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 who had come from various parts of Italy and all corners of the world.
During his speech, which he delivered in Italian, the Holy Father, wishing to conclude the cycle of teachings on the Credo, concentrated his teaching on the final judgement and eternal life.
Following the syntheses of the catechesis, delivered in various languages, the Holy Father spoke particular greetings to each linguistic group of pilgrims. He then spoke a particular greeting destined to the Americas on the occasion of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadaloupe which will be celebrated tomorrow. He followed this greeting with a call for support of the worldwide campaign now under way, sponsored by Caritas, against hunger and the wastage of food. The focus of the campaign is Only One Human Family: Food for All.
The General Audience concluded with the chanting of the Pater Noster and the imposition of the Apostolic Blessing.
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Today, I want to begin the final cycle of teachings on the subject of our profession of faith by speaking about the affirmation I believe in eternal life. In particular, I want to concentrate on the final judgement. We should not be afraid of this judgement: let us listen to what the Word of God says about this. First, we read in the gospel of Matthew: Christ will come in his glory, escorted by all the angels ... All nations will be assembled before him and he will separate people one from another as the shepherd separates sheep from goats. He will place the sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left ... And they will go away to eternal punishment, and the just to eternal life (Mt 25:31-46). When we think about Christ's return and about his final judgement, which reveal even in their ultimate consequences the good that each person has done or failed to do in his or her earthly life, we see that we are faced with a mystery that hangs over us, a mystery that we cannot even imagine. This is a mystery that almost instinctively arouses in us a sense of awe, perhaps even trepidation. However, if we think carefully about this fact, it cannot but make the Christian heart swell and be a great source of comfort and trust.
In this regard, the testimony of the early Christian communities resonates impressively. In fact, the usual celebrations and prayers would be accompanied by the acclamation Maranatha, an expression derived from two Aramaic words which, depending on how they are interpreted, can be understood either as a plea: Come Lord! or as a certainty fed by faith: Yes, the Lord is coming, the Lord is near. It is the exclamation that culminates in the whole of Christian Revelation, at the end of the marvelous contemplation that is offered to us in the Apocalypse of Saint John (cf Rev 22:20). In that case, it is the Church - the bride, who in the name of all of humanity and as its first fruits, cries out to Christ her spouse, anticipating the moment when she will be swallowed up by his embrace, the embrace of Jesus which is the fullness of life and the fullness of love. This is how Jesus embraces us. If we think of the final judgement in this perspective, all fear and hesitation is lessened and leaves space for the almighty and for a profound joy: this will be the time when we will face the final judgment ready to be clothed with the glory of Christ, as though with a wedding garment, and to be led to the banquet, an image of the full and definitive communion with God.
A second reason for confidence is offered by the truth that, at the moment of judgment, we will not be left alone. Jesus himself, in the gospel of Matthew predicted that at the end of time, those who had followed him would take their place in glory and would judge along with him (cf. Mt 19:28). Later, the Apostle Paul, writing to the community at Corinth, affirmed: Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? How much more the things of this life! (1 Cor 6:2-3) How good it is to know that in this regard, in addition to counting on Christ, our Paraclete, our Advocate with the Father (cf 1 Jn 2:1), we can count on the intercession and the benevolence of so many of our brothers and sisters who have preceded us on the journey of faith, who have offered their lives for us and who continue to love us in unspeakable ways. The saints are already living in the sight of God, in the splendor of his glory, praying for us who are still living on earth. What consolation this certainty brings to our hearts! The Church is truly a mother and, like a mother, she always seeks out that which is good for her children, especially those who are the most distanced and afflicted until they discover their fulfillment in the glorious body of Christ along with all her other members.
