(Vatican Radio) The Holy Spirit strengthens us so that we may bear witness to the Lord even through persecution – even to the point of sacrificing our life. But also through the small persecutions like gossip and criticism. That’s what Pope Francis said Monday at the daily Mass at the Santa Marta guesthouse in the Vatican.
Listen to Tracey McClure’s report:
As we near Pentacost, the readings increasingly focus on the Holy Spirit. The Acts of the Apostles tell us that the Lord opened the heart of a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatria who came to hear St. Paul.
“This woman felt something inside her which made her say ‘this is true! And I agree with what this man says, this man who gives witness to Jesus Christ,’” said the Pope.
“But who touched the heart of this woman? Who told her: ‘Listen because it is the truth?’” asked the Pope.
“It was the Holy Spirit who made this woman feel that Jesus was the Lord; it made her know that salvation was in Paul’s words; it made this woman hear witness. The Spirit gives witness to Jesus. And each time we feel something in our heart that draws us closer to Jesus, it’s the Spirit which is working inside us.”
The Gospel speaks of a dual witness: that of the Spirit which shares Jesus’s witness, and our witness. We are witnesses of the Lord with the strength of the Spirit. Jesus invites the disciples to stand strong because bearing witness also comes with persecution. From “the little persecutions of gossip,” criticisms, to the greater kind of persecution of which “the history of the Church is full: that place Christians in prison or make them even give up their lives.”
This, Jesus says, is the cost of Christian witness. In the day’s Gospel we read: ‘They will expel you from the synagogues; in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he is offering worship to God.’
“The Christian, with the strength of the Spirit,” said the Pope, “gives witness to the living Lord, to the Risen Lord, to the Lord’s presence in our midst, that the Lord celebrates with us His death, His Resurrection, each time we come to the altar. The Christian too gives witness, aided by the Spirit, in his daily life, through the way in which he acts. It is the continuous witness of the Christian. But many times this witness provokes attacks, provokes persecution.”
“The Holy Spirit which introduced us to Jesus,” continued Pope Francis, “is the same one who urges us to make Him known to others, not so much through words, but through living witness.”
“It is good to ask the Holy Spirit to come into our heart, to give witness to Jesus; tell Him: Lord, may I not stray from Jesus. Teach me what Jesus taught. Help me remember what Jesus said and did and also, help me to give witness to these things. So that worldliness, the easy things, the things that really come from the father of lies, from the prince of this world, sin, do not lead me away from giving witness.”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Before praying the Regina Coeli in St Peter’s Square, Pope Francis’ catechesis on Sunday drew inspiration from the Gospel reading that speaks of the Last Supper and of Jesus’ promise to the Apostles.
He tells them, the Pope said, that their mission was to take the Gospel message into the world and that they would not be alone: “The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I have said to you: teach and remember”.
Listen to the report by Linda Bordoni :
The Pope explained that the Spirit would remember the teachings of Jesus in various concrete circumstances of life, so as to be able to put them into practice.
That, he said, is precisely what is happening in the Church today, a Church that is guided by the light and by the strength of the Holy Spirit so that the Lord can bring the gift of salvation to everyone, the love and the mercy of God.
The Pope urged the faithful to read a passage from the Gospel every day and reminded them they are not alone: “Jesus is near us, among us, within us! His new presence in history takes place through the gift of the Holy Spirit, through whom you can establish a living relationship with Him, the Crucified and Risen One”.
He said the Holy Spirit, poured into us through the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation, acts as a guide in our lives, directing us in the way we think, in the way we act, helping us distinguish good from bad. It helps us to practice the charity of Jesus, giving to others, especially to the neediest.
And reiterating that we are not alone, the Pope said the sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit is also in the peace that Jesus gives to his disciples.
It is different – he said – from what men hope or attempt to accomplish: “the peace of Jesus arises from victory over sin, over that selfishness that prevents us from loving one another as brothers”.
The Pope concluded his catechesis saying that every disciple who is called to follow Jesus carrying the cross, receives the peace of the Risen Christ in the certainty of his victory, and in expectation of his coming.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has sent his greetings to the faithful of the Eastern Churches who are celebrating Holy Easter on Sunday, May 1 according to the Julian calendar.
Speaking to pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square for the Regina Coeli prayer he said: “May the Risen Lord bring to our brothers of the Eastern Churches all the gifts of His light and His peace. Christos anesti!”
Earlier, in a tweet launched through his @Pontifex account, the Pope said “I address a cordial greeting to the faithful of the Eastern Churches who are celebrating Holy Pascha today. Χριστὸς ἀνέστη!”
