杏MAP导航

Addressing the new Bishops, the 杏MAP导航 told them that they were chosen by God and therefore, what was required of them was not an intermittent dedication, but to give of their all day and night. 杏MAP导航 Francis stressed to those gathered, that they needed to 鈥渞emain vigilant even when the light disappears, or when God himself is hidden in the darkness, when the temptation to withdraw is insinuated and the 鈥淓vil one鈥�, who is always lurking, subtly suggests that by now the dawn will no longer come.鈥�

Perseverance in faith

He continued by saying, that it was vital to 鈥渞emain faithful even when, in the heat of the day, the forces of perseverance fail and the result of fatigue no longer depends on the resources we have.鈥漁ffering the new Bishops advice as they begin their ministry, the Pontiff asked them 鈥渢o put God at the centre鈥�. He is the one, the 杏MAP导航 said, 鈥渨ho asks everything but in return offers life fully鈥�. He went on to say, that they should not let themselves be drawn in by stories of catastrophes or prophecies regarding disasters, because what really matters is persevering, and keeping their heads raised towards the Lord.

Humility in God鈥檚 mission

In his address, the Holy Father also noted the many consecrated men and ministers of God, who go about their work with silent dedication and persevere regardless of the fact that the good they do often does not make the front pages or is the subject of blogs. These people, said the 杏MAP导航, 鈥渃ontinue to believe and to preach courageously the Gospel of grace and mercy to men thirsting for reasons to live, to hope and to love.鈥� 杏MAP导航 Francis told those present that he was well aware 鈥渙f how loneliness and abandonment rage in our time, individualism spreads and indifference to the destiny of others grows.鈥� Their fate, he added, 鈥渄oes not challenge the conscience of all and often, unfortunately, those who have the greatest responsibility, guiltily avoid it. But we are not allowed to ignore the flesh of Christ, which has been entrusted to us not only in the sacrament that we break, but also in the people we have inherited.鈥�

The New Wine

The Church鈥檚 goal, underlined 杏MAP导航 Francis, was to distribute a new wine that is Christ in the world. 鈥淣othing can distract us from this mission.鈥� By meeting you, he said, 鈥渆ach person can at least touch the beauty of God, the safety of his company and the fullness of his closeness. It is a holiness that grows while one discovers that God is not tameable, he does not need enclosures to defend his freedom, and does not contaminate as he approaches, indeed, he sanctifies what he touches.鈥� 鈥淲e do not need the account of our own virtues, nor a program of abstinence, a personal gym routine or a diet that is renewed from Monday to Monday, as if sanctity were the result of will alone. The source of holiness is the grace to approach the joy of the Gospel鈥︹��

杏MAP导航 Francis urged the Bishops not to 鈥渂e ashamed of the flesh of your Churches. Enter into dialogue with their questions鈥�, he said. 鈥淚 recommend special attention to the clergy and seminaries.鈥� We cannot respond to the challenges we have towards them without updating our processes of selection, accompaniment, evaluation. But our answers will be devoid of a future if they do not reach the spiritual chasm that, in many cases, has allowed scandalous weaknesses, if they do not reveal the existential emptiness that they have nurtured, if they do not reveal why God has been so mute, so silenced, so removed from a certain way of life, as if he were not there.鈥�

Concluding his discourse the 杏MAP导航 invited the Bishops to look inside themselves and ask 鈥渨hat he can do to make the face of the Church we govern in the name of the Supreme Pastor more holy. For this, he added, 鈥渋t was necessary to work together and in communion, but certain that true holiness is what God accomplishes in us.鈥