(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis focused on two more of the Spiritual Works of Mercy at his General Audience on Wednesday: “Counseling the Doubtful” and “Instructing the Ignorant”.
Both of these Works can be lived out both individually and in a more organized manner, the Pope said. Instructing the ignorant especially can be the focus of more institutional efforts, as seen by the work of so many sainted men and women throughout the ages. “These ‘pioneers of instruction’,” Pope Francis continued, “fully understood this work of mercy, and found a way of life that was able to transform society itself.” Pope Francis also noted the importance of vocational schools that focus on professional training, without neglecting the importance of teaching students human and Christian values.
Counseling the doubtful, on the other hand, is not so much a question of imparting knowledge, but of “soothing the pain and suffering that comes from the fear and anguish that are the consequences of doubt.” The Pope explained that this work of mercy is “an act of love” that aims at supporting people who are suffering from uncertainty.
At times, the Pope said, everyone has doubts. These can be positive if they lead us to deepening our faith, and coming to understand the mystery of God’s love. But doubts must be overcome. This can be done both by catechesis, when the proclamation of the faith meets us in our daily lives; and by living out the faith fully. “We do not make of the faith an abstract theory where doubts are multiplied,” Pope Francis said. “Rather, we make the faith our very life. We seek to practice it in the service of the brethren, especially the most needy.” Then, he continued, “so many doubts vanish, because we feel the presence of God and the truth of the Gospel in the love which, without merit of our own, dwells within us, and which we share with others.
We see, then, that these two works of mercy can be a part of our daily lives. “Each one of us can commit ourselves to living them,” he said, “in order to put into practice the word of the Lord when He says that the mystery of the love of God has not been revealed to the wise and the understanding, but to the little ones.” And so, Pope Francis concluded, “the most profound teaching we are called to transmit; and the most secure certainty we can offer, to free us from our doubts, is the love of God with which we are loved.”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis met in the Vatican on Wednesday with participants at a Colloquium organised by the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and the Islamic Culture and Relations Organisation from Teheran.
In brief words of greeting to the group, the Pope said he greatly appreciated the presence of those who had travelled from Iran to attend the meeting. He recalled with joy his meeting last January with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, as well as an encounter he had with the country’s vice president for women and family affairs, Shahindokht Mowlaverdi, who visited the Vatican with a group of female professors in February 2015. That visit, he said left him with a very positive impression of Iranian culture.
LIsten to our report:
The Pope also underlined the importance of this 10th round of interfaith dialogue and fraternal encounter. He asked his guests to remember to pray for him and asked God to bless all members of the group.
During the two-day meeting, which concludes on Wednesday, the Muslim and Christian scholars have been sharing perspectives on “Extremism and violence in the name of religion: the reasons of the supporters and perpetrators”, “Rational approach to religion: the sign of hope for wounded humanity”, and “Humanity and its common home; the contribution of religion for having a better world”.
The 9th round of this dialogue between the Pontifical Council and the Islamic Culture and Relations Organisation was held in December 2014 in Tehran on the theme “Constructive Dialogue between Muslims and Christians for the Good of Society”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Wednesday held his weekly General Audience in the Paul VI Hall, where he spoke on two more of the Spiritual Works of Mercy: “Counseling the Doubtful” and “Instructing the Ignorant.”
Here is the English language summary of the Pope’s address:
Dear Brothers and Sisters: Among the spiritual works of mercy, we now consider those of counselling the doubtful and instructing the ignorant. These two works are related and both can be practised daily in our families and communities. The Church’s mission of evangelization has always been accompanied by teaching and the founding of schools, since education promotes the dignity of the person and provides for the full development of his or her God-given gifts. Illiteracy and lack of access to education are in fact a form of poverty and injustice. Education develops our ability to think critically about ourselves and the world around us. By raising questions it also helps us to find satisfying answers. It is a true work of mercy to counsel those troubled by doubts about the meaning of life or shaken in their faith. Let us be grateful to all who devote themselves to this work through catechesis and religious education. All of us are called to support one another by our witness of living faith and generous concern, for these are eloquent signs of the love of God which gives meaning and direction to our lives.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis said death is not frightening if we are faithful to the Lord but warned against being trapped into basing our lives around superficial things that are not transcendent as though we never had to die. He was speaking at his Mass celebrated on Tuesday morning in the chapel of the Santa Marta residence.