Another suggestion is offered to us in the gospel of John which explicitly affirms that God did not send his Son into the world in order to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but the one who does not believe in him is already condemned because he has not believed in the only Son of God (Jn 3:17-18). This means that the final judgement is already in process, unfolding now in the course of our existence. This judgment is pronounced in every moment of life, reflected in our acceptance in faith of the salvation that is present and at work in Christ, or in our unbelief along with the consequent closing in upon ourselves. But if we close ourselves off from the love of Jesus, it is we ourselves who are condemned. Salvation was brought by Jesus and he is the one who saves; if we are sinners - and all of us are - we can ask Him for forgiveness, and if we go to Him with a desire to be good, the Lord will forgive us. But in order for this to happen, we must open ourselves to the love of Jesus which is stronger than anything else. The love of Jesus is great, the love of Jesus is merciful, the love of Jesus forgives, but we ourselves must be open to this forgiveness and being open means that we must be willing to repent, to accuse ourselves of having done things that are not good. The Lord Jesus has given himself to us; he continues to give himself to us, to fill us with the mercy and grace of the Father. Are we able, in a sense, to become judges of ourselves, automatically capable of condemning ourselves to exclusion from communion with God and with others? Do not therefore grow weary of watching vigilantly over our thoughts and attitudes, for they are even now a foretaste for us of the warmth and beauty of the face of God - and it will be beautiful - to contemplate that face in eternal life in all its fullness. Let us go on, considering the judgement that we now begin, the judgement that has already begun. Let us go forward, making sure that our hearts are open to Jesus and his salvation; we go on without fear because the love of Jesus is greater and if we ask for the gift of forgiveness from our sins, He will always forgive. Jesus is like that. Let us go on therefore with this certainty, that will lead us to the glory of heaven!
Following the above catechesis, the Holy Father's teaching was summarized in various languages. His Holiness then offered greetings to each of the different linguistic groups who were present. To the English-speaking pilgrims, he said:
I greet all the English-speaking pilgrims present at today’s Audience. Upon you and your families I invoke God’s blessings of joy and peace!
After the greetings, the Pope addressed a particular greeting to the Americas, recognizing that tomorrow will be the liturgical memorial of Our Lady of Guadaloupe. Here is the text of the Holy Father's comments:
Tomorrow is the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Patroness of the Americas. I would like to greet all my brothers and sisters on that continent, and I do so thinking of the Virgin of Tepeyac.
When Our Lady appeared to Saint Juan Diego, her face was that of a woman of mixed blood, a mestiza, and her garments bore many symbols of the native culture. Like Jesus, Mary is close to all her sons and daughters; as a concerned mother, she accompanies them on their way through life. She shares all the joys and hopes, the sorrows and troubles of God’s People, which is made up of men and women of every race and nation.
When the image of the Virgin appeared on the tilma of Juan Diego, it was the prophecy of an embrace: Mary’s embrace of all the peoples of the vast expanses of America – the peoples who already lived there, and those who were yet to come.
Mary’s embrace showed what America – North and South – is called to be: a land where different peoples come together; a land prepared to accept human life at every stage, from the mother’s womb to old age; a land which welcomes immigrants, and the poor and the marginalized, in every age. A land of generosity.
That is the message of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and it is also my message, the message of the Church. I ask all the people of the Americas to open wide their arms, like the Virgin, with love and tenderness.
I pray for all of you, dear brothers and sisters, and I ask you to pray for me! May the joy of the Gospel always abide in your hearts. May the Lord bless you, and may Our Lady be ever at your side.
The Pope concluded his remarks with a special reminder:
Yesterday, Caritas launched a worldwide campaign against hunger and the wasting of food, with the theme: Only one human family: food for all. Only one family: food for all. Will we remember it? Can we repeat it together? Only one family: food for all. The scandal for the millions of people who suffer from hunger should not paralyze us, but should inspire us to act, all of us, single people, families, communities, institutions, even governments, in order to eliminate this injustice. The gospel of Jesus shows us the way: by entrusting ourselves to the providence of the Father, and by sharing our daily bread instead of wasting it. I encourage all those working with Caritas to bring this challenge to the world, and I encourage all people to unite their efforts to this wave of solidarity.
