This morning's General Audience began at 9:20am in Saint Peter's Square where the Holy Father, Pope Francis met with groups of pilgrims and the faithful from Italy and from other parts of the world.
In his speech, the Pope continued his cycle of catecheses on the Commandments, adding a mediation on the theme: In Christ is found the fullness of our spousal vocation (Biblical passage: Ephesians 5:25-28, 31-32).
After having summarized his catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father offered 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!
Today, I would like to complete the catechesis on the Sixth Word of the Decalogue - Do not commit adultery - by highlighting the fact that the faithful love of Christ is the light that allows us to live the beauty of human affectivity. In fact, our emotional dimension is a call to love, which manifests itself in fidelity, acceptance and mercy. This is very important. How does love manifest itself? In fidelity, in acceptance and in mercy.
However, we should never forget that this commandment refers explicitly to fidelity in marriage, and therefore it is good to reflect more deeply on its spousal meaning. This passage from the Scriptures, this passage from the Letter of Saint Paul, is revolutionary! To think, with the anthropology of that time, and to say that the husband must love his wife as Christ loves the Church: this was a revolution! Perhaps, at that time, it was the most revolutionary thing that had been said about marriage. Continuing along the road of love, we can ask ourselves: this command of fidelity, to whom is it destined? Only for spouses? In reality, this command is for everyone, it is a paternal Word of God addressed to every man and woman.
Let us remember that the path of human maturity is the path of love itself that stretches from receiving care to the ability to offer care, from receiving life to the ability to give life. To become adult men and women means to arrive at a spousal and parental attitude, which manifests itself in the various situations of life as the ability to take upon oneself the weight of someone else and to love that person without ambiguity. It is therefore a global attitude of the person who knows how to take on reality and who knows how to enter into a profound relationship with others.
Who then is the adulterer, the lustful person, the unfaithful person? He is an immature person, who keeps his own life for himself and interprets situations based on his own well-being and satisfaction. So, in order to get married, it is not enough to celebrate the wedding! We need to embark on a journey from the I to the us, to think for ourselves and to think in pairs, to live alone and to live in harsh conditions: it is a beautiful path, it is a beautiful path. When we come to decentralize ourselves, then every act is spousal: we work, we talk, we decide, we meet others with a welcoming and warm attitude.
Every Christian vocation, in this sense, - now we can now widen the perspective a little, and say that every Christian vocation, in this sense, is spousal. The priesthood is, because it is the call, in Christ and in the Church, to serve the community with all the affection, concrete care and wisdom that the Lord gives. The Church does not need aspirants to the role of priests, they do not serve, it is better that they stay at home - but they serve men to whom the Holy Spirit touches the heart with an unconditional love for the Bride of Christ. In the priesthood one loves God's people with all the paternity, tenderness and strength of a husband and a father. Thus also consecrated virginity in Christ is lived with fidelity and joy as a spousal and fruitful relationship between motherhood and fatherhood.
I repeat: every Christian vocation is spousal, because it is the fruit of the bond of love in which we are all regenerated, the bond of love with Christ, as the passage of Saint Paul read at the beginning reminded us. It is in beginning from its fidelity, its tenderness, its generosity that we look with faith at marriage and every vocation, and that we understand the full meaning of sexuality.
The human creature, in its inseparable unity of spirit and body, and in its masculine and feminine polarity, is a very good reality, destined to love and be loved. The human body is not an instrument of pleasure, but the place of our call to love, and in authentic love there is no room for lust and for its superficiality. Men and women deserve more than this!
Therefore, the Word Do not commit adultery, even in its negative form, directs us to our original call, that is to the full and faithful spousal love, which Jesus Christ has revealed to us and given us (cf Rom 12: 1).
The Holy Father's catechesis was then summarized in various languages and His Holiness offered a greeting to each group. To English-speaking pilgrims he said:
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, especially those from England, Ireland, Denmark, Sweden, Indonesia, Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam and the United States of America. I thank the choirs for their praise of God in song. Upon all of you, and your families, I invoke the Lord’s blessings of joy and peace. God bless you!
