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 Italy and all corners of the world.
In his discourse, the Pope, continuing the cycle of catecheses dedicated to the Church, added his meditation on the Church on her pilgrimage to the Kingdom.
After having summarized His catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father addressed particular greetings to the groups of faithful who were present.
The General Audience concluded with the chanting of the Pater Noster and the Apostolic Blessing.
Dear Brothers and Sisters, good morning.
The day is not very nice, but you are courageous, congratulations! We hope to pray together today.
In presenting the Church to people of our time, Vatican Council II was very conscious of a fundamental truth, which must never be forgotten: the Church is not a static, still reality, an end in herself, but is continually journeying in history towards the ultimate and wonderful end which is the Kingdom of Heaven, of which the Church on earth is the seed and the beginning (cf Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium, 5). When we turn to this horizon, we notice that our imagination is arrested, revealing itself just capable of intuiting the splendor of the mystery that surpasses our senses. And some questions arise spontaneously in us: when will this final passage happen? What will the new dimension be like, which the Church will enter? What, then, will happen to humanity and to the creation that surrounds it? But these questions are not new; they were already asked by the disciples of Christ at that time: But when will this happen? When will be the triumph of the Spirit over creation, over the created, over everything … These are old, human questions. We also ask these questions.
Faced with these questions, which always resound in man’s heart, the conciliar Constitution Gaudium et Spes states: We do not know the time for the consummation of the earth and of humanity, nor do we know how all things will be transformed. As deformed by sin, the shape of this world will pass away; but we are taught that God is preparing a new dwelling place and a new earth where justice will abide, and whose blessedness will answer and surpass all the longings for peace which spring up in the human heart. (GS, 39). Behold the end to which the Church tends: as the Bible says, it is the new Jerusalem, Paradise. More than a place, it is about a state of mind in which our most profound expectations will be fulfilled overabundantly and our being, as creatures and children of God, will reach full maturity. We will finally be clothed with joy, with peace and with the love of God in a complete way, no longer with any limit, and we will be face to face with Him! (cf. 1 Corinthians 13:12). It is beautiful to think this, to think of Heaven. All of us find ourselves down here, all of us. It is beautiful; it gives strength to the soul.
In this perspective, it is beautiful to perceive how there is an underlying continuity and communion between the Church that is in Heaven, and the Church that is still journeying on earth. In fact, those who already live in the presence of God can assist and intercede for us, they can pray for us. On the other hand, we are also always sent to offer good works, prayers and the Eucharist itself to alleviate the tribulation of souls that are still awaiting blessedness without end. Yes, because in the Christian perspective the distinction is no longer between one who is already dead and one who is not dead yet, but between one who is in Christ and who is not! This is the determining element, which is truly decisive for our salvation and for our happiness.
At the same time, Sacred Scripture teaches us that the fulfilment of this wonderful plan cannot but be of interest also to all that surrounds us and that issued from the thought and heart of God. The Apostle Paul affirms it explicitly, when he says that creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God (Romans 8:21). Other texts use the image of a new heaven and a new earth (cf. 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1), in the sense that the whole universe will be renewed and will be freed once and for all from every trace of evil and from death itself. What is anticipated, as fulfilment of a transformation that in reality is already in motion since the Death and Resurrection of Christ, is, therefore, a new creation; not, therefore, an annihilation of the cosmos and of all that surrounds us, but a bringing of everything to its fullness of being, of truth and of beauty. This is the plan that God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit has always willed to realize and is realizing.
Dear friends, when we think of this stupendous reality that we await, we realize how much our belonging to the Church is truly a wonderful gift, which bears to be inscribed as a very high vocation. Let us then ask the Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, to always watch over our way and to help us to be, as she is, a joyful sign of trust and hope in the midst of our brothers.
This catechesis was subsequently summarized and shared in various languages, and as is his custom, the Holy Father shared greetings with each of the groups of pilgrims who were present. To English-speaking visitors, he said:
I offer an affectionate greeting to all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present at today’s Audience, including those from England, Kenya, Nigeria, Canada and the United States. May your stay in the Eternal City confirm you in love for our Lord and his Church. May God bless you all!
