Pope Francis "... every Christian vocation is spousal, because it is the fruit of the bond of love in which we are all regenerated, the bond of love with Christ"
St. Peter's Square
Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Catechesis on the Commandments, 11 / B: Our nuptial vocation finds its fullness in Christ
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Today I would like to complete the catechesis on the Sixth Word of the Decalogue - "Do not commit adultery" -, highlighting that the faithful love of Christ is the light to live the beauty of human affectivity. In fact, our emotional dimension is a call to love, which manifests itself in fidelity, acceptance and mercy. This is very important. How does love manifest itself? In fidelity, in acceptance and in mercy.
However, it should not be forgotten that this commandment refers explicitly to marriage fidelity, and therefore it is good to reflect more deeply on its spousal meaning. This passage from the Scriptures, this passage from the Letter of St. Paul, is revolutionary! To think, with the anthropology of that time, and to say that the husband must love his wife as Christ loves the Church: but it is a revolution! Perhaps, at that time, it is the most revolutionary thing that has been said about marriage. Always on the road of love. We can ask ourselves: this command of fidelity, to whom is it destined? Only for the spouses? In reality, this command is for everyone, it is a paternal Word of God addressed to every man and woman.
Let us remember that the path of human maturity is the path itself of love that goes from receiving care to the ability to offer care, from receiving life to the ability to give life. To become adult men and women means to arrive at the spousal and parental attitude, which manifests itself in the various situations of life as the ability to take upon oneself the weight of someone else and to love it without ambiguity. It is therefore a global attitude of the person who knows how to take reality and knows how to enter into a profound relationship with others.
Who then is the adulterer, the lustful, the unfaithful? He is an immature person, who keeps his own life for himself and interprets situations based on his own well-being and satisfaction. So, to get married, it is not enough to celebrate the wedding! We need to make a journey from the "I" to the "us", to think for ourselves and to think in two, to live alone and to live in harsh conditions: it is a beautiful path, it is a beautiful path. When we come to decentralize ourselves, then every act is spousal: we work, we talk, we decide, we meet others with a welcoming and oblative attitude.
Every Christian vocation, in this sense, - we can now widen the perspective a little, and say that every Christian vocation, in this sense, is spousal. The priesthood is because it is the call, in Christ and in the Church, to serve the community with all the affection, concrete care and wisdom that the Lord gives. The Church does not need aspirants to the role of priests, they do not serve, better that they stay at home - but they serve men to whom the Holy Spirit touches the heart with an unconditional love for the Bride of Christ. In the priesthood one loves God's people with all the paternity, tenderness and strength of a husband and a father. Thus also consecrated virginity in Christ is lived with fidelity and joy as a spousal and fruitful relationship of motherhood and fatherhood.
I repeat: every Christian vocation is spousal, because it is the fruit of the bond of love in which we are all regenerated, the bond of love with Christ, as Paul's passage at the beginning reminded us. Starting from his fidelity, his tenderness, his generosity, we look with faith at marriage and every vocation, and we understand the full meaning of sexuality.
The human creature, in its inseparable unity of spirit and body, and in its masculine and feminine polarity, is a very good reality, destined to love and be loved. The human body is not an instrument of pleasure, but the place of our call to love, and in authentic love there is no room for lust and for its superficiality. Men and women deserve more than this!
Therefore, the Word "Do not commit adultery", even if in negative form, directs us to our original call, that is to the full and faithful spousal love, which Jesus Christ has revealed to us and given us (cf. Rom 12: 1).
Greetings in Various Languages:
Je salue cordialement les pèlerins francophones, venus de France, de Suisse, en particulier les diocésains d’Evry, avec l’évêque, Mgr Michel Pansard, la Communauté de l’Arche de Montpellier ainsi que les jeunes de Metz, du Mans et de Lille. Chers amis, à la veille de la fête de la Toussaint, je vous invite à laisser grandir en vous le désir de marcher sur les chemins de la sainteté, pour la plus grande gloire de Dieu. Que Dieu vous bénisse !
