This morning, in the atrium of the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican, the Holy Father received in audience a group of participants taking part in a meeting of the Permanent Committee for Dialogue between the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue and various Iraqi Superintendents: Shiite, Sunni and those representing Christians, Yazidis, and Sabeans/Mandaeans.
This morning's General Audience began at 9:30am in Saint Peter's Square. The Holy Father, Pope Francis met there with groups of pilgrims and the faithful from Italy and from every corner of the world.
In his speech, the Pope added a meditation on the theme: Hope against every hope (cf Rom 4:16-25).
After having summarized his catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father added particular greetings for each group of the faithful in attendance. Then, after having greeted the delegation of Iraqi Superintendents composed of representatives from various religious groups who were present at today's Audience, he issued an invitation for prayer in favour of reconciliation in Iraq.
The General Audience concluded with the chanting of the Pater Noster and the Apostolic blessing.
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
The passage from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans which we have just heard gives us a great gift. In fact, we are used to recognizing in Abraham our father in faith; today, the Apostle helps us to understand that Abraham is for us a father in hope: not only a father in faith, but a father in hope. And this is because in his case, we can already recognize a proclamation of the Resurrection, of new life that triumphs over evil and death itself.
In the text, we are told that Abraham believed in a God who gives life to the dead and calls into existence, things that do not exist (Rom 4:17); and then it stated: He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body as already dead ... and the dead womb of Sarah (Rom 4:19). This is the hope in which we too are called to believe. The God who revealed himself to Abraham is the God who saves, the God who calls us out of desperation and death, the God who calls us to life. In the story of Abraham, everything becomes a hymn to God who frees us and regenerates us, everything becomes a prophecy. And it does this for us, us who now recognize and celebrate the fulfilment of all this in the mystery of Easter. In fact, God raised Jesus from the dead (Rom 4:24), so that in Him, even we can pass from death to live. And therefore Abraham can truly be known as a father of many peoples, as resplendent as the proclamation of a new humanity - us! -, redeemed from sin and death by Christ and introduced once and for all to the embrace of our loving God.
At this point, Paul helps us to focus on the close ties between faith and hope. In fact, he affirms that Abraham believed, hoped and believed even though there seemed to be no hope (Rom 4:18). Our hope is not based on reasoning, forecasts and human reassurances; it appears where there is no hope, where there is nothing left to hope in, just as it was for Abraham, faced with his imminent death and the sterility of his wife Sarah. The end was drawing near for them, they could not have children, and in that situation, Abraham believed and had hope against all hope. And this was great! Great hope is rooted in faith, and especially for this reason it is able to reach beyond all hope. Yes, for it is not based on our words, but on the Word of God. Also in this sense then, we are called to follow the example of Abraham, in which, even when he was faced with the evidence of a reality that seemed destined toward death, he trusted in God, fully convinced that what he had promised, he was also capable of bringing to completion (Rom 4:21). I would like to ask you a question: we, all of us, are we convinced of this? Are we convinced that God loves us and that everything he has promised us he is willing to bring to its completion? But father, how much will we have to pay for all this? There is only one price: open your heart. Open your hearts and this strength from God will carry you, it will accomplish miraculous things and it will teach you what it means to hope. This is the only price: open your heart to faith and He will do the rest.
This is the paradox and at the same time, the strongest element, the highest point of our hope! A hope that is founded on a promise which from the human point of view seems uncertain and unpredictable but which does not fail even in the face of death, as it is promised by the God of resurrection and life. This promise is not made by just anyone! The one who promises it is the God of resurrection and life.
Dear brothers and sisters, today, let us ask the Lord for the grace to remain rooted not so much on our own security, on our own capacity, but on the hope that is drawn from the promise of God, as true sons of Abraham. When God makes a promise, he brings to completion that which he promises. He never goes back on his word. Therefore our life takes on a new light, in the knowledge that the One who has raised his Son will also raise us and make us truly one with Him, together with all our brothers in faith. We all believe this. Today, we are all in the square, let us praise the Lord, let us sing the Our Father, then let us receive the blessing ... But this will pass. But this too is a promise of hope. If today we have our hearts open, he assures us all that we will meet him in the square of Heaven that never passes away. This is the promise of God and this is our hope, if we open our hearts. Thank you.
This catechesis was then summarized in various languages and the Holy Father offered particular greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance. To English-speaking pilgrims, he said:
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, particularly the groups from England, Scotland, Finland, Norway, the Philippines and the United States of America. I offer a special welcome to the United Kingdom’s All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Holy See, with appreciation for their work. With prayerful good wishes that this Lent will be a time of grace and spiritual renewal for you and your families, I invoke upon all of you joy and peace in our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you all!
At the conclusion of the Audience, the Holy Father encouraged everyone in attendance to pray for reconciliation in Iraq.
I am happy to greet the delegation of Iraqi leaders composed of representatives of various religious groups, accompanied by His Eminence, Cardinal Tauran, President of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue. The treasure of the dear Iraqi nation is truly found in the mosaic that represents unity in diversity, the strength of unity, the prosperity of harmony. Dear brothers, I encourage you to continue along this path and I invite you to pray that Iraq may find reconciliation and harmony among her various ethnic and religious peoples, along with peace, unity and prosperity. My thoughts go out to the civilians who are trapped in western regions of Mosul and those who have been displaced because of war; to them I am united in their suffering through prayer and spiritual closeness. While expressing profound sadness for the victims of this bloody conflict, I renew to all people a call to engage with all forces possible in the protection of civilians as an imperative and urgent obligation.