In his discourse, the Pope, continuing the cycle of catecheses dedicated to the Church, added his meditation on the Church on her pilgrimage to the Kingdom.
After having summarized His catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father addressed particular greetings to the groups of faithful who were present.
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 day is not very nice, but you are courageous, congratulations! We hope to pray together today.
In presenting the Church to people of our time, Vatican Council II was very conscious of a fundamental truth, which must never be forgotten: the Church is not a static, still reality, an end in herself, but is continually journeying in history towards the ultimate and wonderful end which is the Kingdom of Heaven, of which the Church on earth is the seed and the beginning (cf Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium, 5). When we turn to this horizon, we notice that our imagination is arrested, revealing itself just capable of intuiting the splendor of the mystery that surpasses our senses. And some questions arise spontaneously in us: when will this final passage happen? What will the new dimension be like, which the Church will enter? What, then, will happen to humanity and to the creation that surrounds it? But these questions are not new; they were already asked by the disciples of Christ at that time: But when will this happen? When will be the triumph of the Spirit over creation, over the created, over everything … These are old, human questions. We also ask these questions.
Faced with these questions, which always resound in man’s heart, the conciliar Constitution Gaudium et Spes states: We do not know the time for the consummation of the earth and of humanity, nor do we know how all things will be transformed. As deformed by sin, the shape of this world will pass away; but we are taught that God is preparing a new dwelling place and a new earth where justice will abide, and whose blessedness will answer and surpass all the longings for peace which spring up in the human heart. (GS, 39). Behold the end to which the Church tends: as the Bible says, it is the new Jerusalem, Paradise. More than a place, it is about a state of mind in which our most profound expectations will be fulfilled overabundantly and our being, as creatures and children of God, will reach full maturity. We will finally be clothed with joy, with peace and with the love of God in a complete way, no longer with any limit, and we will be face to face with Him! (cf. 1 Corinthians 13:12). It is beautiful to think this, to think of Heaven. All of us find ourselves down here, all of us. It is beautiful; it gives strength to the soul.
In this perspective, it is beautiful to perceive how there is an underlying continuity and communion between the Church that is in Heaven, and the Church that is still journeying on earth. In fact, those who already live in the presence of God can assist and intercede for us, they can pray for us. On the other hand, we are also always sent to offer good works, prayers and the Eucharist itself to alleviate the tribulation of souls that are still awaiting blessedness without end. Yes, because in the Christian perspective the distinction is no longer between one who is already dead and one who is not dead yet, but between one who is in Christ and who is not! This is the determining element, which is truly decisive for our salvation and for our happiness.
At the same time, Sacred Scripture teaches us that the fulfilment of this wonderful plan cannot but be of interest also to all that surrounds us and that issued from the thought and heart of God. The Apostle Paul affirms it explicitly, when he says that creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God (Romans 8:21). Other texts use the image of a new heaven and a new earth (cf. 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1), in the sense that the whole universe will be renewed and will be freed once and for all from every trace of evil and from death itself. What is anticipated, as fulfilment of a transformation that in reality is already in motion since the Death and Resurrection of Christ, is, therefore, a new creation; not, therefore, an annihilation of the cosmos and of all that surrounds us, but a bringing of everything to its fullness of being, of truth and of beauty. This is the plan that God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit has always willed to realize and is realizing.
Dear friends, when we think of this stupendous reality that we await, we realize how much our belonging to the Church is truly a wonderful gift, which bears to be inscribed as a very high vocation. Let us then ask the Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, to always watch over our way and to help us to be, as she is, a joyful sign of trust and hope in the midst of our brothers.
This catechesis was subsequently summarized and shared in various languages, and as is his custom, the Holy Father shared greetings with each of the groups of pilgrims who were present. To English-speaking visitors, he said:
I offer an affectionate greeting to all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present at today’s Audience, including those from England, Kenya, Nigeria, Canada and the United States. May your stay in the Eternal City confirm you in love for our Lord and his Church. May God bless you all!
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