son is standing before him, safe and sound, and this makes him happy and wants to celebrate. The welcome extended to the son who returns is described in a moving way: When he was still a long way off, his father saw him, had compassion for him and ran out to meet him, threw his arms around him and embraced him (Lk 15:20). Such tenderness: he saw him from afar; what does this mean? The father would climb onto the roof of the house and from the terrace, would look out at the street; from there he would have seen his son returning; the son who had done everything, but the father was waiting for him. How beautiful it is to see the father's tenderness! The father's mercy is overflowing, unconditional; it manifests itself even before the child can speak. Certainly, the son knew that he had done wrong and recognized his fault: I have sinned ... treat me like one of your hired slaves (Lk 15:19). But these words were dissolved by the father's forgiveness. The embrace and the kiss received from his father helped him to understand that he was still considered a son, despite everything else. This teaching offered by Jesus is important: our condition as children of God is the result of the heart-felt love of God; it does not depend on our own merits or our actions, and no one can take this gift away from us, not even the devil! No one can take away our dignity!
The words of Jesus encourage us to never despair. I think of mothers and fathers who are worried when they see their children going away, taking dangerous paths. I think of priests and catechists who sometimes ask themselves if their work was in vain. But I also think of those who find themselves in prison, and it seems as though their lives are ended; many of them have made wrong choices and cannot manage to look to the future; I think of those who are hungry for mercy and for forgiveness and believe that they are unworthy ... Regardless of my situation in life, I should never forget that I will never stop being a child of God, that He loves me and is waiting for my return. Even in the most difficult life situations, God waits for me, God wants to put his arms around me and to hug me, God is waiting for me.
There is another son in the parable, the elder one; he too needs to discover the father's mercy. He has always remained at home, but he is so different from his father! His words are lacking in tenderness: I have served you all these years and I have never disobeyed even one of your commands ... but now that this son of yours has returned ... (Lk 15:29-30). We see his contempt: he never says father, he never says brother, he only thinks about himself, he boasts that he has always remained with his father, serving him; yet he has never lived this closeness with joy. Now, he accuses his father of never having given him a goat to celebrate. Poor father! One son ran away, and the other was never really close to him! The father's suffering is like God's suffering, like Jesus' suffering when we distance ourselves from him, or when we go far away or when we are close but never truly close to him.
The elder son, he too needs mercy. The just ones, those who believe themselves to be justified, are also in need of mercy. This son represents all of us when we ask ourselves if it's worth all the effort even if we receive nothing in return. Jesus reminds us that in the Father's house, it's not a matter of receiving compensation; we're there because we have the dignity of being children, complete with all the responsibility that entails. It's not a matter of bartering or trading with God, but rather a matter of walking in the footsteps of JEsus who has given himself without measure on the cross.
My son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours, but we needed to celebrate and rejoice (Lk 15:31). This is what the Father says to his elder son. His logic is the reasoning of mercy! The younger son thought that he would be shunned because of his sins, the elder son expected a reward for his service. Neither of the two sons spoke with each other, they lived very different experiences, but both of them thought with a logic that was alien to the heart of Jesus: if I'm good, I'll receive a prize; if I do bad things I'll be punished; and this is not Jesus' logic, no! This kind of reasoning is overpowered by the words Jesus speaks: It was necessary for us to celebrate and rejoice because this brother of yours was dead and he has come back to life, he was lost and now he has been found (Lk 15:31). The father has found the son who was lost, and now, he can also return him to his brother! Without the younger brother, the elder child too would cease to be a brother. The greatest joy for the father is to see that his children are recognized as brothers.
The children are free to decide whether they will join in the father's joy or not. They need to question their own wishes and desires, and their outlook on life. The parable ends, leaving the hearer in suspense: we do not know what the elder brother decided to do. This is a source of motivation for us. This gospel teaches us that we all need to enter into the Father's house, to participate in his joy, in his feast of mercy and in his fraternity. Brothers and sisters, let us open our hearts so that we can be merciful like the Father!
The Holy Father's catechesis was then summarized in various languages, and His Holiness offered greetings to each of the groups of pilgrims in attendance. To English-speaking visitors, he said:
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, particularly those from England, Ireland, Denmark, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Seychelles and the United States of America. In the joy of the Risen Lord, I invoke upon you and your families the loving mercy of God our Father. May the Lord bless you all!
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