This morning's General Audience began at 10:00am in Saint Peter's Square. The Holy Father met there with groups of pilgrims and the faithful who had come from Italy and from every corner of the world.
In his address, the Pope continued the cycle of catecheses on the family, focusing today on family life.
After having summarized his catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father offered greetings to each of 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!
Today's catechesis is like the door that leads to a series of reflections on the life of the family, real life, with its times and various events. On this door there are three words written, words that I have already used here in the Square on various occasions. These words are: May I?, Thank you and Excuse me. In fact, these words open the way for living in a family, for living in peace. They are simple words but they are not so simple to put into practice! They contain a great strength: the strength of caring for the house, even in the midst of many difficulties and trials; in fact, if they are lacking then little by little, cracks begin to appear in the walls and the house will eventually collapse.
We generally understand them as words of good manners. That’s fine. A polite person asks for permission, gives thanks and asks for pardon if he makes a mistake, because politeness is very important. A great Bishop, Saint Francis de Sales, used to say that politeness is already half of holiness. However, beware, in history we have also known a formality of good manners that can become a mask that hides aridity of soul and indifference toward others. There is a saying: behind many good manners bad customs hide. Not even religion is immune to this risk, which sees a formal fulfilment slide into spiritual worldliness.
The devil that tempts Jesus shows good manners – he is a real lord, a gentleman – he even quotes the Sacred Scriptures; he seems to be a theologian. His style seems correct, but his intention is to divert from the truth of the love of God. We, however, understand politeness in its authentic term, where the style of good relationship is firmly rooted in love for what is good and respect for others. The family lives based on the goodness of loving well.
The first word is May I". When we are concerned to ask politely for what we think we deserve, we help to defend the spirit of marital and family coexistence. To enter into the life of the other, even when he or she is part of our life, calls for the delicacy of a non-invasive attitude, which renews trust and respect. Trust does not authorize us to take everything for granted. And, the more intimate and profound love is, the more it calls for respect of the freedom of the other and the capacity to wait for him to open the door of his heart. In this connection, we recall Jesus’ words in the Book of Revelation: See that I stand at the door and knock. If someone hears my voice and opens the door to me, I will go with him, eat with him and he with me. The Lord also asks for permission to enter! Let us not forget this. Before doing something in the family, ask for permission: May I do so? Would you like me to do it this way? This is truly polite language, but it is full of love. And this does a lot of good for families.
The second word is thank you. Often we can think that we are becoming a civilization of bad manners and bad words, as if it were a sign of emancipation. We even hear them said publicly. Politeness and the capacity to give thanks are sometimes seen as a sign of weakness, and sometimes they even arouse mistrust.
This tendency is contrasted in the very heart of the family. We must be uncompromising when it comes to education in gratitude, in recognition: both the dignity of persons and social justice pass through here. If family life neglects this style, social life will also lose it. For a believer, moreover, gratitude is at the very heart of faith: a Christian who does not give thanks is one who has forgotten God’s language. Listen well, I say! A Christian who does not give thanks is one who has forgotten God’s language. This is ugly!
Let us recall Jesus’ question when he healed the ten lepers and only one returned to thank him. I once heard an elderly person say, very wise, very good and simple, but with that wisdom of piety, of life ... Gratitude is a plant that grows only in the earth of noble souls, – that nobility of soul, that grace of God in the soul that drives one to say: Thank you for gratitude. It is the flower of a noble soul. This is something lovely.
And the third word is Excuse me -- a difficult word, yes, but also a necessary word. When it is lacking small cracks are enlarged – even without wishing it – until they become wide gaps.
It is not for nothing that in the Our Father, the prayer taught by Jesus that summarizes all the essential questions of our life, we find this expression: Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. We must admit that we have done wrong, and be anxious to restore what we have taken – respect, sincerity, love – this makes us worthy of forgiveness. And thus the infection stops. If we do not have the capacity to be sorry, it means that we are also incapable of forgiving. In a home where pardon is not requested, there is a lack of oxygen, the waters become stagnant. Many emotional wounds, many lacerations in families begin with the loss of this precious word: excuse me. In marital life there are often quarrels, plates sometimes even fly, but I offer this advice: do not end the day without making peace. Listen well. Husbands and wives, have you quarrelled? -- Children with parents? Have you quarrelled intensely? It’s not right, but in and of itself, it isn’t the problem: the problem is that this sentiment must not be there the next day. Therefore, if you have quarrelled, the day must never end without making peace in the family. And how do I make peace? Do I kneel down? No! - just a small gesture, a little thing. And ... family harmony returns! A hug can be enough, without words, but never end the day without making peace in the family. Understood? It’s not easy! But it must be done. And with this, life will be more beautiful.
These three key-words for families are simple words, and perhaps initially they make us smile. However, when we forget them, there’s nothing to laugh about, no? Perhaps our education neglects them too much. May the Lord help us to put them back in the right place, in our hearts, in our homes, and also in our civil co-existence. And now I invite all of you to repeat these three words together: May I? ... Thank you ... Excuse me ... all together! May I? ... Thank you ... Excuse me. They are three words that allow us to truly enter into the love of the family, so that the family will be happy. Now repeat all together the advice I have given: Never end the day without making peace. Everyone. Never end the day without making peace. Thank you.
Summaries of this catechesis were then spoken in various languages, and the Holy Father offered greetings to each of the groups of pilgrims who were present. To English-speaking pilgrims, he said:
I offer an affectionate greeting to all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present at today’s Audience, including those from England, Sweden, Taiwan, Cameroon and the United States. May Jesus Christ strengthen you and your families in faith, so that you may be a sign to the world of his love and mercy. May God bless you all!
