This morning's General Audience began at 9:30am (3:30am EDT) 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.
In his speech, the Pope focused his mediation on Baptism: 2. The sign of Christian faith.
After having summarized his catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father offered particular greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance. Then he made an appeal for the successful outcome of the World Bank Spring meetings taking place in Washington next Saturday and renewed his invitation to pray for Vincent Lambert and little Alfie Evans.
The General Audience concluded with the chanting of the Pater Noster and the Apostolic blessing.
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
During the Easter season, we continue the catechesis on Baptism. The meaning of Baptism clearly arises from its celebration, so we turn our attention there. Considering the gestures and the words of the liturgy, we can grow in our understanding of the grace and commitment of this sacrament, which is always worth rediscovering. We remember this grace in the sprinkling with holy water which can be done every Sunday at the beginning of the Mass, as well as in the renewal of Baptismal promises during the Easter Vigil. In fact, what happens in the celebration of Baptism awakens a spiritual dynamic that spans the entire life of the baptized; it is the beginning of a process that allows us to live united with Christ in the Church. Therefore, returning to the source of Christian life leads us to better understand the gift that we received on the day of our baptism and to renew our commitment to respond to this gift in the conditions in which we find ourselves today. Renewing our commitment, better understanding this gift of baptism, and remembering the day of our baptism. Last Wednesday, I asked you to do some homework: each one of us was asked to remember the day of our baptism, the day when we were baptized. I know that some of you know that date, others, no; those who don't know the date, ask your relatives, those people, your godfathers and godmother ... ask them: What was the date of my baptism? Baptism is a re-birth; it is like a second birthday. Do you understand? Do this task at home, ask them: What was the date of my baptism?
First of all, in the rite of welcome, we ask for the name of the candidate, because a name indicates the identity of a person. When we introduce ourselves, we immediately say our names: My name is ..., and in this way we are no longer anonymous, an unknown person is someone who has no name. In order for us to move away from anonymity, we say our names. Without names we remain unknown, without rights and privileges. God calls each one of us by name, loving each one of us, in the concreteness of our own history. Baptism ignites our personal vocation to live as Christians, a vocation that is developed from day to day throughout the remainder of our lives. It implies a personal - not a borrowed - response, with a copy and paste. In fact, Christian life is interwoven with a series of calls and responses: God continues pronouncing our names throughout the years, his call resounds in thousands of ways, inviting us to conform ourselves to his Son Jesus. Therefore our names are important ... very important! Parents begin considering possible names for their children even before they are born: this too is part of waiting for a child who, with his or her own name, will have his or her own personal identity, as is the case for the Christian life through which that child is tied to God.
Certainly, becoming Christians is a gift that comes from on high (cf Jn 3:3-8). Faith cannot be bought, but we can ask for it - yes - and it is received as a gift - yes. Lord, give me the gift of faith, is a beautiful prayer! That I may have faith, is a beautiful prayer. Ask for that gift, but you cannot buy it, you must ask for it. In fact, baptism is the sacrament of this faith, with which men and women, illuminated by the grace of the Holy Spirit, respond to the gospel of Christ (Rite of Baptism of Children, General Introduction, 3). The formation of catechumens and the preparation of parents tend to arouse and reawaken a sincere faith in response to the gospel, such as listening to the Word of God during the celebration of Baptism.
If adult catechumens show first-hand the grace that they wish to receive as a gift from the Church, children are presented by their parents, along with their godparents. Dialogue with them allows them to express their desire that their children should receive baptism and allows the Church to express her intention to celebrate baptism. An expression of all this is the sign of the cross which the celebrant and the parents trace on the forehead of the children (Rite of Baptism of Children, Introduction, 16). The sign of the cross expresses the seal of Christ on those who is about to belong to him and signifies the grace of redemption that Christ has acquired for us through his cross (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1235). In the ceremony, we make the sign of the cross on the forehead of the child. I want to return to a reasoning that I have previously presented. Do our children know how to make the sign of the cross? Many times, I have seen children who don't know how to make the sign of the cross. And you, daddies and mommies, grandpas and grandmas, godfathers and godmothers, you should teach them how to make the sign of the cross so that they can repeat what was done on the day of their baptism. Do you understand? Teach children how to make the sign of the cross. If they learn as children, they will do it well afterwards, when they are adults.
