This morning's General Audience began at 9:20am local time (3:20am EDT) in Saint Peter's Basilica where the Holy Father, Pope Francis met with groups of pilgrims and the faithful from Italy and from all corners of the world.
In his speech, the Pope added his meditation on Baptism 5: Re-creation (Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans 6:4).
After summarizing his catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father offered 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 catechesis about the sacrament of Baptism leads us to speak today about the holy lavacro (washing) accompanied by the invocation of the Holy Trinity, which is the central rite that specifically baptizes - which is to say immerses us - in the Paschal mystery of Christ (cf Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1239). Saint Paul reminds the Christians in Rome about the meaning of this gesture; he begins by asking: Do you not know that when we were baptized, we were buried together with him in death so that, as Christ was raised from the dead, we too can walk in a newness of life (Rom 6:4). Baptism opens the door to a life of resurrection, not to a worldly life. A life according to Jesus.
The baptismal font is the place where we celebrate Easter with Christ! The old man is buried, with his deceitful passions (cf Eph 4:22), so that a new creature can be born; truly, old things have passed and new things are born (cf 2 Cor 5:17). In the Catechesis attributed to Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, the newly-baptized receive explanations about what happened to them in the waters of Baptism. Saint Cyril's explanation is beautiful: At the same instant you died and were born, and the same wave of greeting became for you both a tomb and a mother (n. 20, Mystagogia, 2, 4-6; PG 33, 1079-1082). The rebirth of the new man demands that the man who is corrupted by sin be reduced to dust. The images of the tom and of te maternal womb used to describe the font are in fact very incisive to express great truths that take place through the simple gestures of Baptism. I like to cite the inscription that is found in the ancient Roman Baptistry at the Lateran, in which we read, in Latin, an expression attributed to Pope Sixtus III: The Mother Church gives birth to virginity and conceives of her children through the breath of God. Those who have been born again from this font now look forward to the kingdom of heaven (Virgineo fetu genitrix Ecclesia natos / quos spirante Deo concipit amne parit. / Caelorum regnum sperate hoc fonte renati). This is beautiful: the Church which brings us to birth, the Church that is a womb, is our mother through Baptism.
If our parents have given us earthly life, the Church has granted us rebirth into eternal life through Baptism. We have become children in his Son Jesus (cf Rom 8:15; Gal 4:5-7). Over all of us too, who have been reborn in water and the Holy Spirit, our heavenly Father's voice resounds with infinite love, saying: You are my beloved son (cf Mt 3:17). This paternal voice, which is imperceptible to our ears but audible to the hearts of those who believe, accompanies us throughout our entire lives; it never abandons us. Throughout our entire lives, the Father says to us: You are my beloved son, you are my beloved daughter. God loves us so much, like a Father, and he never leaves us alone. This is true from the moment of our Baptism. Reborn as children of God, we are his children forever! In fact, Baptism is never repeated, because we have been marked with an indelible spiritual seal: This seal can never be wiped out by any sin, although sin prevents Baptism from bringing forth the fruits of salvation (Catechism, 1272). The seal of Baptism can never be lost! But father, if a person becomes a criminal, even a notorious one, who kills people, who brings about injustice, can the seal be broken? No. It is to his own shame that the son of God who is that man carries out such acts, but the seal never goes away. He continues in perpetuity to be a son of God, who goes against God but who God will never renounce, for God never denies his children. Have you understood this last part? God will never deny his children. Can we repeat this together? God will never deny his children. A little bit louder, so that I - I am a bit deaf - can hear you (they repeat more loudly) God will never deny his children. There, very good.
Made one in Christ through Baptism, those who are baptized are therefore conformed to Him: the first-born among many (Rom 8:29). Through the action of the Holy Spirit, Baptism purifies, sanctifies, justifies, in order to form in Christ, one body out of many (cf 1 Cor 6:11-13). This is expressed in the anointing with the Oil of Chrism: a sign of the royal priesthood of the baptized and of the inclusion of the newly baptized into the community of the people of God (Rite of Baptism of Children, Introduction, n. 18, 3). Therefore, using the sacred Chrism, the priest anoints the head of the person who is baptized, after having spoken the words that explain its significance: God himself consecrates you with the chrism of salvation, so that as a part of Christ, the priest, prophet and king, you may be a member of his body for eternal life (Rite of Baptism of Children, n. 71).
Brothers and sisters, the Christian vocation is entirely here present: life united to Christ in the holy Church, participating in the same consecration in order to carry out the same mission, in this world, bearing fruit that will last forever. In fact, enlivened by the same Spirit, the entire People of God participate in the work of Jesus Christ, Priest, Prophet and King, and bear the responsibility for the mission and service that derive from them (cf Catechism, 783-786). What does it mean to participate in the royal and prophetic priesthood of Christ? It means making ourselves a pleasing offering to God (cf Rom 12:1), testifying to him through a life of faith and charity (cf Lumen gentium, 12), placing ourselves at the service of others, following the example of the Lord Jesus (cf Mt 20:25-28; Jn 13:13-17). Thank you.
The Holy Father's catechesis was then summarized in various languages and he offered greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance. To the English-speaking pilgrims, he said:
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, particularly those from England, Finland, Indonesia, the Philippines, Canada and the United States of America. In a special way, I greet the “small farmers” from various countries meeting in Italy, with gratitude for their contribution to feeding our world. 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!
