(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis urged the faithful on Wednesday to make place in their lives for God’s message of Salvation with faith and without prejudice.
Speaking to the pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square for the weekly General Audience , the Pope reflected on the Gospel reading of the day which speaks of God’s infinite mercy.
Taking his cue from St Matthew’s Gospel account of how John the Baptist – who was imprisoned both in a cell and in the darkness of a heart that failed to understand Jesus’ humble style – the Pope said John was upset because his expectations of Jesus’ ministry were not what he anticipated.
God – Francis said – did not send his Son to punish sinners and crush the wicked. Rather he came to invite them to conversion.
And pointing out that Jesus is the concrete instrument of the Father’s mercy that brings consolation and salvation to all, the Pope urged those present not to create false images of the Messiah for their own use and consumption.
When we construct our own image of God – he explained – this prevents us from experiencing his real presence among us.
“Some reduce Him to a false idol using his name to justify their interests, and even hatred and violence” he said.
Some seek him only in times of difficulty and others consider Christ a mere good master of ethical teachings: “one amongst many in history” he said.
Pope Francis concluded his catechesis reminding the faithful not to lose sight of the fact that faith calls us beyond ourselves to be his missionaries in the world.
“Let us renew our commitment to remove every obstacle that prevents us from experiencing the merciful works of our Father – he said – and let us ask him for an ever deeper faith so that we may be signs and instruments of his mercy”.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis held his weekly General Audience in St Peter’s Square on Wednesday. In his catechesis, the Holy Father relflected on St Matthew’s Gospel account of how John the Baptist’s expectation of Jesus’ ministry was not what he anticipated.
Below, please find the official English language summary of Pope Francis’ catechesis for the General Audience for 7 September 2016:
Dear Brothers and Sisters: In our Gospel passage this morning, John the Baptist sends his disciples to ask Jesus if he is the Messiah (cf. Mt 11:2-6), since Jesus’ ministry was not what John anticipated; it did not correspond to his expectation of God’s justice. Jesus responds by telling the disciples to report what they see and hear: the blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the Gospel is proclaimed to the poor. Jesus shows himself to be the instrument of God’s mercy; he manifests God’s justice by bringing his consolation and salvation to all. God did not send his Son to punish sinners and crush the wicked. Rather he came to invite them to conversion, so that they too could turn back to God. Jesus then says to John’s disciples: “Blessed is he who takes no offense at me” (Mt 11:6), who does not see in me any obstacle. This happens when we have a false image of the Messiah, when we construct our own image of God, which prevents us from experiencing his real presence among us. Every time we reduce him to our ideas and whims, use his name to justify our interests, seek him only in times of difficulty, then we also lose sight of the fact that faith calls us beyond ourselves to be his missionaries in the world. Let us renew our commitment to remove every obstacle that prevents us from experiencing the merciful works of our Father, and let us ask him for an ever deeper faith so that we may be signs and instruments of his mercy.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Tuesday encouraged the President of the Vatican’s ‘Bambino Gesù’ pediatric hospital to continue to promote the institution’s good work and promised his personal contribution.
In the course of a private audience with Mariella Enoc – at the head of the children’s hospital since February 2015 – the Pope assured her of his continuing support and said the hospital must evermore be a ‘great work of mercy’.
Listen to the report by Linda Bordoni :
During the heart-to-heart conversation that ‘Bambino Gesù’ President Mariella Enoc said took place in an atmosphere of great friendliness and intimacy, Pope Francis expressed deep interest in an ongoing charity project that sees the Vatican institution actively supporting the Pediatric Hospital of Bangui, in the Central African Republic.
“The Pope even pledged his personal help ” – she told Vatican Radio – “an economic contribution that will help us ‘adopt’ the African hospital and help it to grow by providing medical formation, by establishing a school that specializes in pediatric care and by building new wards”.
Enoc also spoke to the Pope about how the Bambino Gesù Hospital has been active in helping support refugees and about an agricultural initiative in collaboration with FAO and the Italian state that aims to provide long-term solutions for the poor in the Central African Republic.
Of course much attention was dedicated to the work carried out by the Vatican Hospital itself here in Rome that offers quality health care, taking in children from across the world, many of whom from families who cannot afford to pay.
And this is exactly what the ‘Pope’s Hospital’ that has its roots in the Gospel is expected to do – Enoc pointed out – as she presented Francis with the gift of a one of the beautiful “Madonna of Bangui” photographs that are part of the Bambino Gesù project to raise money for its sister hospital in the Central African Republic.
After the audience Mariella Enoc presented the ‘Santa Marta pediatric dispensary,’ where a team of Bambino Gesù doctors offer voluntary service, with an ultrasound scanner as sign of concrete commitment to help in the Pope’s works of mercy.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) A surprise meeting on Tuesday morning in the Vatican made the day for a group of young pilgrims from northern Italy who has cycled to Rome in pilgrimage for this Holy Year of Mercy.
Pope Francis himself stepped out of his Vatican residence at Casa Santa Marta and into the square in front of the building to greet the young ‘pilgrim cyclists’ and to bestow his blessing upon them and ‘don Andrea’, the priest who has accompanied them on their pilgrimage.
The young people have travelled on bicycle down the backbone of Italy from two parishes that are part of the Milan diocese. They intend to resume their pilgrimage with a torchlight procession ‘on wheels’.
“Now that we have received Pope Francis’ apostolic blessing we shall set off with extra joy” they said.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has released his videomessage accomplanying his monthly prayer intention: “That each may contribute to the common good and to the building of a society that places the human person at the center.”
The text of the video message reads:
“Humanity is experiencing a crisis that is not only economic and financial, but is also ecological, educational, moral, and human. [1] When we talk about crisis, we talk about dangers, but also opportunities. What is the opportunity? Being solidarity.
“Come, help me.
“That each may contribute to the common good and to the building of a society that places the human person at the center. [2] ”
The Pope World Prayer Network of the Apostleship of Prayer developed the ” Pope Video” initiative to assist in the worldwide dissemination of monthly intentions of the Holy Father in relation to the challenges facing humanity.
[1] Address of Holy Father Francis, Lecture Hall of the Pontifical Theological Faculty of Sardinia, Cagliari, Sunday, 22 September 2013. Paragraph 4.
[2] Universal Prayer Intention of the Holy Father entrusted to the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network (Apostleship of Prayer), September 2016.
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