In his speech, the Pope continued his cycle of catecheses on the Commandments, adding a mediation on the theme: In Christ is found the fullness of our spousal vocation (Biblical passage: Ephesians 5:25-28, 31-32).
After having summarized his catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father offered 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!
Today, I would like to complete the catechesis on the Sixth Word of the Decalogue - Do not commit adultery - by highlighting the fact that the faithful love of Christ is the light that allows us to live the beauty of human affectivity. In fact, our emotional dimension is a call to love, which manifests itself in fidelity, acceptance and mercy. This is very important. How does love manifest itself? In fidelity, in acceptance and in mercy.
However, we should never forget that this commandment refers explicitly to fidelity in marriage, and therefore it is good to reflect more deeply on its spousal meaning. This passage from the Scriptures, this passage from the Letter of Saint Paul, is revolutionary! To think, with the anthropology of that time, and to say that the husband must love his wife as Christ loves the Church: this was a revolution! Perhaps, at that time, it was the most revolutionary thing that had been said about marriage. Continuing along the road of love, we can ask ourselves: this command of fidelity, to whom is it destined? Only for spouses? In reality, this command is for everyone, it is a paternal Word of God addressed to every man and woman.
Let us remember that the path of human maturity is the path of love itself that stretches from receiving care to the ability to offer care, from receiving life to the ability to give life. To become adult men and women means to arrive at a spousal and parental attitude, which manifests itself in the various situations of life as the ability to take upon oneself the weight of someone else and to love that person without ambiguity. It is therefore a global attitude of the person who knows how to take on reality and who knows how to enter into a profound relationship with others.
Who then is the adulterer, the lustful person, the unfaithful person? He is an immature person, who keeps his own life for himself and interprets situations based on his own well-being and satisfaction. So, in order to get married, it is not enough to celebrate the wedding! We need to embark on a journey from the I to the us, to think for ourselves and to think in pairs, to live alone and to live in harsh conditions: it is a beautiful path, it is a beautiful path. When we come to decentralize ourselves, then every act is spousal: we work, we talk, we decide, we meet others with a welcoming and warm attitude.
Every Christian vocation, in this sense, - now we can now widen the perspective a little, and say that every Christian vocation, in this sense, is spousal. The priesthood is, because it is the call, in Christ and in the Church, to serve the community with all the affection, concrete care and wisdom that the Lord gives. The Church does not need aspirants to the role of priests, they do not serve, it is better that they stay at home - but they serve men to whom the Holy Spirit touches the heart with an unconditional love for the Bride of Christ. In the priesthood one loves God's people with all the paternity, tenderness and strength of a husband and a father. Thus also consecrated virginity in Christ is lived with fidelity and joy as a spousal and fruitful relationship between motherhood and fatherhood.
I repeat: every Christian vocation is spousal, because it is the fruit of the bond of love in which we are all regenerated, the bond of love with Christ, as the passage of Saint Paul read at the beginning reminded us. It is in beginning from its fidelity, its tenderness, its generosity that we look with faith at marriage and every vocation, and that we understand the full meaning of sexuality.
The human creature, in its inseparable unity of spirit and body, and in its masculine and feminine polarity, is a very good reality, destined to love and be loved. The human body is not an instrument of pleasure, but the place of our call to love, and in authentic love there is no room for lust and for its superficiality. Men and women deserve more than this!
Therefore, the Word Do not commit adultery, even in its negative form, directs us to our original call, that is to the full and faithful spousal love, which Jesus Christ has revealed to us and given us (cf Rom 12: 1).
The Holy Father's catechesis was then summarized in various languages and His Holiness offered a greeting to each group. To English-speaking pilgrims he said:
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, especially those from England, Ireland, Denmark, Sweden, Indonesia, Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam and the United States of America. I thank the choirs for their praise of God in song. Upon all of you, and your families, I invoke the Lord’s blessings of joy and peace. God bless you!
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