In his speech, the Pope added his meditation on Baptism 5: Re-creation (Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans 6:4).
After summarizing his catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father offered 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 catechesis about the sacrament of Baptism leads us to speak today about the holy lavacro (washing) accompanied by the invocation of the Holy Trinity, which is the central rite that specifically baptizes - which is to say immerses us - in the Paschal mystery of Christ (cf Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1239). Saint Paul reminds the Christians in Rome about the meaning of this gesture; he begins by asking: Do you not know that when we were baptized, we were buried together with him in death so that, as Christ was raised from the dead, we too can walk in a newness of life (Rom 6:4). Baptism opens the door to a life of resurrection, not to a worldly life. A life according to Jesus.
The baptismal font is the place where we celebrate Easter with Christ! The old man is buried, with his deceitful passions (cf Eph 4:22), so that a new creature can be born; truly, old things have passed and new things are born (cf 2 Cor 5:17). In the Catechesis attributed to Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, the newly-baptized receive explanations about what happened to them in the waters of Baptism. Saint Cyril's explanation is beautiful: At the same instant you died and were born, and the same wave of greeting became for you both a tomb and a mother (n. 20, Mystagogia, 2, 4-6; PG 33, 1079-1082). The rebirth of the new man demands that the man who is corrupted by sin be reduced to dust. The images of the tom and of te maternal womb used to describe the font are in fact very incisive to express great truths that take place through the simple gestures of Baptism. I like to cite the inscription that is found in the ancient Roman Baptistry at the Lateran, in which we read, in Latin, an expression attributed to Pope Sixtus III: The Mother Church gives birth to virginity and conceives of her children through the breath of God. Those who have been born again from this font now look forward to the kingdom of heaven (Virgineo fetu genitrix Ecclesia natos / quos spirante Deo concipit amne parit. / Caelorum regnum sperate hoc fonte renati). This is beautiful: the Church which brings us to birth, the Church that is a womb, is our mother through Baptism.
If our parents have given us earthly life, the Church has granted us rebirth into eternal life through Baptism. We have become children in his Son Jesus (cf Rom 8:15; Gal 4:5-7). Over all of us too, who have been reborn in water and the Holy Spirit, our heavenly Father's voice resounds with infinite love, saying: You are my beloved son (cf Mt 3:17). This paternal voice, which is imperceptible to our ears but audible to the hearts of those who believe, accompanies us throughout our entire lives; it never abandons us. Throughout our entire lives, the Father says to us: You are my beloved son, you are my beloved daughter. God loves us so much, like a Father, and he never leaves us alone. This is true from the moment of our Baptism. Reborn as children of God, we are his children forever! In fact, Baptism is never repeated, because we have been marked with an indelible spiritual seal: This seal can never be wiped out by any sin, although sin prevents Baptism from bringing forth the fruits of salvation (Catechism, 1272). The seal of Baptism can never be lost! But father, if a person becomes a criminal, even a notorious one, who kills people, who brings about injustice, can the seal be broken? No. It is to his own shame that the son of God who is that man carries out such acts, but the seal never goes away. He continues in perpetuity to be a son of God, who goes against God but who God will never renounce, for God never denies his children. Have you understood this last part? God will never deny his children. Can we repeat this together? God will never deny his children. A little bit louder, so that I - I am a bit deaf - can hear you (they repeat more loudly) God will never deny his children. There, very good.
Made one in Christ through Baptism, those who are baptized are therefore conformed to Him: the first-born among many (Rom 8:29). Through the action of the Holy Spirit, Baptism purifies, sanctifies, justifies, in order to form in Christ, one body out of many (cf 1 Cor 6:11-13). This is expressed in the anointing with the Oil of Chrism: a sign of the royal priesthood of the baptized and of the inclusion of the newly baptized into the community of the people of God (Rite of Baptism of Children, Introduction, n. 18, 3). Therefore, using the sacred Chrism, the priest anoints the head of the person who is baptized, after having spoken the words that explain its significance: God himself consecrates you with the chrism of salvation, so that as a part of Christ, the priest, prophet and king, you may be a member of his body for eternal life (Rite of Baptism of Children, n. 71).
Brothers and sisters, the Christian vocation is entirely here present: life united to Christ in the holy Church, participating in the same consecration in order to carry out the same mission, in this world, bearing fruit that will last forever. In fact, enlivened by the same Spirit, the entire People of God participate in the work of Jesus Christ, Priest, Prophet and King, and bear the responsibility for the mission and service that derive from them (cf Catechism, 783-786). What does it mean to participate in the royal and prophetic priesthood of Christ? It means making ourselves a pleasing offering to God (cf Rom 12:1), testifying to him through a life of faith and charity (cf Lumen gentium, 12), placing ourselves at the service of others, following the example of the Lord Jesus (cf Mt 20:25-28; Jn 13:13-17). Thank you.
The Holy Father's catechesis was then summarized in various languages and he offered greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance. To the English-speaking pilgrims, he said:
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, particularly those from England, Finland, Indonesia, the Philippines, Canada and the United States of America. In a special way, I greet the “small farmers” from various countries meeting in Italy, with gratitude for their contribution to feeding our world. 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!
No comments:
Post a Comment