This morning's General Audience began at 9:25am local time (3:25am EST) 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 his catecheses on the Commandments, adding a meditation on the theme: Do not give false witness (Scripture passage: Mt 5:14-16).
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!
In today's catechesis we will examine the Eighth Word of the Decalogue: Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
This commandment - the Catechism says - Forbids falsifying the truth in relationships with others (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2464). Living in non-authentic communion is serious because it prevents relationships from maturing and therefore prevents love from growing. Where there are lies there is no love, there can be no love. And when we talk about communication between people we mean not only words, but also gestures, attitudes, even silences and absences. A person speaks with everything he is and everything he does. We are all in communication, always. We all live by communicating and we are constantly poised between truth and falsehood.
But what does it mean to tell the truth? Does it mean being honest? Or more exactly? In reality, this is not enough, because one can be sincerely mistaken, or one can be precise in detail but still not grasp the meaning of the whole. Sometimes we justify ourselves by saying, But I said what I felt! Yes, but you have absolutized your point of view. Or: I only told the truth!. Maybe, but you've revealed some personal or confidential facts. How often chatter destroys communion because of inappropriateness or lack of delicacy! On the contrary, chatter kills, and this was said by the apostle James in his Letter. The talker and the chatter are people who kill: they kill others, because their tongues kill like a knife. Be careful! An idle talker is a terrorist, because with his tongue he throws the bomb and goes away quietly, but the problem is that the bomb - once it has been thrown - destroys the fame of others. Do not forget: to chatter is to kill.
But then: what is the truth? This is the question asked by Pilate, just as Jesus, standing in front of him, fulfilled the eighth commandment (cf Jn 18:38). In fact, the words You shall not give false witness (testimony) against your neighbour belong to the sphere of this forensic language. The Gospels culminate in the account of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus; and this is the story of a trial, an execution of the sentence and an unheard-of consequence.
When asked by Pilate, Jesus answers: This is why I was born and for this I came into the world to bear witness to the truth (Jn 18:37). And this testimony Jesus gives with his passion, with his death. The evangelist Mark explains that "the centurion, who stood before him, having seen him breathe in that way, said: Truly this man was the Son of God! (Lk 23:47). Yes, because it was consistent, it was consistent: with that way of dying, Jesus manifests the Father, his merciful and faithful love.
Truth finds its full realization in the very person of Jesus (cf Jn 14:6), in his way of living and dying, the fruit of his relationship with the Father. This existence as children of God, the risen Lord also gives to us by sending the Holy Spirit who is the Spirit of truth, who attests to our hearts that God is our Father (cf Rom 8:16).
In every one of his actions, a person affirms or denies this truth: from small everyday situations to the most demanding choices. But it is the same logic, always: what parents and grandparents teach us when they tell us not to lie.
Let us ask ourselves: to what truth do the works of Christians attest ... our words, our choices? Everyone can ask him- or herself: am I a witness to the truth, or am I more or less a liar disguised as a man? Everyone is asked these questions. We Christians are not exceptional men and women, but we are children of the heavenly Father, who is good and does not disappoint us, and who puts love for our brothers and sisters in our hearts. This truth is not said so much with words, it is a way of existing, a way of life and it is seen in every single act (cf Jas 2:18). This man is a real man, that woman is a real woman: you see. But why, if you do not open your mouth? But he behaves as though what he says is true. He speaks the truth, he acts with truth. This is a nice way for us to live.
Truth is the marvellous revelation of God, of his Father's face; truth is the fruit of his boundless love. This truth corresponds to human reason but infinitely overcomes, because it is a gift that descended to earth, a gift that was incarnated in the crucified and risen Christ; it is made visible by those who belong to Christ and who demonstrate his attitudes.
Not to speak false testimony means to live as a child of God, who never, never denies himself, never tells lies; to live as children of God, letting the great truth emerge in every act: that God is our Father and that we can trust Him. I trust God: this is the great truth. From our trust in God, who is a Father and loves me, loves us, my truth is born and I am encouraged to be truthful and not a liar.
The Holy Father's catechesis was then summarized in various languages and he offered particular greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance. To English-speaking pilgrims in attendance, he said:
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, especially those from England, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Canada and the United States of America. I also welcome the many groups of students present, particularly those from the Australian Catholic University. 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 the cycle of his catecheses on the Commandments, adding a meditation on the theme: Do not give false witness (Scripture passage: Mt 5:14-16).
