Pope Francis explains "The fruit of Pentecost, the powerful outpouring of the Spirit of God..." Full Text + Video
GENERAL AUDIENCE
St. Peter's Square
Wednesday, June 26, 2019
Greetings to the sick in the Paul VI Hall before the General Audience
Today you came here because it's too hot outside, too hot ... It's quieter here and you can see the Audience well on the screen. There will be two communities: that of the Piazza and you together. You attend the Audience. Surely they will fix you well to be able to see the screen well. And now, I give you a blessing, to everyone.
Blessing
Pray for me. And have a good day!
Catechesis on the Acts of the Apostles: 4. "Persevering in the teaching of the apostles and in communion, in breaking bread and in prayers" (Acts 2:42). The life of the primitive community between love for God and love for the brothers.
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
The fruit of Pentecost, the powerful outpouring of the Spirit of God on the first Christian community, was that many people felt their hearts pierced by the happy announcement - the kerygma - of salvation in Christ and adhered to Him freely, converting, receiving baptism in his name and in turn accepting the gift of the Holy Spirit. About three thousand people become part of that fraternity which is the habitat of believers and is the ecclesial ferment of the work of evangelization. The warmth of the faith of these brothers and sisters in Christ makes their lives the scenario of God's work which is manifested through miracles and signs through the Apostles. The extraordinary becomes ordinary and everyday life becomes the space of the manifestation of the living Christ.
The evangelist Luke tells it to us by showing us the church of Jerusalem as the paradigm of every Christian community, as the icon of a fraternity that fascinates and that should not be mythologized but not even minimized. The account of the Acts allows us to look within the walls of the domus where the first Christians gather as a family of God, a space of koinonia, that is, of the communion of love between brothers and sisters in Christ. It can be seen that they live in a precise way: they are "persevering in the teaching of the apostles and in communion, in breaking bread and in prayers" (Acts 2:42). Christians assiduously listen to the didache that is apostolic teaching; they practice a high quality of interpersonal relationships also through the communion of spiritual and material goods); they remember the Lord through the "breaking of the bread", that is, the Eucharist, and they dialogue with God in prayer. These are the attitudes of the Christian, the four traces of a good Christian.
Unlike human society, where there is a tendency to make one's own interests regardless or even at the expense of others, the community of believers banishes individualism to foster sharing and solidarity. There is no place for selfishness in the soul of a Christian: if your heart is selfish you are not a Christian, you are a worldly person, who only seeks your favor, your profit. And Luke tells us that believers are together (see Acts 2:44). Proximity and unity are the style of believers: neighbors, worried for one another, not to talk about others, no, to help, to get closer.
The grace of baptism therefore reveals the intimate bond between the brothers in Christ who are called to share, to identify themselves with others and to give "according to the need of each one" (Acts 2:45), that is, generosity, almsgiving, caring for others, visiting the sick, visiting those in need, who need consolation.
And this fraternity, precisely because it chooses the path of communion and attention to the needy, this fraternity which is the Church can live a true and authentic liturgical life. Luke says: "Every day they were persevering together in the temple and, breaking bread in the houses, they took food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people" (Acts 2,46-47).
Finally, the account of the Acts reminds us that the Lord guarantees the growth of the community (see 2:47): the perseverance of believers in the genuine covenant with God and with the brothers becomes an attractive force that fascinates and conquers many (see Evangelii gaudium, 14), a principle by which the believing community of all times lives.
We pray the Holy Spirit to make our communities places where we can welcome and practice new life, works of solidarity and communion, places where liturgies are an encounter with God, which becomes communion with our brothers and sisters, places that let them be open doors on the heavenly Jerusalem.
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Greetings in Various Languages:
Je suis heureux de saluer les pèlerins venus de France et d’autres pays francophones, en particulier les jeunes de Neuilly, ainsi qu’un groupe de femmes catholiques du Burkina Faso. Demandons à l’Esprit Saint de nous aider à faire de nos communautés des lieux où la vie nouvelle en Christ est accueillie et pratiquée par le partage et la solidarité. Qu’il nous aide aussi à vivre dans nos communautés des liturgies qui soient une vraie rencontre avec Dieu et une source de communion entre frères et sœurs. Que Dieu vous bénisse !