In his address, the Pope continued the cycle of catecheses on the family, focusing today on family life.
After having summarized his catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father offered greetings to each of 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!
Today's catechesis is like the door that leads to a series of reflections on the life of the family, real life, with its times and various events. On this door there are three words written, words that I have already used here in the Square on various occasions. These words are: May I?, Thank you and Excuse me. In fact, these words open the way for living in a family, for living in peace. They are simple words but they are not so simple to put into practice! They contain a great strength: the strength of caring for the house, even in the midst of many difficulties and trials; in fact, if they are lacking then little by little, cracks begin to appear in the walls and the house will eventually collapse.
We generally understand them as words of good manners. That’s fine. A polite person asks for permission, gives thanks and asks for pardon if he makes a mistake, because politeness is very important. A great Bishop, Saint Francis de Sales, used to say that politeness is already half of holiness. However, beware, in history we have also known a formality of good manners that can become a mask that hides aridity of soul and indifference toward others. There is a saying: behind many good manners bad customs hide. Not even religion is immune to this risk, which sees a formal fulfilment slide into spiritual worldliness.
The devil that tempts Jesus shows good manners – he is a real lord, a gentleman – he even quotes the Sacred Scriptures; he seems to be a theologian. His style seems correct, but his intention is to divert from the truth of the love of God. We, however, understand politeness in its authentic term, where the style of good relationship is firmly rooted in love for what is good and respect for others. The family lives based on the goodness of loving well.
The first word is May I". When we are concerned to ask politely for what we think we deserve, we help to defend the spirit of marital and family coexistence. To enter into the life of the other, even when he or she is part of our life, calls for the delicacy of a non-invasive attitude, which renews trust and respect. Trust does not authorize us to take everything for granted. And, the more intimate and profound love is, the more it calls for respect of the freedom of the other and the capacity to wait for him to open the door of his heart. In this connection, we recall Jesus’ words in the Book of Revelation: See that I stand at the door and knock. If someone hears my voice and opens the door to me, I will go with him, eat with him and he with me. The Lord also asks for permission to enter! Let us not forget this. Before doing something in the family, ask for permission: May I do so? Would you like me to do it this way? This is truly polite language, but it is full of love. And this does a lot of good for families.
The second word is thank you. Often we can think that we are becoming a civilization of bad manners and bad words, as if it were a sign of emancipation. We even hear them said publicly. Politeness and the capacity to give thanks are sometimes seen as a sign of weakness, and sometimes they even arouse mistrust.
This tendency is contrasted in the very heart of the family. We must be uncompromising when it comes to education in gratitude, in recognition: both the dignity of persons and social justice pass through here. If family life neglects this style, social life will also lose it. For a believer, moreover, gratitude is at the very heart of faith: a Christian who does not give thanks is one who has forgotten God’s language. Listen well, I say! A Christian who does not give thanks is one who has forgotten God’s language. This is ugly!
Let us recall Jesus’ question when he healed the ten lepers and only one returned to thank him. I once heard an elderly person say, very wise, very good and simple, but with that wisdom of piety, of life ... Gratitude is a plant that grows only in the earth of noble souls, – that nobility of soul, that grace of God in the soul that drives one to say: Thank you for gratitude. It is the flower of a noble soul. This is something lovely.
And the third word is Excuse me -- a difficult word, yes, but also a necessary word. When it is lacking small cracks are enlarged – even without wishing it – until they become wide gaps.
It is not for nothing that in the Our Father, the prayer taught by Jesus that summarizes all the essential questions of our life, we find this expression: Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. We must admit that we have done wrong, and be anxious to restore what we have taken – respect, sincerity, love – this makes us worthy of forgiveness. And thus the infection stops. If we do not have the capacity to be sorry, it means that we are also incapable of forgiving. In a home where pardon is not requested, there is a lack of oxygen, the waters become stagnant. Many emotional wounds, many lacerations in families begin with the loss of this precious word: excuse me. In marital life there are often quarrels, plates sometimes even fly, but I offer this advice: do not end the day without making peace. Listen well. Husbands and wives, have you quarrelled? -- Children with parents? Have you quarrelled intensely? It’s not right, but in and of itself, it isn’t the problem: the problem is that this sentiment must not be there the next day. Therefore, if you have quarrelled, the day must never end without making peace in the family. And how do I make peace? Do I kneel down? No! - just a small gesture, a little thing. And ... family harmony returns! A hug can be enough, without words, but never end the day without making peace in the family. Understood? It’s not easy! But it must be done. And with this, life will be more beautiful.
These three key-words for families are simple words, and perhaps initially they make us smile. However, when we forget them, there’s nothing to laugh about, no? Perhaps our education neglects them too much. May the Lord help us to put them back in the right place, in our hearts, in our homes, and also in our civil co-existence. And now I invite all of you to repeat these three words together: May I? ... Thank you ... Excuse me ... all together! May I? ... Thank you ... Excuse me. They are three words that allow us to truly enter into the love of the family, so that the family will be happy. Now repeat all together the advice I have given: Never end the day without making peace. Everyone. Never end the day without making peace. Thank you.
Summaries of this catechesis were then spoken in various languages, and the Holy Father offered greetings to each of the groups of pilgrims who were present. To English-speaking pilgrims, he said:
I offer an affectionate greeting to all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present at today’s Audience, including those from England, Sweden, Taiwan, Cameroon and the United States. May Jesus Christ strengthen you and your families in faith, so that you may be a sign to the world of his love and mercy. May God bless you all!
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