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 from Italy and from every corner of the world.
In his speech, the Pope continued the cycle of catecheses on mercy from the biblical perspective, adding a meditation on the theme: Mercy and consolation (Jeremiah 31:10, 12a, 13b).
After having summarized His catechesis in various languages, Pope Francis addressed particular greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance.
The General Audience concluded with the chanting of the Pater Noster and the Apostolic blessing.
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning.
In the book of the prophet Jeremiah, chapters 30 and 31 are referred to as the book of consolation because in those chapters, God's mercy is presented with all of its ability to be present to and to open the hearts of those who find it difficult to hope. Today, we also want to listen to this message of consolation.
Jeremiah speaks to the Israelites who have been deported to a foreign land and foretells the return to their homeland. This return is a sign of the infinite love of God the Father who never abandons his children, but knows how to care for them and to save them. The exile was a devastating experience for Israel. Their faith was weakened because in a strange land, without the temple, without the ability to worship, having seen their homeland destroyed, it was difficult for them to continue believing in the goodness of the Lord. In my mind's eye, I see Albania and how, after so much persecution and destruction, they have managed to stand up with dignity and with faith. This is the way the Israelites suffered during the exile.
We too can sometimes experience a kind of exile, when solitude, suffering and death make us think that we have been abandoned by God. How many times we have heard the words: God has forgotten me; these are the words of people who suffer and who feel abandoned. And how many of our brothers are currently living in real and dramatic situations of exile, distanced from their homeland, still seeing before their eyes the rubble that remains of their destroyed homes, their hearts filled with fear and often, unfortunately, the pain of having lost their loved ones! In such cases, someone could ask: Where is God? How is it possible that so much suffering could be experienced by one man, one woman, one innocent child? And when that person seeks to enter a new place, the doors are closed. They are still there, on the peripheries because many doors and many hearts are closed. Today's migrants who suffer from the cold, without food and who cannot enter, do not feel welcomed. I love to hear about and to see nations, governments who open their hearts, and open their doors!
The prophet Jeremiah gives a first response. The exiled people will return to their land and will experience the mercy of the Lord. This is a great and consoling proclamation: Neither is God absent even today in such dramatic situations; God is close, and He is doing great things to save those who trust in Him. We must not give into despair; instead, we must continue to be secure in our belief that good always triumphs over evil and that the Lord will wipe away every tear and deliver us from all fear. For this reason, Jeremiah lends his voice to God's words of love for His people:
I have loved you with everlasting love,
this is the reason why I continue to be faithful.
I will build you up again and you will be rebuilt,
virgin of Israel.
Once again you will take up your timbrels
and go out to dance among the people with joy (Jer 31:3-4).
The Lord is faithful, he does not abandon us to desolation. God loves with an infinite love, that no sin can ever restrain, and thanks to Him, the hearts of all people are filled with joy and consolation.
The consoling dream of returning to our homeland continues in the prophet's words, which are addressed to those who will return to Jerusalem:
They will come and sing hymns on the heights of Zion,
together, they will go toward the goodness of the Lord,
to the grain, the wine and the oil,
the smallest of the flock and the herds.
They will be like a well-watered garden,
not languishing any longer (Jer 31:12).
With joy and thanksgiving, the exiles will return to Zion, climbing the holy mountain toward the house of the Lord, and they will once again raise hymns and prayers to the Lord who has liberated them. This return to Jerusalem and to its blessings is described with a word that literally means fluid, flowing. The people can be seen, in a paradoxical movement, like a river that flows toward the heights of Zion, returning to the top of the mountain. This is a bold image that tells us how great is the mercy of the Lord!
The land, which the people had been forced to abandon, had fallen prey to enemies and desolation. Now, however, it comes alive again and flourishes. And the exiles themselves will be like a watered garden, like a fertile land. Israel, brought home again by her Lord, witnesses the victory of life over death and of blessing over curse.
This is ow the people are strengthened and comforted by God. This word is important: consolation! Those who have returned home receive life from a font that freely waters them.
On this point, the prophet proclaims the fullness of joy and in God's name, he proclaims:
I will change their mourning into joy,
I will console them and make them happy, without any afflictions (Jer 31:13).
The psalm says that when they return to their homeland, their mouths are covered with smiles; so great will be their joy! This is the gift that the Lord also wants to offer to each of us, with his forgiveness that converts us and reconciles us.
The prophet Jeremiah gave us the proclamation, presenting the return of the exiles as a great symbol of the consolation that is give to the heart that repents. The Lord Jesus, for his part, has accomplished this message first spoken by the prophet. The true and radical return from exile and the comforting light that follows the darkness of a crisis of faith, is fulfilled at Easter, in the experience of the full and definitive love of God, a merciful love that gives us joy, peace and eternal life.
The Holy Father's catechesis was then summarized and repeated in various languages, and he himself offered greetings to each group of the faithful who were in attendance. To English-speaking pilgrims, he said:
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, including those from England, Ireland, Indonesia, Japan, Canada and the United States. With prayerful good wishes that the present Jubilee of Mercy will be a moment of grace and spiritual renewal for you and your families, I invoke upon all of you joy and peace in our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you all!
