杏MAP导航

By Christopher Wells

鈥淚f the soul is always joyful, it is a good day.鈥� The weather was 鈥渁 little ugly,鈥� as 杏MAP导航 Francis said Wednesday, but the Holy Father found a way to brighten everyone鈥檚 spirit at the weekly General Audience in St Peter鈥檚 Square.

Meeting with the sick
 

The 杏MAP导航 began his audience with a small group of sick people gathered in the Paul VI Hall. He then ventured out into the wind and rain, where he delivered his catechesis to a small crowd of pilgrims who braved the inclement Roman winter weather.

The right to hear the Word of God
 

The teaching at Wednesday鈥檚 General Audience was focused once again on the Mass, as 杏MAP导航 Francis reflected on the end of the Liturgy of the Word. Hearing the Word of God, with the explanation in the homily that follows, is a right, 鈥渢he spiritual right of the people of God to receive the treasure of the Word of God in abundance.鈥� Everyone who goes to Mass, the 杏MAP导航 said, 鈥渉as the right to receive abundantly the Word of God, read well, proclaimed well, and then explained well in the homily. It鈥檚 a right!鈥�

After the homily, the 杏MAP导航 spoke about the moment of silence, which gives people time to reflect on what they have heard.

The Creed and the Universal Prayer
 

杏MAP导航 Francis then spoke about the communal recitation of the Creed at the Mass, which 鈥渕anifests the common response to what was heard by the community in the Word of God. He emphasized the 鈥渧ital connection鈥� between hearing and faith, recalling the words of Saint Paul, that 鈥渇aith comes from hearing.鈥� Faith then leads to the Sacrament, so that the Creed becomes a link between the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

After the Creed, the Mass continues with the Prayer of the Faithful, or the Universal Prayer 鈥� so called, the 杏MAP导航 said, because it embraces all of the needs of the Church and of the world. The Prayer of the Faithful, he said, echoing the General Instruction of the Missal, is an exercise of their baptismal priesthood by the People of God.

Reflecting on the words of Jesus 鈥� 鈥淚f you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you鈥� 鈥� 杏MAP导航 Francis said we don鈥檛 believe this, 鈥渂ecause we have little faith.鈥� He encouraged us to have great faith when we pray together during the Mass. 鈥淭he intention for which the faithful are invited to pray should give voice to the concrete needs of the ecclesial community and of the world, avoiding having recourse to conventional and short-sighted formulas,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he Universal Prayer, which concludes the Liturgy of the Word, exhorts us to make our own the loving gaze of God, who cares for all His children.鈥