During his speech, which he delivered in Italian, the Holy Father, wishing to conclude the cycle of teachings on the Credo, concentrated his teaching on the final judgement and eternal life.
Following the syntheses of the catechesis, delivered in various languages, the Holy Father spoke particular greetings to each linguistic group of pilgrims. He then spoke a particular greeting destined to the Americas on the occasion of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadaloupe which will be celebrated tomorrow. He followed this greeting with a call for support of the worldwide campaign now under way, sponsored by Caritas, against hunger and the wastage of food. The focus of the campaign is Only One Human Family: Food for All.
The General Audience concluded with the chanting of the Pater Noster and the imposition of the Apostolic Blessing.
Catechesis of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
for the General Audience
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Today, I want to begin the final cycle of teachings on the subject of our profession of faith by speaking about the affirmation I believe in eternal life. In particular, I want to concentrate on the final judgement. We should not be afraid of this judgement: let us listen to what the Word of God says about this. First, we read in the gospel of Matthew: Christ will come in his glory, escorted by all the angels ... All nations will be assembled before him and he will separate people one from another as the shepherd separates sheep from goats. He will place the sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left ... And they will go away to eternal punishment, and the just to eternal life (Mt 25:31-46). When we think about Christ's return and about his final judgement, which reveal even in their ultimate consequences the good that each person has done or failed to do in his or her earthly life, we see that we are faced with a mystery that hangs over us, a mystery that we cannot even imagine. This is a mystery that almost instinctively arouses in us a sense of awe, perhaps even trepidation. However, if we think carefully about this fact, it cannot but make the Christian heart swell and be a great source of comfort and trust.
In this regard, the testimony of the early Christian communities resonates impressively. In fact, the usual celebrations and prayers would be accompanied by the acclamation Maranatha, an expression derived from two Aramaic words which, depending on how they are interpreted, can be understood either as a plea: Come Lord! or as a certainty fed by faith: Yes, the Lord is coming, the Lord is near. It is the exclamation that culminates in the whole of Christian Revelation, at the end of the marvelous contemplation that is offered to us in the Apocalypse of Saint John (cf Rev 22:20). In that case, it is the Church - the bride, who in the name of all of humanity and as its first fruits, cries out to Christ her spouse, anticipating the moment when she will be swallowed up by his embrace, the embrace of Jesus which is the fullness of life and the fullness of love. This is how Jesus embraces us. If we think of the final judgement in this perspective, all fear and hesitation is lessened and leaves space for the almighty and for a profound joy: this will be the time when we will face the final judgment ready to be clothed with the glory of Christ, as though with a wedding garment, and to be led to the banquet, an image of the full and definitive communion with God.
A second reason for confidence is offered by the truth that, at the moment of judgment, we will not be left alone. Jesus himself, in the gospel of Matthew predicted that at the end of time, those who had followed him would take their place in glory and would judge along with him (cf. Mt 19:28). Later, the Apostle Paul, writing to the community at Corinth, affirmed: Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? How much more the things of this life! (1 Cor 6:2-3) How good it is to know that in this regard, in addition to counting on Christ, our Paraclete, our Advocate with the Father (cf 1 Jn 2:1), we can count on the intercession and the benevolence of so many of our brothers and sisters who have preceded us on the journey of faith, who have offered their lives for us and who continue to love us in unspeakable ways. The saints are already living in the sight of God, in the splendor of his glory, praying for us who are still living on earth. What consolation this certainty brings to our hearts! The Church is truly a mother and, like a mother, she always seeks out that which is good for her children, especially those who are the most distanced and afflicted until they discover their fulfillment in the glorious body of Christ along with all her other members.