I welcome all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today's Audience, especially those from England, Scotland, Wales, Australia, Japan, Guam and the United States of America. I greet in particular those taking part in the course translating Latin liturgical texts sponsored by the Pontifical Atheneum of Sant'Anselmo. Upon all of you I invoke the joy and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you!
Einen herzlichen Gruß richte ich an die Pilger deutscher Sprache. Beten wir zum Heiligen Geist, dass er in uns Glauben Herzen, immer lebendig erhalte, damit wir wie die ersten Christen freudige Zeugen seiner Wahrheit sein können.
[I am glad to say hello to my sisters in the German language. I prevailed the Holy Spirit, because we always keep our hearts alive in our lives for being, eat the first Christians, joyful testimony of their truth.]
Saludo cordialmente a los peregrinos de lengua española provenientes de España y América Latina. En particular saludo a la Asociación Española de canonistas, en su 50 aniversario, y al grupo de peregrinos de Tlalnepantla, acompañados de su arzobispo Mons. José Antonio Fernández Hurtado. Pidamos al Espíritu Santo para que nuestras comunidades sean acogedoras, sean solidarias, viviendo la liturgia como encuentro de Dios y con los hermanos. Y yo quiero felicitar a los mexicanos porque son tan acogedores, tan acogedores con los migrantes. Que Dios se los pague. Gracias.
[Saluto cordialmente i pellegrini di lingua portoghese, in particolare i fedeli di Jundiaí e Fortaleza, augurando di crescere sempre più nell’amore e nell’adorazione dell’Eucaristia, affinché questo Sacramento possa continuare a plasmare le vostre comunità nella carità e nella comunione, secondo il cuore del Padre. Volentieri benedico voi e i vostri cari!]
أُرحّبُ بالحجّاجِ الناطقينَ باللّغةِ العربيّة، وخاصةً بالقادمينَ من الشرق الأوسط. أيّها الإخوةُ والأخواتُ الأعزّاء، "كانَ جَميعُ الَّذينَ آمنوا جماعةً واحِدة، يَجعَلونَ كُلَّ شَيءٍ مُشتَرَكًا بَينَهم، يَبيعونَ أَملاكَهم وأَمْوالَهم، ويَتَقاسَمونَ الثَّمَنَ على قَدْرِ احتِياجِ كُلٍّ مِنْهُم"، تذكّروا على الدوام أنَّ هذا هو أسلوب عيش الجماعة المسيحية: تناغم وشهادة، فقر واعتناء بالفقراء. ليبارككم الرب!
[Rivolgo un cordiale benvenuto ai pellegrini di lingua araba, in particolare a quelli provenienti dal Medio Oriente! Cari fratelli e sorelle, “tutti i credenti stavano insieme e avevano ogni cosa in comune; vendevano le loro proprietà e sostanze e le dividevano con tutti, secondo il bisogno di ciascuno”. Ricordatevi sempre che questo è il modo di vivere di una comunità cristiana: armonia, testimonianza, povertà e avere cura dei poveri. Il Signore vi benedica!]
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I warmly welcome the Italian-speaking pilgrims.
This Audience, the last before the summer break, is done in two groups: you who are in the Piazza, and a group of sick people who are in the Paul VI Hall and follow in the big screen, because it is so hot that it is better than the sick are sheltered. Let us greet the group of the sick!
I am pleased to welcome the participants in the General Chapters: of the Daughters of the Church; of the Missionary Sisters of the Incarnation; of the Sisters of the Child Jesus and of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the apparition. I greet those who take part in the Convention promoted by the Congregation for the Clergy, for the Rectors and Formators; and the Course for Formators, promoted by the International Union of Superiors General.
I greet the faithful from Genoa, accompanied by the auxiliary Bishop, Mons. Nicolò Anselmi; the parish groups, in particular that of Recanati; and the Ad Limina Petri Association of Ranica.
I am particularly interested in young people, the elderly, the sick and newlyweds.
Next Friday we will celebrate the solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. I invite everyone to look at that Heart and to imitate its truest feelings. Pray for all the Priests and for my Petrine Ministry, so that every pastoral action may be based on the love that Christ has for every man.
FULL TEXT + Image shared from Vatican.va - Unofficial Translation
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