The cross is the distinguishing mark that shows who we are: our words, thoughts, glances, works are all under the sign of the cross, which is to say under the sign of Jesus' love to the very end. Children are marked on their foreheads. Adult catechumens are also marked in this way, with these words: Receive the sign of the cross on your ears so that you may listen for the voice of the Lord; on the eyes so that you may see the splendour of God's face; on the mouth, so that you may respond to the word of God; on the breast, so that Christ may live in your heart; on your shoulders so that you may support the gentle yoke of Christ (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, 85). We become more and more Christian depending on the measure to which the cross is imprinted within us as a mark of Easter (cf Rev 14:1; 22:4), making visible, even outwardly, the Christian way of facing life. Making the sign of the cross when we wake up, before meals, when we are faced with a danger, as a defence against evil, at night before we go to bed, is one way of reminding ourselves and others who we belong to, who we want to be. For this reason, it is very important for children to learn how to make the sign of the cross well. And, just as we do when we enter a church, so we can also do at home: keeping a bit of holy water in an appropriate container - some families already do this: that way, every time that we return home or go out, we can make the sign of the cross with that water and remember that we are baptized. Don't forget, repeat it after me: teach your children to make the sign of the cross.
The Holy Father's catechesis was then summarized in various languages and His Holiness offered greetings to each group of pilgrims in attendance. To English-speaking pilgrims, he said:
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, particularly those from Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia and the United States of America. I offer a special welcome to the group of benefactors from Ireland, with gratitude for their support of the forthcoming World Meeting of Families in Dublin. In the joy of the Risen Christ, I invoke upon you and your families the loving mercy of God our Father. May the Lord bless you all!
At the conclusion of the General Audience, the Pope made the following appeals:
Next Saturday in Washington (USA), the Spring Meeting of the World Bank will be held. I encourage the efforts which, through financial inclusion, are seeking to promote the lives of the poor, favouring authentic and integrated development and respect for the dignity of all peoples.
I draw your attention once again to Vincent Lambert and to little Alfie Evans, and I wish to reiterate and strongly affirm the fact that the only master of life, from beginning to natural end, is God! It is our duty, our duty is to do all we can to conserve life. Let us think in silence and pray that the lives of all people will be respected and especially the lives of these two brothers of ours. Let us pray in silence.
In his speech, the Pope focused his mediation on Baptism: 2. The sign of Christian faith.
After having summarized his catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father offered particular greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance. Then he made an appeal for the successful outcome of the World Bank Spring meetings taking place in Washington next Saturday and renewed his invitation to pray for Vincent Lambert and little Alfie Evans.
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!
During the Easter season, we continue the catechesis on Baptism. The meaning of Baptism clearly arises from its celebration, so we turn our attention there. Considering the gestures and the words of the liturgy, we can grow in our understanding of the grace and commitment of this sacrament, which is always worth rediscovering. We remember this grace in the sprinkling with holy water which can be done every Sunday at the beginning of the Mass, as well as in the renewal of Baptismal promises during the Easter Vigil. In fact, what happens in the celebration of Baptism awakens a spiritual dynamic that spans the entire life of the baptized; it is the beginning of a process that allows us to live united with Christ in the Church. Therefore, returning to the source of Christian life leads us to better understand the gift that we received on the day of our baptism and to renew our commitment to respond to this gift in the conditions in which we find ourselves today. Renewing our commitment, better understanding this gift of baptism, and remembering the day of our baptism. Last Wednesday, I asked you to do some homework: each one of us was asked to remember the day of our baptism, the day when we were baptized. I know that some of you know that date, others, no; those who don't know the date, ask your relatives, those people, your godfathers and godmother ... ask them: What was the date of my baptism? Baptism is a re-birth; it is like a second birthday. Do you understand? Do this task at home, ask them: What was the date of my baptism?
First of all, in the rite of welcome, we ask for the name of the candidate, because a name indicates the identity of a person. When we introduce ourselves, we immediately say our names: My name is ..., and in this way we are no longer anonymous, an unknown person is someone who has no name. In order for us to move away from anonymity, we say our names. Without names we remain unknown, without rights and privileges. God calls each one of us by name, loving each one of us, in the concreteness of our own history. Baptism ignites our personal vocation to live as Christians, a vocation that is developed from day to day throughout the remainder of our lives. It implies a personal - not a borrowed - response, with a copy and paste. In fact, Christian life is interwoven with a series of calls and responses: God continues pronouncing our names throughout the years, his call resounds in thousands of ways, inviting us to conform ourselves to his Son Jesus. Therefore our names are important ... very important! Parents begin considering possible names for their children even before they are born: this too is part of waiting for a child who, with his or her own name, will have his or her own personal identity, as is the case for the Christian life through which that child is tied to God.
