Today's General Audience began at 10:00am in Saint Peter's Square. The Holy Father, Pope Francis met there with groups of pilgrims and the faithful who had come from various parts of Italy and all corners of the world.
In his address, the Pope continued the cycle of catecheses dedicated to the Church, inserting a meditation on Christian hope in our final destiny.
After having summarized today's teachings in various languages, the Holy Father also addressed particular greetings to each of the groups of the faithful who were present.
The General Audience concluded as usual with the chanting of the Pater Noster and the imparting of the Apostolic Blessing.
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning.
During these past weeks, we have spoken about the Church, about our holy mother, the hierarchical Church, the People of God on a journey. Today, I wish to ask: in the end, what will become of the People of God? What will become of each of us? What should we expect? The apostle Paul was disheartened the Christians from the community at Thessalonica, who were asking these very questions, and after having presented his arguments, he spoke some of the most beautiful words that are written in the New Testament: ... and this is how it will be forever with the Lord (1 Thes 4:17). These are simple words, but words that are filled with such great hope! This hope is characteristic of the book of Revelations, where Saint John continues the intuition of the Prophets, describing our final, definitive dimension in terms of the new Jerusalem, which will come down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride dressed for her husband (Rev 21:2). See what we await! And see now, who the Church is: she is the People of God that follows the Lord Jesus and which prepares herself, day after day for the encounter with Him, like a bride with her husband. And this is not just a figure of speech: they will be true and proper nuptials! Yes, because Christ, becoming man like us and making us all one with Him, with his Death and His Resurrection has truly wedded us and has made us his Bride. And this is nothing other than the fulfilment of the design of communion and love woven by God in the course of the whole of history.
There is another element, however, which comforts us ultimately and which opens our hearts: John tells us that in the Church, the Bride of Christ, the new Jerusalem is rendered visible. This means that the Church, in addition to being a Bride, is called to become a City, symbol par excellence of human coexistence and relationship. How lovely, then, it is to be able to contemplate already, according to another much more thought-provoking image of Revelation, all peoples and all nations gathered together in this city, as in a dwelling, the dwelling of God (cf Rev 21:3)! And in this glorious framework, there will no longer be isolation, prevarications and distinctions of any sort – neither of a social, ethnic or religious nature – but we shall all be one in Christ.
In the presence of this unheard of and wonderful scenario, our hearts cannot but feel confirmed strongly in hope. You see, Christian hope is not simply a desire, a wish: for a Christian, hope is expectation, fervent, passionate expectation for the final and definitive fulfilment of a mystery, the mystery of God’s love, in which we are reborn and in which we already live. And it is the expectation of someone who is about to arrive: it is Christ the Lord who makes Himself ever closer to us, day after day, and who comes to introduce us finally into the fullness of His communion and of His peace. The Church now has the task to keep alight and well visible the lamp of hope, so that it can continue to shine as the sure sign of salvation and be able to illumine, for the whole of humanity, the path that leads to the encounter with the merciful face of God.
Dear brothers and sisters, see then what we expect: Jesus’ return! The Church, the Bride awaits her spouse! We must ask ourselves, however, with much sincerity: are we truly luminous and credible witnesses of this hope? Do our communities still live in the sign of hope of the Lord Jesus and in the warm expectation of His coming, or do they seem tired, sluggish, under the weight of toil and resignation? Do we also run the risk of exhausting the oil of faith, of joy? Let us be careful!
We invoke the Virgin Mary, Mother of hope and Queen of Heaven, to help us always to live with an attitude of listening and of expectation, so that already now we can be permeated with the love of Christ and take part one day in the joy without end, in full communion with God. Don't forget, never forget: This is how it will be forever with the Lord! (1 Thes 4:17).
Today's teaching was then summarized in various languages, and the Holy Father addressed greetings to each group of the faithful that was present. To English-speaking pilgrims, he said:
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, including the various groups from England, Scotland, Ireland, Norway, Denmark, Ghana, India, Japan, Thailand, Australia and the United States of America. In a particular way, my greeting goes to the Irish National Pilgrimage commemorating the fourteenth centenary of the death of Saint Columban. Upon all of you, and your families, I invoke joy and peace in the Lord Jesus. God bless you all!
