Good morning!
Thank you for this visit. Before going to the Piazza, I wanted to greet you. You will follow the audience in the Piazza with the big screen; we will all be united. Thank you for this visit. I assure you that I pray for you and I ask you to pray for me. Now I invite you to pray the Madonna together.
Recite Ave Maria
Blessing
CATECHESIS OF THE HOLY FATHER
Catechesis on the Commandments. 2: "Ten Words" to live the Covenant
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
This hearing takes place in two places: here, in the square, and in Paul VI Hall there are more than 200 sick people who follow the hearing with the big screen. Together we form a community. With applause, we say hello to those in the Chamber.
Last Wednesday we began a new cycle of catechesis on the commandments. We have seen that the Lord Jesus did not come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it. But we will have to understand this perspective better.
In the Bible the commandments do not live for themselves, but are part of a relationship, a relationship. The Lord Jesus did not come to abolish the Law, but to complete it. And there is that relationship of the Covenant [1] between God and his People. At the beginning of chapter 20 of the book of Exodus we read - and this is important -: "God pronounced all these words" (v. 1).
It seems like an opening like any other, but nothing in the Bible is trivial. The text does not say: "God pronounced these commandments", but "these words". The Jewish tradition will always call the Decalogue "the Ten Words". And the term "decalogue" means just that. [2] Yet they are in the form of laws, objectively they are commandments. Why, then, does the sacred author use the term "ten words" right here? Because? And does not he say "ten commandments"?
What is the difference between a command and a word? The command is a communication that does not require dialogue. The word, on the other hand, is the essential means of the relationship as dialogue. God the Father creates by his word, and his Son is the Word made flesh. Love feeds on words, and so does education or collaboration. Two people who do not love each other can not communicate. When someone speaks to our heart, our loneliness ends. He receives a word, gives communication and the commandments are words of God: God communicates himself in these ten words, and awaits our response.
Another is to receive an order, another is to perceive that someone tries to talk with us. A dialogue is much more than the communication of a truth. I can tell you: "Today is the last day of spring, warm spring, but today is the last day". This is a truth, it is not a dialogue. But if I tell you: "What do you think of this spring?", I begin a dialogue. The commandments are a dialogue. Communication is realized for the pleasure of speaking and for the concrete good that is communicated among those who love each other through words. It is a good that does not consist in things, but in the same people who reciprocally give themselves in dialogue "(cf. Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, 142).
But this difference is not an artificial thing. Let's look at what happened at the beginning. The Tempter, the devil, wants to deceive man and woman on this point: he wants to convince them that God has forbidden them to eat the fruit of the tree of good and evil to keep them submissive. The challenge is this: the first rule that God has given to man, is the imposition of a despot who prohibits and forces, or is the care of a father who is taking care of his children and protects them from self-destruction? Is it a word or is it a command? The most tragic, among the various lies that the snake says to Eve, is the suggestion of an envious deity - "But no, God is envious of you" - of a possessive deity - "God does not want you to have freedom". The facts show dramatically that the snake lied (cf. Gen 2: 16-17; 3.4-5), made believe that a word of love was a command.
Man is facing this crossroads: does God impose things on me or take care of me? Are his commandments just a law or do they contain a word, to take care of me? God is master or Father? God is Father: never forget this. Even in the worst situations, think that we have a Father who loves us all. Are we subjects or children? This fight, both inside and outside of us, occurs continuously: a thousand times we have to choose between a slave mentality and a mentality as children. The commandment is from the master, the word is from the Father.
The Holy Spirit is a Spirit of sons, he is the Spirit of Jesus. A spirit of slaves can only accept the Law in an oppressive way, and can produce two opposite results: either a life made up of duties and obligations, or a violent reaction of refusal. All Christianity is the passage from the letter of the Law to the Spirit that gives life (cf. 2 Cor 3: 5-17). Jesus is the Word of the Father, it is not the condemnation of the Father. Jesus came to save, with his Word, not condemn us. It is seen when a man or a woman has lived this passage or not. People realize if a Christian reasons as a son or a slave. And we ourselves remember if our educators took care of us as fathers and mothers, or if they only imposed rules on us. The commandments are the path to freedom, because they are the word of the Father that makes us free on this journey. The world does not need legalism, but care. He needs Christians with children's hearts. [3] He needs Christians with children's hearts: do not forget this.
