杏MAP导航

By Linda Bordoni

Speaking to the pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square for the Wednesday General Audience, 杏MAP导航 Francis explained that communion and 鈥榝reedom from oneself鈥� are part of the Christian DNA.

In his catechesis, which continues a new cycle dedicated to the Acts of the Apostles, the 杏MAP导航 warned against the temptation of being self-referential and invited the faithful never to fear diversity.

He reflected on the fact that Christ鈥檚 choice of twelve Apostles shows the continuity between the Church and the people of Israel. After the defection of Judas, the Apostles, he said, were conscious that his place in the Twelve had to be taken by another.

So, he explained, guided by Peter, the community as a whole joined in prayer to discern the Lord鈥檚 choice of Matthias. 

Visible communion

The 杏MAP导航 said that Jesus had told his disciples that they would be known 鈥渂y their love for one another鈥�, and explained that this visible communion of the Apostles was their first form of witness to the Risen Lord and his saving love. 

He noted that the disciples knew perfectly well that the Resurrection of Christ was not 鈥渙ne event among others,鈥� but the source of new life.

He said that while 鈥淛udas preferred death to life鈥� the eleven, instead, chose life and salvation, and took on the responsibility of passing it down through history, from generation to generation, from the people of Israel to the Church.

杏MAP导航 Francis continued pointing out that the abandonment of one of the twelve created a wound in that community body, and said it became necessary to pass the task on to another and to reconstitute the group of twelve.

Community discernment

This, he explained, inaugurated the practice of community discernment, which consists in 鈥渟eeing reality through the eyes of God, in the perspective of unity and communion,"  highlighting the fact that 鈥渃ommunion overcomes divisions, isolation, a mentality that prioritizes private space鈥�.

鈥淚n the Acts of the Apostles, the Twelve manifest the style of the Lord,鈥� he said, explaining that the visible communion of the Apostles was their first form of witness to the Risen Lord and his saving love.   

鈥淲e too,鈥� 杏MAP导航 Francis said, 鈥渘eed to rediscover the beauty of witnessing to the Risen One, going beyond self-referential attitudes, resisting the temptation to keep God's gifts to ourselves, and never yielding to mediocrity.鈥�

The 杏MAP导航 concluded his catechesis urging the faithful to ask the Lord to help them bear witness to the reconciling power of that love by our unity, which 鈥� he said -  triumphs over pride and divisiveness, and creates one People of God out of diversity.

Safeguard life in every moment

During his greetings to a group of Polish pilgrims who participated in a 鈥楶rocession for Life鈥� on Sunday, the 杏MAP导航 issued an appeal to always respect and safeguard the sanctity of life. 

鈥淟ife is sacred because it is a gift from God,鈥� he said, urging Christians 鈥渢o defend and serve life鈥� from the moment of conception until 鈥渙ld age, when it is marked by infirmity and suffering鈥�.

鈥淚t is not lawful to destroy life, to make it the object of experiments or false conceptions,鈥� he said.