In his address, the Pope continued the cycle of catecheses dedicated to the Church, inserting a meditation on Christian hope in our final destiny.
After having summarized today's teachings in various languages, the Holy Father also addressed particular greetings to each of the groups of the faithful who were present.
The General Audience concluded as usual with the chanting of the Pater Noster and the imparting of the Apostolic Blessing.
Catechesis of His Holiness, Pope Francis
for the General Audience
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning.
During these past weeks, we have spoken about the Church, about our holy mother, the hierarchical Church, the People of God on a journey. Today, I wish to ask: in the end, what will become of the People of God? What will become of each of us? What should we expect? The apostle Paul was disheartened the Christians from the community at Thessalonica, who were asking these very questions, and after having presented his arguments, he spoke some of the most beautiful words that are written in the New Testament: ... and this is how it will be forever with the Lord (1 Thes 4:17). These are simple words, but words that are filled with such great hope! This hope is characteristic of the book of Revelations, where Saint John continues the intuition of the Prophets, describing our final, definitive dimension in terms of the new Jerusalem, which will come down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride dressed for her husband (Rev 21:2). See what we await! And see now, who the Church is: she is the People of God that follows the Lord Jesus and which prepares herself, day after day for the encounter with Him, like a bride with her husband. And this is not just a figure of speech: they will be true and proper nuptials! Yes, because Christ, becoming man like us and making us all one with Him, with his Death and His Resurrection has truly wedded us and has made us his Bride. And this is nothing other than the fulfilment of the design of communion and love woven by God in the course of the whole of history.
There is another element, however, which comforts us ultimately and which opens our hearts: John tells us that in the Church, the Bride of Christ, the new Jerusalem is rendered visible. This means that the Church, in addition to being a Bride, is called to become a City, symbol par excellence of human coexistence and relationship. How lovely, then, it is to be able to contemplate already, according to another much more thought-provoking image of Revelation, all peoples and all nations gathered together in this city, as in a dwelling, the dwelling of God (cf Rev 21:3)! And in this glorious framework, there will no longer be isolation, prevarications and distinctions of any sort – neither of a social, ethnic or religious nature – but we shall all be one in Christ.
In the presence of this unheard of and wonderful scenario, our hearts cannot but feel confirmed strongly in hope. You see, Christian hope is not simply a desire, a wish: for a Christian, hope is expectation, fervent, passionate expectation for the final and definitive fulfilment of a mystery, the mystery of God’s love, in which we are reborn and in which we already live. And it is the expectation of someone who is about to arrive: it is Christ the Lord who makes Himself ever closer to us, day after day, and who comes to introduce us finally into the fullness of His communion and of His peace. The Church now has the task to keep alight and well visible the lamp of hope, so that it can continue to shine as the sure sign of salvation and be able to illumine, for the whole of humanity, the path that leads to the encounter with the merciful face of God.
Dear brothers and sisters, see then what we expect: Jesus’ return! The Church, the Bride awaits her spouse! We must ask ourselves, however, with much sincerity: are we truly luminous and credible witnesses of this hope? Do our communities still live in the sign of hope of the Lord Jesus and in the warm expectation of His coming, or do they seem tired, sluggish, under the weight of toil and resignation? Do we also run the risk of exhausting the oil of faith, of joy? Let us be careful!
We invoke the Virgin Mary, Mother of hope and Queen of Heaven, to help us always to live with an attitude of listening and of expectation, so that already now we can be permeated with the love of Christ and take part one day in the joy without end, in full communion with God. Don't forget, never forget: This is how it will be forever with the Lord! (1 Thes 4:17).
Today's teaching was then summarized in various languages, and the Holy Father addressed greetings to each group of the faithful that was present. To English-speaking pilgrims, he said:
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, including the various groups from England, Scotland, Ireland, Norway, Denmark, Ghana, India, Japan, Thailand, Australia and the United States of America. In a particular way, my greeting goes to the Irish National Pilgrimage commemorating the fourteenth centenary of the death of Saint Columban. Upon all of you, and your families, I invoke joy and peace in the Lord Jesus. God bless you all!
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