This morning's General Audience began at 9:25am (3:25am EDT) in Saint Peter's Square. The Holy Father met there with groups of pilgrims and the faithful from Italy and from every corner of the world.
In his speech, the Pope continued the new cycle of catechesis on the Sacrament of Confirmation, adding his meditation on the gift of the Holy Spirit (inspired by the biblical passage from John 20:19, 22).
After having summarized his catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father 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!
Continuing the reflections on the Sacrament of Confirmation, let us consider the effects that the gift of the Holy Spirit brings to maturity in those who are confirmed, leading them in turn to become gifts for others. This in itself is a gift of the Holy Spirit. Let us remember that wen the Bishop anoints us with oil, he says: Receive the Holy Spirit who is given to you as a gift. This gift of the Holy Spirit enters into us and causes us to bear fruit, so that we in turn can share this fruit with others. We always receive these gifts in order to give them: do we receive and hold these things within us, as though our souls were stores? No: we always receive them in order to share them. God's graces are received so that we can give them to others. This is the life of the Christian. Thus is is that the Holy Spirit helps us to change our focus from our own personal selves and to open ourselves to we and us in the context of a community: receive and give. We are not the focus: we are the instruments of these gifts which are shared with others.
Completing the resemblance to Christ within the Baptized, Confirmation unites them more intensely as living members of the mystical body of the Church (cf Rite of Confirmation, 25). The Church's mission in the world is carried out through the contributions of all those who are part of it. Some may think that in the Church there are masters: the Pope, the Bishops, the priests, and then there are the others. No: we are all the Church! And we all have a responsibility to sanctify one another, to take care of each other. We are all the Church. Every one of us has a role to play in the Church, but we are all part of the Church. In fact, we should think of the Church as a living organism, composed of people who we know and with whom we are on a journey, not as an abstract reality that is far away. We are all the Church and we are on a journey, the Church is composed of all of us who are in the Square. We: we are the Church. Confirmation binds us to the universal Church, spread all over the world, however those who are Confirmed are encouraged to be active within their own particular Churches (parishes and dioceses), each of which has its leader - the Bishop - who is a successor of the Apostles.
For this reason, the Bishop is the proper (or original) minister of Confirmation (cf Lumen gentium, 26), for it is he who inserts each one of the Confirmed in the Church. The fact that, within the Latin Church, this Sacrament is normally conferred by the Bishop bears witness to its effect of uniting those who receive this Sacrament more closely to the Church, to her original apostolate and to her mission of bearing witness to Christ (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1313).
And this incorporation within the Church is well signified by the sign of peace at the conclusion of the rite of anointing with the sacred Chrism. In fact, the Bishop says to each of those who is confirmed: Peace be with you, remembering the greeting Christ offered to the disciples on Easter evening, when they were filled with the Holy Spirit (cf Jn 20:19-23) - we have heard them - these words point out a gesture that expresses ecclesial communion with the Bishop and with all the faithful (cf Catechism, 1301). At Confirmation, we receive the Holy Spirit and the gift of peace: the peace that we in turn should share with others. Let us consider: everyone think about this in your own parish community, for example. There is the ceremony of Confirmation, and then we share a sign of peace: the Bishop shares this sign with those who are Confirmed, and then in the Mass, we share peace among ourselves. This signifies harmony, it signifies charity among us, it signifies peace. But then what happens? We leave and we meet others, and we begin to talk about other people, to peel them to pieces. The chattering begins. And this chattering leads to war. This is no good! If we have received the sign of peace with the strength of the Holy Spirit, we should be men and women of peace, and not destroy - with our tongues - the peace that the Spirit has given. Poor Holy Spirit: the work that He has to do with us, with our habits of gossiping! Think about it, think hard: gossip is not a work of the Holy Spirit, it is not the work of unity in the Church. Gossip destroys everything that God is doing. Please: stop gossiping!
Confirmation can only be celebrated once, but the spiritual dynamism that results from that holy anointing continues for all time. We will never fulfill our mandate to emit the sweet-smelling perfume of a holy life, inspired by the fascinating simplicity of the gospel. No one receives Confirmation solely for him- or herself, but in order to cooperate with the spiritual growth of others. Only in this way, by opening ourselves and by going outside of ourselves to meet our brothers and sisters, can we truly grow and not merely deceive ourselves, but truly do this. When we receive the gift of God we should really give them away - this gift is meant to be shared - so that it can bear fruit, and not buried because of selfish fear, as the parable of the talents teaches us (cf Mt 25:14-30). Even the seed, when we have the seed in our hands, it is not to be put away, in the closet, and left there: it is meant to be sown. The gift of the Holy Spirit should be given to the community. I encourage all those who are Confirmed not to cage the Holy Spirit, not to resist the Wind that is blowing, driving them to continue the journey in freedom, and not to suffocate the ardent Fire of charity that leads us all to enter into the life of God and the lives of our brothers and sisters.
May the Holy Spirit grant all of us the apostolic courage to communicate the gospel, with words and deeds, to those we meet on our journey. With our words and deeds, but with good words: words that build up. Not words that lead to gossip and destruction. Please, when you go out of the church, think about the fact that peace has been received and can be given to others: not to destroy though idle chatter. Don't forget this.
The Holy Father's catechesis was then summarized in various languages and His Holiness offered particular greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance. To English-speaking pilgrims, he said:
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, particularly those from Ireland, Norway, Nigeria, China, the Philippines, Vietnam and the United States of America. Upon all of you, and your families, I invoke the joy and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you!
