This morning at 9:00am local time, in the presence of the Holy Father, the fourteenth General Congregation of the Extraordinary Synod on the family began with the chanting of the liturgical Office of Terce (Mid-morning Prayer). The aim of this morning's session was the presentation of the Relatio Synodi which was read and then subsequently approved in its final version.
Here is an English-language translation of the homily spoken during Mid-morning Prayer by the Archbishop of Thành-Phô Hô Chí Minh (Viêt Nam), His Excellency, Paul Bùi Văn Đoc.
I see no reason to be ashamed of the gospel; it is God's power for the salvation of everyone who has faith (Rom 1:16). Saint Paul is not ashamed of the gospel, because he preaches Christ crucified, a scandal for the Jews, and foolishness to the Gentiles. It is the scandal and the folly of the infinite love of God made known to us in Christ crucified, love which cannot be defended, which leads to death. But to those who have been called, whether they are Jews or Greeks,Christ is both the power of God and the wisdom of God, for the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom and the God's weakness is stronger than human strength (1 Cor 1:24-25).
The problem is one of faith. Do we believe or not? If we believe, the gospel is for our salvation. Christ is our Hope, and the Hope of all humanity, and He is our only Savior, crucified, put to death, but risen for our justification: he is present among us, journeying with us toward the end of the story. Christ is the only Hope for the family life of mankind today and tomorrow.
The gospel is the salvation of all those who believe, for the justice of God which is revealed in it is above all found in love, mercy and forgiveness. The believer participates in God's justice, in his love, in his mercy: lives by the life of God, thanks to the gift of faith. The life of faith is a journey of faith toward faith, of grace toward more abundant grace in God, through Christ. This grace is the Spirit of God, the wind that blows, the breath of life. Faith is listening, listening to the gospel, to the good news about the saving love of God. The gospel is a story, a story about the history of the love of God. Jesus Christ tells us this story: Jesus Christ is the Evangelist to the poor that we are. The problem is whether or not we believe in Christ, sincerely, or not. If we believe, we will welcome what he tells us about the love of God. God is mercy; he is omnipotent. The power of God is not a power of destruction but that gives life. With this power, God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. The Resurrection of Christ is our hope, for Love will always triumph over death, love that forgives all our sins and those who have need of it. Do we believe in the strength of God, or in the strength of the world? The strength of the world is destroying everything: life, love, the human family. The life of faith however translates into a life of love which is overflowing with joy and happiness.
Here is an English-language translation of the homily spoken during Mid-morning Prayer by the Archbishop of Thành-Phô Hô Chí Minh (Viêt Nam), His Excellency, Paul Bùi Văn Đoc.
Homily of His Excellency, Paul Bùi Văn Đoc
Archbishop of Thành-Phô Hô Chí Minh (Viêt Nam)
I see no reason to be ashamed of the gospel; it is God's power for the salvation of everyone who has faith (Rom 1:16). Saint Paul is not ashamed of the gospel, because he preaches Christ crucified, a scandal for the Jews, and foolishness to the Gentiles. It is the scandal and the folly of the infinite love of God made known to us in Christ crucified, love which cannot be defended, which leads to death. But to those who have been called, whether they are Jews or Greeks,Christ is both the power of God and the wisdom of God, for the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom and the God's weakness is stronger than human strength (1 Cor 1:24-25).
The problem is one of faith. Do we believe or not? If we believe, the gospel is for our salvation. Christ is our Hope, and the Hope of all humanity, and He is our only Savior, crucified, put to death, but risen for our justification: he is present among us, journeying with us toward the end of the story. Christ is the only Hope for the family life of mankind today and tomorrow.
The gospel is the salvation of all those who believe, for the justice of God which is revealed in it is above all found in love, mercy and forgiveness. The believer participates in God's justice, in his love, in his mercy: lives by the life of God, thanks to the gift of faith. The life of faith is a journey of faith toward faith, of grace toward more abundant grace in God, through Christ. This grace is the Spirit of God, the wind that blows, the breath of life. Faith is listening, listening to the gospel, to the good news about the saving love of God. The gospel is a story, a story about the history of the love of God. Jesus Christ tells us this story: Jesus Christ is the Evangelist to the poor that we are. The problem is whether or not we believe in Christ, sincerely, or not. If we believe, we will welcome what he tells us about the love of God. God is mercy; he is omnipotent. The power of God is not a power of destruction but that gives life. With this power, God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. The Resurrection of Christ is our hope, for Love will always triumph over death, love that forgives all our sins and those who have need of it. Do we believe in the strength of God, or in the strength of the world? The strength of the world is destroying everything: life, love, the human family. The life of faith however translates into a life of love which is overflowing with joy and happiness.
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