Certainly, becoming Christians is a gift that comes from on high (cf Jn 3:3-8). Faith cannot be bought, but we can ask for it - yes - and it is received as a gift - yes. Lord, give me the gift of faith, is a beautiful prayer! That I may have faith, is a beautiful prayer. Ask for that gift, but you cannot buy it, you must ask for it. In fact, baptism is the sacrament of this faith, with which men and women, illuminated by the grace of the Holy Spirit, respond to the gospel of Christ (Rite of Baptism of Children, General Introduction, 3). The formation of catechumens and the preparation of parents tend to arouse and reawaken a sincere faith in response to the gospel, such as listening to the Word of God during the celebration of Baptism.
If adult catechumens show first-hand the grace that they wish to receive as a gift from the Church, children are presented by their parents, along with their godparents. Dialogue with them allows them to express their desire that their children should receive baptism and allows the Church to express her intention to celebrate baptism. An expression of all this is the sign of the cross which the celebrant and the parents trace on the forehead of the children (Rite of Baptism of Children, Introduction, 16). The sign of the cross expresses the seal of Christ on those who is about to belong to him and signifies the grace of redemption that Christ has acquired for us through his cross (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1235). In the ceremony, we make the sign of the cross on the forehead of the child. I want to return to a reasoning that I have previously presented. Do our children know how to make the sign of the cross? Many times, I have seen children who don't know how to make the sign of the cross. And you, daddies and mommies, grandpas and grandmas, godfathers and godmothers, you should teach them how to make the sign of the cross so that they can repeat what was done on the day of their baptism. Do you understand? Teach children how to make the sign of the cross. If they learn as children, they will do it well afterwards, when they are adults.
The cross is the distinguishing mark that shows who we are: our words, thoughts, glances, works are all under the sign of the cross, which is to say under the sign of Jesus' love to the very end. Children are marked on their foreheads. Adult catechumens are also marked in this way, with these words: Receive the sign of the cross on your ears so that you may listen for the voice of the Lord; on the eyes so that you may see the splendour of God's face; on the mouth, so that you may respond to the word of God; on the breast, so that Christ may live in your heart; on your shoulders so that you may support the gentle yoke of Christ (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, 85). We become more and more Christian depending on the measure to which the cross is imprinted within us as a mark of Easter (cf Rev 14:1; 22:4), making visible, even outwardly, the Christian way of facing life. Making the sign of the cross when we wake up, before meals, when we are faced with a danger, as a defence against evil, at night before we go to bed, is one way of reminding ourselves and others who we belong to, who we want to be. For this reason, it is very important for children to learn how to make the sign of the cross well. And, just as we do when we enter a church, so we can also do at home: keeping a bit of holy water in an appropriate container - some families already do this: that way, every time that we return home or go out, we can make the sign of the cross with that water and remember that we are baptized. Don't forget, repeat it after me: teach your children to make the sign of the cross.
The Holy Father's catechesis was then summarized in various languages and His Holiness offered greetings to each group of pilgrims in attendance. To English-speaking pilgrims, he said:
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, particularly those from Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia and the United States of America. I offer a special welcome to the group of benefactors from Ireland, with gratitude for their support of the forthcoming World Meeting of Families in Dublin. In the joy of the Risen Christ, I invoke upon you and your families the loving mercy of God our Father. May the Lord bless you all!
At the conclusion of the General Audience, the Pope made the following appeals:
Next Saturday in Washington (USA), the Spring Meeting of the World Bank will be held. I encourage the efforts which, through financial inclusion, are seeking to promote the lives of the poor, favouring authentic and integrated development and respect for the dignity of all peoples.
I draw your attention once again to Vincent Lambert and to little Alfie Evans, and I wish to reiterate and strongly affirm the fact that the only master of life, from beginning to natural end, is God! It is our duty, our duty is to do all we can to conserve life. Let us think in silence and pray that the lives of all people will be respected and especially the lives of these two brothers of ours. Let us pray in silence.
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