Another suggestion is offered to us in the gospel of John which explicitly affirms that God did not send his Son into the world in order to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but the one who does not believe in him is already condemned because he has not believed in the only Son of God (Jn 3:17-18). This means that the final judgement is already in process, unfolding now in the course of our existence. This judgment is pronounced in every moment of life, reflected in our acceptance in faith of the salvation that is present and at work in Christ, or in our unbelief along with the consequent closing in upon ourselves. But if we close ourselves off from the love of Jesus, it is we ourselves who are condemned. Salvation was brought by Jesus and he is the one who saves; if we are sinners - and all of us are - we can ask Him for forgiveness, and if we go to Him with a desire to be good, the Lord will forgive us. But in order for this to happen, we must open ourselves to the love of Jesus which is stronger than anything else. The love of Jesus is great, the love of Jesus is merciful, the love of Jesus forgives, but we ourselves must be open to this forgiveness and being open means that we must be willing to repent, to accuse ourselves of having done things that are not good. The Lord Jesus has given himself to us; he continues to give himself to us, to fill us with the mercy and grace of the Father. Are we able, in a sense, to become judges of ourselves, automatically capable of condemning ourselves to exclusion from communion with God and with others? Do not therefore grow weary of watching vigilantly over our thoughts and attitudes, for they are even now a foretaste for us of the warmth and beauty of the face of God - and it will be beautiful - to contemplate that face in eternal life in all its fullness. Let us go on, considering the judgement that we now begin, the judgement that has already begun. Let us go forward, making sure that our hearts are open to Jesus and his salvation; we go on without fear because the love of Jesus is greater and if we ask for the gift of forgiveness from our sins, He will always forgive. Jesus is like that. Let us go on therefore with this certainty, that will lead us to the glory of heaven!
Following the above catechesis, the Holy Father's teaching was summarized in various languages. His Holiness then offered greetings to each of the different linguistic groups who were present. To the English-speaking pilgrims, he said:
I greet all the English-speaking pilgrims present at today’s Audience. Upon you and your families I invoke God’s blessings of joy and peace!
After the greetings, the Pope addressed a particular greeting to the Americas, recognizing that tomorrow will be the liturgical memorial of Our Lady of Guadaloupe. Here is the text of the Holy Father's comments:
Tomorrow is the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Patroness of the Americas. I would like to greet all my brothers and sisters on that continent, and I do so thinking of the Virgin of Tepeyac.
When Our Lady appeared to Saint Juan Diego, her face was that of a woman of mixed blood, a mestiza, and her garments bore many symbols of the native culture. Like Jesus, Mary is close to all her sons and daughters; as a concerned mother, she accompanies them on their way through life. She shares all the joys and hopes, the sorrows and troubles of God’s People, which is made up of men and women of every race and nation.
When the image of the Virgin appeared on the tilma of Juan Diego, it was the prophecy of an embrace: Mary’s embrace of all the peoples of the vast expanses of America – the peoples who already lived there, and those who were yet to come.
Mary’s embrace showed what America – North and South – is called to be: a land where different peoples come together; a land prepared to accept human life at every stage, from the mother’s womb to old age; a land which welcomes immigrants, and the poor and the marginalized, in every age. A land of generosity.
That is the message of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and it is also my message, the message of the Church. I ask all the people of the Americas to open wide their arms, like the Virgin, with love and tenderness.
I pray for all of you, dear brothers and sisters, and I ask you to pray for me! May the joy of the Gospel always abide in your hearts. May the Lord bless you, and may Our Lady be ever at your side.
The Pope concluded his remarks with a special reminder:
Yesterday, Caritas launched a worldwide campaign against hunger and the wasting of food, with the theme: Only one human family: food for all. Only one family: food for all. Will we remember it? Can we repeat it together? Only one family: food for all. The scandal for the millions of people who suffer from hunger should not paralyze us, but should inspire us to act, all of us, single people, families, communities, institutions, even governments, in order to eliminate this injustice. The gospel of Jesus shows us the way: by entrusting ourselves to the providence of the Father, and by sharing our daily bread instead of wasting it. I encourage all those working with Caritas to bring this challenge to the world, and I encourage all people to unite their efforts to this wave of solidarity.
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