SOURCE Vatican.va - Unofficial Translation
Greetings in Various Languages:
Je salue cordialement les personnes de langue française, en particulier les pèlerins venus de Haïti, les jeunes venus du Chablais, en Suisse, et de Nouméa, en Nouvelle Calédonie, ainsi que les pèlerins de Saint Brieuc accompagnés par l’Evêque, Mgr Denis Moutel. Frères et sœurs, rappelons-nous que le monde a besoin du témoignage de chrétiens à l’esprit filial et non pas d’esclaves de la loi. Donnons ce témoignage par notre comportement dans toute notre vie. Que Dieu vous bénisse !
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, particularly those from England, Sweden, Switzerland, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and the United States of America. Upon all of you, and your families, I invoke the joy and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you!
Mit Freude begrüße ich die Pilger aus den Ländern deutscher Sprache. Der Dekalog der Zehn Gebote ist das Geschenk des Bundes Gottes mit uns Menschen. Wir wollen als seine Kinder unsere Beziehung mit dem Herrn leben, indem wir seinem Wort folgen und dem Heiligen Geist, der lebendig macht. Betet für mich und für meine ökumenische Pilgerreise morgen nach Genf. Der Herr behüte euch und eure Lieben.
Saludo cordialmente a los peregrinos de lengua española venidos de España y Latinoamérica. Nuestro mundo no tiene necesidad de legalismo, sino de sentirse amado y cuidado. Pidámosle con confianza al Señor el don de su Espíritu Santo, para que nos conceda acoger sus mandamientos con espíritu filial, y vivir como hermanos en la libertad de los hijos de Dios. Muchas gracias.
Queridos peregrinos de língua portuguesa, sede bem-vindos! A todos vos saúdo, com menção particular dos fiéis da paróquia Nossa Senhora Medianeira, de Paraná, e desejo que possais viver e crescer na amizade com Deus Pai, deixando que o seu amor sempre vos regenere como filhos e vos reconcilie com Ele e com os irmãos. Desça, sobre vós e vossas famílias, a abundância das suas bênçãos.
أرحّب بمودّة بالأشخاص الناطقين باللغة العربية، وخاصة بالقادمين من لبنان، ومن الأردن ومن الأراضي المقدسة. لقد وهبنا الله روحه القدوس كيما نعيش كأبناء له، ونرى في كلمته وفي وصاياه، لا قواعد وممنوعات تجعل منّا عبيدًا، إنما محبّته الوالدية التي تهبنا الحياة والحرّية وتنير مسيرتنا. ليبارككم الربّ جميعًا ويحرسكم من الشرّير!
Pozdrawiam serdecznie pielgrzymów polskich, a szczególnie przedstawicieli młodych, którzy na statku „Dar Młodzieży” opływają świat, aby dotrzeć na Światowe Dni Młodzieży w styczniu przyszłego roku w Panamie. Witam wiernych z Archidiecezji Szczecińsko-Kamieńskiej wraz z Arcybiskupem Andrzejem Dzięgą, którzy proszą o błogosławieństwo koron papieskich, jakimi zostanie ozdobiona ikona Matki Bożej Częstochowskiej w Bazylice św. Jana Chrzciciela. Niech Zwycięska Królowa Polski wstawia się za nami, byśmy idąc przez życie stale wzrastali w wierności Bożym przykazaniom. Niech będzie pochwalony Jezus Chrystus.
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Rivolgo un cordiale benvenuto ai fedeli di lingua italiana.