In his speech, the Pope continued the new cycle of catechesis on the Sacrament of Confirmation, adding his meditation on the gift of the Holy Spirit (inspired by the biblical passage from John 20:19, 22).
After having summarized his catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father 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!
Continuing the reflections on the Sacrament of Confirmation, let us consider the effects that the gift of the Holy Spirit brings to maturity in those who are confirmed, leading them in turn to become gifts for others. This in itself is a gift of the Holy Spirit. Let us remember that wen the Bishop anoints us with oil, he says: Receive the Holy Spirit who is given to you as a gift. This gift of the Holy Spirit enters into us and causes us to bear fruit, so that we in turn can share this fruit with others. We always receive these gifts in order to give them: do we receive and hold these things within us, as though our souls were stores? No: we always receive them in order to share them. God's graces are received so that we can give them to others. This is the life of the Christian. Thus is is that the Holy Spirit helps us to change our focus from our own personal selves and to open ourselves to we and us in the context of a community: receive and give. We are not the focus: we are the instruments of these gifts which are shared with others.
Completing the resemblance to Christ within the Baptized, Confirmation unites them more intensely as living members of the mystical body of the Church (cf Rite of Confirmation, 25). The Church's mission in the world is carried out through the contributions of all those who are part of it. Some may think that in the Church there are masters: the Pope, the Bishops, the priests, and then there are the others. No: we are all the Church! And we all have a responsibility to sanctify one another, to take care of each other. We are all the Church. Every one of us has a role to play in the Church, but we are all part of the Church. In fact, we should think of the Church as a living organism, composed of people who we know and with whom we are on a journey, not as an abstract reality that is far away. We are all the Church and we are on a journey, the Church is composed of all of us who are in the Square. We: we are the Church. Confirmation binds us to the universal Church, spread all over the world, however those who are Confirmed are encouraged to be active within their own particular Churches (parishes and dioceses), each of which has its leader - the Bishop - who is a successor of the Apostles.
For this reason, the Bishop is the proper (or original) minister of Confirmation (cf Lumen gentium, 26), for it is he who inserts each one of the Confirmed in the Church. The fact that, within the Latin Church, this Sacrament is normally conferred by the Bishop bears witness to its effect of uniting those who receive this Sacrament more closely to the Church, to her original apostolate and to her mission of bearing witness to Christ (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1313).
And this incorporation within the Church is well signified by the sign of peace at the conclusion of the rite of anointing with the sacred Chrism. In fact, the Bishop says to each of those who is confirmed: Peace be with you, remembering the greeting Christ offered to the disciples on Easter evening, when they were filled with the Holy Spirit (cf Jn 20:19-23) - we have heard them - these words point out a gesture that expresses ecclesial communion with the Bishop and with all the faithful (cf Catechism, 1301). At Confirmation, we receive the Holy Spirit and the gift of peace: the peace that we in turn should share with others. Let us consider: everyone think about this in your own parish community, for example. There is the ceremony of Confirmation, and then we share a sign of peace: the Bishop shares this sign with those who are Confirmed, and then in the Mass, we share peace among ourselves. This signifies harmony, it signifies charity among us, it signifies peace. But then what happens? We leave and we meet others, and we begin to talk about other people, to peel them to pieces. The chattering begins. And this chattering leads to war. This is no good! If we have received the sign of peace with the strength of the Holy Spirit, we should be men and women of peace, and not destroy - with our tongues - the peace that the Spirit has given. Poor Holy Spirit: the work that He has to do with us, with our habits of gossiping! Think about it, think hard: gossip is not a work of the Holy Spirit, it is not the work of unity in the Church. Gossip destroys everything that God is doing. Please: stop gossiping!
Confirmation can only be celebrated once, but the spiritual dynamism that results from that holy anointing continues for all time. We will never fulfill our mandate to emit the sweet-smelling perfume of a holy life, inspired by the fascinating simplicity of the gospel. No one receives Confirmation solely for him- or herself, but in order to cooperate with the spiritual growth of others. Only in this way, by opening ourselves and by going outside of ourselves to meet our brothers and sisters, can we truly grow and not merely deceive ourselves, but truly do this. When we receive the gift of God we should really give them away - this gift is meant to be shared - so that it can bear fruit, and not buried because of selfish fear, as the parable of the talents teaches us (cf Mt 25:14-30). Even the seed, when we have the seed in our hands, it is not to be put away, in the closet, and left there: it is meant to be sown. The gift of the Holy Spirit should be given to the community. I encourage all those who are Confirmed not to cage the Holy Spirit, not to resist the Wind that is blowing, driving them to continue the journey in freedom, and not to suffocate the ardent Fire of charity that leads us all to enter into the life of God and the lives of our brothers and sisters.
May the Holy Spirit grant all of us the apostolic courage to communicate the gospel, with words and deeds, to those we meet on our journey. With our words and deeds, but with good words: words that build up. Not words that lead to gossip and destruction. Please, when you go out of the church, think about the fact that peace has been received and can be given to others: not to destroy though idle chatter. Don't forget this.
The Holy Father's catechesis was then summarized in various languages and His Holiness offered particular greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance. To English-speaking pilgrims, he said:
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, particularly those from Ireland, Norway, Nigeria, China, the Philippines, Vietnam and the United States of America. Upon all of you, and your families, I invoke the joy and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you!
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