Meanwhile during negotiations in Minsk, on the occasion of the Eastern Orthodox Easter, it was agreed that Ukrainian government forces and Russia-backed separatists were to observe a comprehensive cease-fire in the south-east of Ukraine where the festivity is observed both by the Orthodox and by Greek Catholics.
The armistice was supposed to go into effect at midnight Saturday, but according to Ukrainian government sources a soldier was killed and several wounded on Sunday in the country’s east in what appears to be a violation of the armistice.
In a message, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, urged the faithful to bear witness to the love of their neighbors amid the atrocities of the contemporary world which, he said, is torn by terrorism, wars and suffering.
The Orthodox Metropolitan of Italy and Malta, Gennasius, also issued an appeal “to purify one’s heart” to be able “to fully feel the presence of the Risen One”, while the Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Irinej, sent a message asking the faithful to forgive, “not to judge others” and “not to be afraid of the world in spite of worldly ideologies, disunity, hatred and violence.”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Sunday reiterated his plea for peace in Syria appealing to all parties involved in the conflict to respect the cessation of hostilities and commit to dialogue.
Speaking after the Regina Coeli prayer in St. Peter’s Square, the Pope said he is deeply pained by the dramatic news of the spiral of violence in Syria which, he said, “continues to aggravate the already desperate humanitarian situation in the country”.
He referred in particular to the situation in the city of Aleppo which continues to “claim innocent victims, even amongst children, sick people and those who, at the cost of great sacrifice, are bringing aid to those in need”.
And Francis had words of encouragement for an Italian association that fights all forms of abuse against minors: “This is a tragedy! We must not tolerate the abuse of minors! We must defend minors and severely punish those who abuse them” he said, thanking the “Associazione Meter” for its dedicated work.
And marking May 1st, International Labour Day, the Pope also mentioned an International Conference which opens on Monday in Rome on the theme: “Sustainable Development and the most Vulnerable Forms of Work” which takes place within the context of the Jubilee of Mercy.
“I hope – he said – that the event will sensitize the authorities, political and economic institutions and civil society in order to promote a model of development that will safeguard human dignity within full respect for labour and environmental legislation”.
Pope Francis also had a special greeting to “our brothers of the Eastern Churches who are celebrating Easter.”
“May the risen Lord – he said – bear his gifts of light and peace to all. Christos anesti!”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Saturday held an extraordinary Jubilee Audience in St. Peter’s Square for thousands of eager pilgrims. The Audience also celebrated the Jubilee for members of the police and armed forces.
The Holy Father focused in his catechesis on a very important point of mercy: reconciliation, taking the apostle St. Paul’s words in the second letter to the Corinthians 5:20-21 as his guide: “So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.”
‘Be reconciled to God’
Pope Francis said St. Paul’s words ‘be reconciled to God’ are an invitation for all Christians, especially in this Jubilee Year of Mercy. He said God constantly offers us his forgiveness, and our sins can never keep us from God’s mercy.
“Often we believe our sins push God away from us: in reality, by sinning we push ourselves away from Him, but He, seeing us in danger, keeps searching for us. God never accepts the possibility that someone could remain estranged from His love, as long as He finds in that person some sign of contrition for the evil committed.”
The Holy Father went on to say that, in our sinfulness, we can only return to God by freely accepting his grace. For this, he has given us his Son Jesus, whose cross is a bridge leading us back to the Father.
“The sinner sees only himself and thus pretends to be self-sufficient; for this reason, sin distances us ever more from God, and this can become a barrier. However, Jesus comes to look for us like a good shepherd who is not content until he has not found the lost sheep (cf. Luke 15:4-6). He rebuilds the bridge which connects us to the Father and allows us to rediscover our dignity as sons and daughters. With the offer of his life, he has reconciled us to the Father and given us the gift of eternal life (cf. John 10:15). ‘Be reconciled to God!”
Reconciliation brings peace and contributes to society
He said this Holy Year of Mercy is a time for each of us to accept this offer of reconciliation and, in our communities, to bring it to the world around us. Being reconciled with God not only brings inner healing and peace, but also impels us to work for reconciliation within society at every level, and thus contribute to the building of a global culture of peace, justice and solidarity.
“Let us accept, therefore, the invitation to be reconciled to God to become new creatures and to be able to radiate His mercy among our brothers and sisters.”
After the audience Pope Francis offered a special welcome to the members of the armed forces and police from throughout the world, especially those present at the audience from Canada, Kenya, Korea, the Philippines, and the United States of America.
(from Vatican Radio)…