GENERAL AUDIENCE 17 SEPTEMBER 2014
GENERAL AUDIENCE: The Church,
universal and missionary, cannot be wrapped up in herself
Vatican
City, 17 September 2014 (VIS) – The meaning of the terms “Catholic” and
“apostolic” when we speak about the Church was the theme of Pope Francis'
catechesis at this morning's Wednesday general audience in St. Peter's Square,
attended by 50,000 faithful.
When we
profess the Creed, we state that we believe in a Catholic and apostolic Church.
“Catholic means universal”, said the Holy Father, “and a clear sign of this
Catholicity is that she speaks all languages. This is none other than the
effect of the Pentecost: indeed, it was the Holy Spirit that enabled the
Apostles and the entire Church to communicate to all, to the very ends of the
earth, the Good News of salvation and of God's love. Thus, the Church was born
Catholic – that is, 'symphonic' since the beginning, and she cannot be
otherwise, destined as she is for evangelisation and for encountering
everyone”: The Pope, remarking that everyone is able to read the Word of God in
his or her own language, again encouraged those present always to carry a copy
of the Gospel and to read one or two passages each day.
“If the
Church is born Catholic, it means that she was born to go forth, missionary”,
continued Pope Francis. “If the Apostles had stayed in the Cenacle without
going out to preach the Gospel, the Church would have remained there, in that
city, in that country, in that room. It is what we express when we describe her
as 'apostolic'. But they went forth. An apostle spreads the good news of Jesus'
resurrection. This term reminds us that the Church, on the foundations of the
Apostles and in continuity with them, is sent to proclaim the Gospel to all
humanity, with the signs of the tenderness and strength of God. The Apostles
went forth, they travelled the world, they founded new churches, they consecrated
new bishops and in this way, we continue their work”.
“And this
too derives from the Pentecost. Indeed, the Holy Spirit is able to overcome any
resistance, to defeat the temptation to remain wrapped up in ourselves, an
elect few, and to consider ourselves as the only ones destined to receive God's
blessing. Imagine if a group of Christians were to consider itself in this way;
they would die out. First in soul and then in body, as they would not be able
to generate new life. They would not be apostolic. The Holy Spirit leads us
towards our brothers, even to those who are far away in every sense, so that
they can share with us the gift of love, peace and joy that the Risen Lord has
left us”.
“What does
it mean, for our communities and for each of us, to be part of a Church that is
Catholic and apostolic? First of all, it means taking to heart the salvation of
all humanity, not to be indifferent or removed from the fate of so many of our
brothers, but rather to be open and in solidarity with them. It also means
having a sense of the fullness, the completeness, the harmony of Christian
life, always rejecting partial and unilateral positions that close us up in
ourselves”.
Being part
of the apostolic Church means “being aware that our faith is anchored in the
proclamation and the witness of Jesus' Apostles, and therefore always being
aware that were are sent out, in communion with the successors of the Apostles,
with our hearts full of joy, to proclaim Christ and His love for all humanity”.
Pope Francis
recalled the “heroic life” of all the missionaries who leave their homelands to
take the Gospel to others, encouraging those present to give thanks to God for
the missionaries the Church has had and will continue to need.
“Let us ask
the Lord to renew in us the gift of His Spirit, so that every Christian
community and baptised person may be an expression of the Catholic and
apostolic Holy Mother Church”.
©
VIS, Vatican Information Service