This morning's General Audience began at 9:30am in Saint Peter's Square. The Holy Father, Pope Francis met there with groups of pilgrims and the faithful from Italy and from every corner of the world.
In his speech, the Pope added a meditation on the theme: Hope against every hope (cf Rom 4:16-25).
After having summarized his catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father added particular greetings for each group of the faithful in attendance. Then, after having greeted the delegation of Iraqi Superintendents composed of representatives from various religious groups who were present at today's Audience, he issued an invitation for prayer in favour of reconciliation in Iraq.
The General Audience concluded with the chanting of the Pater Noster and the Apostolic blessing.
Catechesis of His Holiness, Pope Francis
for the General Audience
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
The passage from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans which we have just heard gives us a great gift. In fact, we are used to recognizing in Abraham our father in faith; today, the Apostle helps us to understand that Abraham is for us a father in hope: not only a father in faith, but a father in hope. And this is because in his case, we can already recognize a proclamation of the Resurrection, of new life that triumphs over evil and death itself.
In the text, we are told that Abraham believed in a God who gives life to the dead and calls into existence, things that do not exist (Rom 4:17); and then it stated: He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body as already dead ... and the dead womb of Sarah (Rom 4:19). This is the hope in which we too are called to believe. The God who revealed himself to Abraham is the God who saves, the God who calls us out of desperation and death, the God who calls us to life. In the story of Abraham, everything becomes a hymn to God who frees us and regenerates us, everything becomes a prophecy. And it does this for us, us who now recognize and celebrate the fulfilment of all this in the mystery of Easter. In fact, God raised Jesus from the dead (Rom 4:24), so that in Him, even we can pass from death to live. And therefore Abraham can truly be known as a father of many peoples, as resplendent as the proclamation of a new humanity - us! -, redeemed from sin and death by Christ and introduced once and for all to the embrace of our loving God.
At this point, Paul helps us to focus on the close ties between faith and hope. In fact, he affirms that Abraham believed, hoped and believed even though there seemed to be no hope (Rom 4:18). Our hope is not based on reasoning, forecasts and human reassurances; it appears where there is no hope, where there is nothing left to hope in, just as it was for Abraham, faced with his imminent death and the sterility of his wife Sarah. The end was drawing near for them, they could not have children, and in that situation, Abraham believed and had hope against all hope. And this was great! Great hope is rooted in faith, and especially for this reason it is able to reach beyond all hope. Yes, for it is not based on our words, but on the Word of God. Also in this sense then, we are called to follow the example of Abraham, in which, even when he was faced with the evidence of a reality that seemed destined toward death, he trusted in God, fully convinced that what he had promised, he was also capable of bringing to completion (Rom 4:21). I would like to ask you a question: we, all of us, are we convinced of this? Are we convinced that God loves us and that everything he has promised us he is willing to bring to its completion? But father, how much will we have to pay for all this? There is only one price: open your heart. Open your hearts and this strength from God will carry you, it will accomplish miraculous things and it will teach you what it means to hope. This is the only price: open your heart to faith and He will do the rest.
This is the paradox and at the same time, the strongest element, the highest point of our hope! A hope that is founded on a promise which from the human point of view seems uncertain and unpredictable but which does not fail even in the face of death, as it is promised by the God of resurrection and life. This promise is not made by just anyone! The one who promises it is the God of resurrection and life.
Dear brothers and sisters, today, let us ask the Lord for the grace to remain rooted not so much on our own security, on our own capacity, but on the hope that is drawn from the promise of God, as true sons of Abraham. When God makes a promise, he brings to completion that which he promises. He never goes back on his word. Therefore our life takes on a new light, in the knowledge that the One who has raised his Son will also raise us and make us truly one with Him, together with all our brothers in faith. We all believe this. Today, we are all in the square, let us praise the Lord, let us sing the Our Father, then let us receive the blessing ... But this will pass. But this too is a promise of hope. If today we have our hearts open, he assures us all that we will meet him in the square of Heaven that never passes away. This is the promise of God and this is our hope, if we open our hearts. Thank you.
This catechesis was then summarized in various languages and the Holy Father offered particular greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance. To English-speaking pilgrims, he said:
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, particularly the groups from England, Scotland, Finland, Norway, the Philippines and the United States of America. I offer a special welcome to the United Kingdom’s All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Holy See, with appreciation for their work. With prayerful good wishes that this Lent will be a time of grace and spiritual renewal for you and your families, I invoke upon all of you joy and peace in our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you all!
At the conclusion of the Audience, the Holy Father encouraged everyone in attendance to pray for reconciliation in Iraq.
I am happy to greet the delegation of Iraqi leaders composed of representatives of various religious groups, accompanied by His Eminence, Cardinal Tauran, President of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue. The treasure of the dear Iraqi nation is truly found in the mosaic that represents unity in diversity, the strength of unity, the prosperity of harmony. Dear brothers, I encourage you to continue along this path and I invite you to pray that Iraq may find reconciliation and harmony among her various ethnic and religious peoples, along with peace, unity and prosperity. My thoughts go out to the civilians who are trapped in western regions of Mosul and those who have been displaced because of war; to them I am united in their suffering through prayer and spiritual closeness. While expressing profound sadness for the victims of this bloody conflict, I renew to all people a call to engage with all forces possible in the protection of civilians as an imperative and urgent obligation.
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