In his speech, the Pope continued the cycle of catecheses on mercy from the biblical perspective, adding a meditation on the theme: Mercy and consolation (Jeremiah 31:10, 12a, 13b).
After having summarized His catechesis in various languages, Pope Francis addressed particular greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance.
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.
In the book of the prophet Jeremiah, chapters 30 and 31 are referred to as the book of consolation because in those chapters, God's mercy is presented with all of its ability to be present to and to open the hearts of those who find it difficult to hope. Today, we also want to listen to this message of consolation.
Jeremiah speaks to the Israelites who have been deported to a foreign land and foretells the return to their homeland. This return is a sign of the infinite love of God the Father who never abandons his children, but knows how to care for them and to save them. The exile was a devastating experience for Israel. Their faith was weakened because in a strange land, without the temple, without the ability to worship, having seen their homeland destroyed, it was difficult for them to continue believing in the goodness of the Lord. In my mind's eye, I see Albania and how, after so much persecution and destruction, they have managed to stand up with dignity and with faith. This is the way the Israelites suffered during the exile.
We too can sometimes experience a kind of exile, when solitude, suffering and death make us think that we have been abandoned by God. How many times we have heard the words: God has forgotten me; these are the words of people who suffer and who feel abandoned. And how many of our brothers are currently living in real and dramatic situations of exile, distanced from their homeland, still seeing before their eyes the rubble that remains of their destroyed homes, their hearts filled with fear and often, unfortunately, the pain of having lost their loved ones! In such cases, someone could ask: Where is God? How is it possible that so much suffering could be experienced by one man, one woman, one innocent child? And when that person seeks to enter a new place, the doors are closed. They are still there, on the peripheries because many doors and many hearts are closed. Today's migrants who suffer from the cold, without food and who cannot enter, do not feel welcomed. I love to hear about and to see nations, governments who open their hearts, and open their doors!
The prophet Jeremiah gives a first response. The exiled people will return to their land and will experience the mercy of the Lord. This is a great and consoling proclamation: Neither is God absent even today in such dramatic situations; God is close, and He is doing great things to save those who trust in Him. We must not give into despair; instead, we must continue to be secure in our belief that good always triumphs over evil and that the Lord will wipe away every tear and deliver us from all fear. For this reason, Jeremiah lends his voice to God's words of love for His people:
I have loved you with everlasting love,
this is the reason why I continue to be faithful.
I will build you up again and you will be rebuilt,
virgin of Israel.
Once again you will take up your timbrels
and go out to dance among the people with joy (Jer 31:3-4).
The Lord is faithful, he does not abandon us to desolation. God loves with an infinite love, that no sin can ever restrain, and thanks to Him, the hearts of all people are filled with joy and consolation.
The consoling dream of returning to our homeland continues in the prophet's words, which are addressed to those who will return to Jerusalem:
They will come and sing hymns on the heights of Zion,
together, they will go toward the goodness of the Lord,
to the grain, the wine and the oil,
the smallest of the flock and the herds.
They will be like a well-watered garden,
not languishing any longer (Jer 31:12).
With joy and thanksgiving, the exiles will return to Zion, climbing the holy mountain toward the house of the Lord, and they will once again raise hymns and prayers to the Lord who has liberated them. This return to Jerusalem and to its blessings is described with a word that literally means fluid, flowing. The people can be seen, in a paradoxical movement, like a river that flows toward the heights of Zion, returning to the top of the mountain. This is a bold image that tells us how great is the mercy of the Lord!
The land, which the people had been forced to abandon, had fallen prey to enemies and desolation. Now, however, it comes alive again and flourishes. And the exiles themselves will be like a watered garden, like a fertile land. Israel, brought home again by her Lord, witnesses the victory of life over death and of blessing over curse.
This is ow the people are strengthened and comforted by God. This word is important: consolation! Those who have returned home receive life from a font that freely waters them.
On this point, the prophet proclaims the fullness of joy and in God's name, he proclaims:
I will change their mourning into joy,
I will console them and make them happy, without any afflictions (Jer 31:13).
The psalm says that when they return to their homeland, their mouths are covered with smiles; so great will be their joy! This is the gift that the Lord also wants to offer to each of us, with his forgiveness that converts us and reconciles us.
The prophet Jeremiah gave us the proclamation, presenting the return of the exiles as a great symbol of the consolation that is give to the heart that repents. The Lord Jesus, for his part, has accomplished this message first spoken by the prophet. The true and radical return from exile and the comforting light that follows the darkness of a crisis of faith, is fulfilled at Easter, in the experience of the full and definitive love of God, a merciful love that gives us joy, peace and eternal life.
The Holy Father's catechesis was then summarized and repeated in various languages, and he himself offered greetings to each group of the faithful who were in attendance. To English-speaking pilgrims, he said:
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, including those from England, Ireland, Indonesia, Japan, Canada and the United States. With prayerful good wishes that the present Jubilee of Mercy will be a moment of grace and spiritual renewal for you and your families, I invoke upon all of you joy and peace in our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you all!
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