Saluto gli artisti del Circo che ci hanno fatto vedere come la bellezza fa bene all’anima e al corpo, e questa bellezza che loro ci hanno fatto vedere, non è una bellezza che si trova così: è una bellezza che loro fanno con tanto lavoro, con ore e ore di allenamento. Ma alla fine, sono riusciti a fare questo che, come ogni bellezza, ci avvicina a Dio. Grazie tante a tutti voi. Grazie!
Sono lieto di accogliere i Padri Vincenziani; le coppie di sposi dalla Diocesi di San Marino-Montefeltro, accompagnati dal Vescovo, Monsignor Andrea Turazzi e quelle della Diocesi di Tivoli. Auguro che la visita alle Tombe degli Apostoli sia l’occasione per una rinnovata testimonianza cristiana.
Saluto il Gruppo dell’Ospedale pediatrico Meyer di Firenze; l’Associazione italiana sclerosi laterale amiotrofica; l’Istituto Gioacchino da Fiore di San Giovanni in Fiore; i Cori partecipanti al Festival internazionale Roma in canto; la Banda civica di Magenta.
Un pensiero speciale porgo ai giovani, agli anziani, agli ammalati e agli sposi novelli.
Nel mese di giugno la pietà popolare ci fa pregare con più fervore il Sacro Cuore di Gesù. Quel Cuore Misericordioso vi insegni ad amare senza chiedere alcun contraccambio e vi sostenga nelle scelte più difficili della vita. Pregatelo anche per me e per il mio ministero, ma anche per tutti i sacerdoti, affinché rafforzi la fedeltà alla chiamata del Signore.
I extend a cordial welcome to the faithful of the Italian language.
I greet the circus artists who showed us how beauty is good for the soul and the body, and this beauty that they showed us is not a beauty that is so: it is a beauty that they do with a lot of work , with hours and hours of training. But in the end, they managed to do this that, like any beauty, brings us closer to God. Thank you so much to all of you. Thank you!
I am pleased to welcome the Vincentian Fathers; the married couples from the Diocese of San Marino-Montefeltro, accompanied by the Bishop, Monsignor Andrea Turazzi and those of the Diocese of Tivoli. I hope that the visit to the Tombs of the Apostles is an opportunity for a renewed Christian witness.
I greet the Group of the Meyer Children's Hospital in Florence; the Italian Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association; the Gioacchino da Fiore Institute of San Giovanni in Fiore; the Choirs participating in the International Rome in singing competition; the Civic Band of Magenta.
A special thought for the young, the elderly, the sick and the newlyweds.
In June, popular piety makes us pray more fervently the Sacred Heart of Jesus. That Merciful Heart teaches you to love without asking for any exchange and support you in the most difficult choices of life. Pray also for me and for my ministry, but also for all priests, so that you may strengthen fidelity to the Lord's call.
[1] Chap. 20 of the Exodus book is preceded by the Alliance's offer to chap. 19, in which the pronouncement is central: "Now, if you will listen to my voice and keep my covenant, you will be for me a particular property among all peoples; mine indeed is the whole earth! You will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation "(Ex 19: 5-6). This terminology finds an emblematic synthesis in Lv 26.12: "I will walk among you, I will be your God and you will be my people" and will come to the pre-announced name of the Messiah, in Isaiah 7,14 or Emmanuel, who comes to Matthew: Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son: to him will be given the name of Emmanuel, which means God with us "(Mt 1,23). All this indicates the essentially relational nature of the Jewish faith and, to the highest degree, of the Christian faith.
[2] See also Exodus 34,28b: "He wrote on the plates the words of the covenant, the ten words".
[3] Cf. John Paul II, Lett. Enc. Veritatis splendor, 12: "The gift of the Decalogue is a promise and sign of the New Covenant, when the law is again and definitively written in the heart of man (cf. Jer 31: 31-34), substituting the law of sin, that heart had disfigured (cf. Jer 17: 1). Then a "new heart" will be given because in it will live "a new spirit", the Spirit of God (cf. Ez 36: 24-28) ».
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