Taking his cue from the day’s reading from the book of Revelation, the Pope’s homily focused on the reality of how all of us will face Jesus on the day of judgement. He said a call from the Lord to think about the end of our lives, the end for each of us because all of us will die, comes as the Church heads into the final week of the Liturgical Year. Pope Francis acknowledged that we do not like to think of these things but said this is the reality facing all of us. He then disclosed that he keeps a diary where he writes down when a person dies and each day “I see that anniversary” and I see how time has passed. The Pope said this obliges us to think about what we’ll leave behind and what will be the trace of our lives and what will be the judgement for each one of us.
“We’d do well to think: ‘But what will the day be like when I will be in front of Jesus? When He asks me about the talents that he gave me, what use I made of them, when He will ask me: how was my heart when the seed was dropped, like a path or like thorns: that Parable of the Kingdom of God. How did I receive His Word? With an open heart? Did I make it germinate for the good of all or in secret?”
Warning that each one of us will stand in front of Jesus on the day of judgement, Pope Francis quoted from the gospel reading that warns Christians not to be deceived. And the deception being spoken about, he explained, is ‘alienation,’ estrangement, the deception of superficial things that do not have transcendence, the deception of ‘living as though we never had to die.’ When the Lord comes, the Pope asked, “how will he find me? Waiting for Him or in the midst of the many ‘alienations’ of life?”
“I remember as a child, when we went to catechism we were taught four things: death, judgement, hell or glory. After the judgement there is this possibility. ‘But Father, this is to frighten us…’ ‘No, this is the truth because if you do not take care of your heart, because the Lord is with you and (if) you always live estranged from the Lord, perhaps there is the danger, the danger of continuing to live estranged in this way from the Lord for eternity.’ And this is a terrible thing!”
Pope Francis concluded his homily by urging his listeners to think about their day of judgement and how they will fare but not to fear that moment because quoting once again from the day’s reading, the Lord tells us, “remain faithful until death and I will give you the crown of life.”
“Fidelity to the Lord does not disappoint. If each one of us is faithful to the Lord, when death comes, we will say like Francis (of Assisi) ‘come sister death…’ we won’t be afraid. And when the day of judgement comes, we will look at the Lord: ‘Lord I have many sins but I have tried to be faithful.’ And our Lord is good. I give you this advice: ‘be faithful until death – said the Lord – and I will give you the crown of life.’ With this fidelity we won’t be afraid of death, when we die we won’t be afraid of the day of judgement.”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) The Dicastery for Laity, the Family, and Life issued a communiqué on Tuesday listing the themes for the next three World Youth Days (WYD).
The press release notes that the themes were chosen by Pope Francis “for the three-year World Youth Day journey that will culminate at the international celebration of the event to be held in Panama in 2019.” World Youth Day is celebrated at the diocesan level each year on Palm Sunday, with an international gathering every two to three years. The most recent international Day was celebrated in August, 2016, in Krakow, Poland.
The Blessed Virgin Mary is at the heart of the themes for the upcoming WYDs, which are taken from the Gospel of Saint Luke:
32 nd World Youth Day, 2017: “The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is His Name” (Lk 1:49)
33 rd World Youth Day, 2018: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God” (Lk 1:30)
34 th World Youth Day, 2019: “I am the servant of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word” (Lk 1:38)
The themes are a continuation of the reflections begun by Pope Francis for the last three World Youth Days, which focused on the Beatitudes. The Dicastery’s press release recalled Pope Francis’ remarks at World Youth Day in Krakow, when he invited young people to have “memory of the past, courage for the present and to have/be hope for the future.” The themes “are intended to give a clear Marian tone to the spiritual journey of the next three WYDs” and at the same time “give a picture of young people on a journey between the past (2017), present (2018), and future (2019), inspired by the three theological virtues of faith, charity, and hope.”
The Dicastery noted that the “path that is being proposed to young people can also be seen to be in harmony with the reflection that Pope Francis has entrusted to the next Synod of Bishops: Young People, Faith and Vocational Discernment .”
(from Vatican Radio)…