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!
In today's catechesis we will examine the Eighth Word of the Decalogue: Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
This commandment - the Catechism says - Forbids falsifying the truth in relationships with others (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2464). Living in non-authentic communion is serious because it prevents relationships from maturing and therefore prevents love from growing. Where there are lies there is no love, there can be no love. And when we talk about communication between people we mean not only words, but also gestures, attitudes, even silences and absences. A person speaks with everything he is and everything he does. We are all in communication, always. We all live by communicating and we are constantly poised between truth and falsehood.
But what does it mean to tell the truth? Does it mean being honest? Or more exactly? In reality, this is not enough, because one can be sincerely mistaken, or one can be precise in detail but still not grasp the meaning of the whole. Sometimes we justify ourselves by saying, But I said what I felt! Yes, but you have absolutized your point of view. Or: I only told the truth!. Maybe, but you've revealed some personal or confidential facts. How often chatter destroys communion because of inappropriateness or lack of delicacy! On the contrary, chatter kills, and this was said by the apostle James in his Letter. The talker and the chatter are people who kill: they kill others, because their tongues kill like a knife. Be careful! An idle talker is a terrorist, because with his tongue he throws the bomb and goes away quietly, but the problem is that the bomb - once it has been thrown - destroys the fame of others. Do not forget: to chatter is to kill.
But then: what is the truth? This is the question asked by Pilate, just as Jesus, standing in front of him, fulfilled the eighth commandment (cf Jn 18:38). In fact, the words You shall not give false witness (testimony) against your neighbour belong to the sphere of this forensic language. The Gospels culminate in the account of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus; and this is the story of a trial, an execution of the sentence and an unheard-of consequence.
When asked by Pilate, Jesus answers: This is why I was born and for this I came into the world to bear witness to the truth (Jn 18:37). And this testimony Jesus gives with his passion, with his death. The evangelist Mark explains that "the centurion, who stood before him, having seen him breathe in that way, said: Truly this man was the Son of God! (Lk 23:47). Yes, because it was consistent, it was consistent: with that way of dying, Jesus manifests the Father, his merciful and faithful love.
Truth finds its full realization in the very person of Jesus (cf Jn 14:6), in his way of living and dying, the fruit of his relationship with the Father. This existence as children of God, the risen Lord also gives to us by sending the Holy Spirit who is the Spirit of truth, who attests to our hearts that God is our Father (cf Rom 8:16).
In every one of his actions, a person affirms or denies this truth: from small everyday situations to the most demanding choices. But it is the same logic, always: what parents and grandparents teach us when they tell us not to lie.
Let us ask ourselves: to what truth do the works of Christians attest ... our words, our choices? Everyone can ask him- or herself: am I a witness to the truth, or am I more or less a liar disguised as a man? Everyone is asked these questions. We Christians are not exceptional men and women, but we are children of the heavenly Father, who is good and does not disappoint us, and who puts love for our brothers and sisters in our hearts. This truth is not said so much with words, it is a way of existing, a way of life and it is seen in every single act (cf Jas 2:18). This man is a real man, that woman is a real woman: you see. But why, if you do not open your mouth? But he behaves as though what he says is true. He speaks the truth, he acts with truth. This is a nice way for us to live.
Truth is the marvellous revelation of God, of his Father's face; truth is the fruit of his boundless love. This truth corresponds to human reason but infinitely overcomes, because it is a gift that descended to earth, a gift that was incarnated in the crucified and risen Christ; it is made visible by those who belong to Christ and who demonstrate his attitudes.
Not to speak false testimony means to live as a child of God, who never, never denies himself, never tells lies; to live as children of God, letting the great truth emerge in every act: that God is our Father and that we can trust Him. I trust God: this is the great truth. From our trust in God, who is a Father and loves me, loves us, my truth is born and I am encouraged to be truthful and not a liar.
The Holy Father's catechesis was then summarized in various languages and he offered particular greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance. To English-speaking pilgrims in attendance, he said:
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, especially those from England, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Canada and the United States of America. I also welcome the many groups of students present, particularly those from the Australian Catholic University. Upon all of you, and your families, I invoke the Lord’s blessings of joy and peace. God bless you!
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