The
Church, defined in Vatican Council II as the People of God, was the topic of
Pope Francis' catechesis during the 12
June 2013 General Audience. His Holiness explained the concept of
the People of God through a series of questions: “What does it mean to be the
People of God? How does one become a member of this people? What is its law,
its mission, and its goal?”
Our
Holy Father said, “We must ask the Lord to help us understand this law of love.
How beautiful it is to love one another as true brothers and sisters. Let's do
this today. Maybe we all have the people we like and [those we] dislike.
Perhaps many of us are a little upset with someone. So let's say to the Lord:
'Lord, I am angry with this person or that one. I will pray to you for him and
for her.' Praying for those we are angry with is a good step in this law of
love. Shall we do it? Let's do it today!”
“This
people's mission,” the Pope said, “is to bring God's hope and salvation to the
world: to be a sign of the love of God who calls all to friendship with him …
It is enough to open a newspaper to see that the presence of evil is around us,
that the Devil is at work. But I want to say out loud: God is stronger! … Let's
all say it together … God is stronger! And I want to add that reality, which at
times is dark and marked by evil, can change if we first bring to it the light
of the Gospel, above all with our lives. If, in a stadium … on a dark night,
one person lights a light, it can barely be seen. But, if over 70,000
spectators each light their own light, then the stadium lights up. Let us make
our lives the light of Christ. Together we will bring the light of the Gospel
to all of reality.”
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the complete text, please visit:
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Each
and every day the Lord gives us countless opportunities to live our baptismal
call as the “People of God,” the Church.
Some of the possibilities presented to us are easier to carry out than
others. Many of you have very generously
been praying for my mother and all of my family as she deals with increasing
complications to a speedy recovery from surgery. Your great faith and love, I believe, makes
this prayer an “easy” task for you; and my family is grateful for your
kindness.
Pope
Francis calls our attention to times when it is not so easy to pray for
another, especially someone who may have caused us pain or with whom we are not
at peace. This can be a real challenge
(from my own personal experience)! But
we need to try to do what the Lord asks of us—to pray for those who have hurt
us—because the love of God is stronger than any evil we experience.
Let’s
prayerfully encourage each other to be a sign of God’s love, especially when it
is not easy by human standards. How many
of us can shine with the light of Christ in order to set the world ablaze with
the brilliance which flows from His Sacred Heart? We can all do it with the grace of God!
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