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, especially those from England, Ireland, Denmark, Sweden, Indonesia, Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam and the United States of America. I thank the choirs for their praise of God in song. Upon all of you, and your families, I invoke the Lord’s blessings of joy and peace. God bless you!
Sehr herzlich grüße ich alle Pilger deutscher Sprache, besonders die Schulleiter des Schulwerks der Diözese Augsburg. Lasst euch immer von der Liebe Christi führen, die das Licht ist, um die Schönheit der affektiven Dimension des Menschen in einer reifen und hingebungsvollen Haltung zu leben. Der Herr gebe euch die Gnade, immer mehr in der Treue zur Fülle seiner Liebe zu wachsen.
Saludo cordialmente a los peregrinos de lengua española, en modo particular a los grupos provenientes de España y América Latina. Los animo a que, siguiendo el ejemplo de los santos, cuya solemnidad celebramos mañana, sean capaces de vivir su vocación con plenitud y fidelidad, en sintonía con ese amor nupcial que Jesucristo nos ha revelado y entregado como don. Muchas gracias.
Queridos peregrinos de língua portuguesa, especialmente os fiéis do Leme e do Rio de Janeiro, faço votos de que esta peregrinação reforce em vós a fé em Jesus Cristo, que chama cada homem e mulher a fazer dom de si mesmo ao próximo. Regressai aos vossos lares com a certeza de que o amor de Deus, derramado nos nossos corações pelo Espírito Santo, fará que nos tornemos sempre mais generosos! Que Deus abençoe a cada um de vós!
أرحب بمودة بالحاضرين الناطقين باللغة العربية، وخاصة بالقادمين من مصر ومن سوريا ومن الشرق الأوسط. إن وصية "لا تزن" تدعونا إلى الأمانة لعهودنا ولمحبتنا. فكل حب حقيقي يثمر التزاما اصيلا واحتراما للعهد مع من نحب. لذلك فخيانة المحب هي تعبير عن عدم النضح وعن الأنانية. لنصلي للرب كي يمنحنا جميعا هبة الأمانة سواء في الحياة الزوجية أو الكهنوتية أو الرهبانية. ليبارككم الرب جميعا ويحرسكم من الشرير!
Pozdrawiam serdecznie pielgrzymów polskich. Jutro przypada Uroczystość Wszystkich Świętych, a pojutrze Wspomnienie Wszystkich Wiernych Zmarłych. Nawiedzając groby naszych bliskich pamiętajmy, że mamy u Boga rzeszę świętych, którzy orędują w naszych potrzebach. Nie zapominajmy jednak, że wielu zmarłych także oczekuje naszego duchowego wsparcia. Wraz z Maryją, Królową Wszystkich Świętych, pamiętajmy o nich w naszych modlitwach, by zostali przyjęci do grona zbawionych w niebie. Niech święci pomogą nam stawać się świadkami Chrystusa i Jego Ewangelii wobec naszych braci. Nich będzie pochwalony Jezus Chrystus.
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I extend a cordial welcome to Italian-speaking pilgrims.
I am pleased to welcome the Capitulars of the Religious of Mary Immaculate and the parish groups, especially those of Rome, Foggia and Sarno.
I greet the participants in the pilgrimage promoted by the Secular Franciscan Order of Italy; the staff of the 132rd "Ariete" Terrestrial Artillery Regiment of Maniago; the groups of the National Sailors Association of Italy; the delegation of the Aleteia network and the non-sighting sports group of Vicenza.
A particular thought I address to the young, the elderly, the sick and the newlyweds.
Tomorrow we will celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints and, the day after tomorrow, the Memorial of all the deceased faithful. The testimony of faith of those who preceded us, strengthens in us the certainty that God accompanies each person on the journey of life, he never abandons anyone to himself, and wants us all to be holy, as He is holy.
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