杏MAP导航

By Vatican News

The 杏MAP导航 began by expressing his gratitude 鈥渇or all those consecrated persons who, by the silent martyrdom of fidelity and daily commitment, have borne great fruit.鈥� He also gave thanks 鈥渇or all those catechists and elderly consecrated men and women who drew us into the love and friendship of Jesus Christ.鈥�  

Being thankful

The history of each of our vocations 鈥渋s marked by those people who helped us discover and discern the fire of the Spirit鈥�, said 杏MAP导航 Francis, which is why it is so important to be thankful. 鈥淕ratitude is always a powerful weapon鈥�, he continued: 鈥淪tanding on their shoulders, may we too feel called to be men and women who help bring about the new life the Lord bestows on us.鈥�  

Inculturating the Gospel

杏MAP导航 Francis invited those present to 鈥渂e alert to beauty, to a sense of wonder capable of opening up new horizons and raising new questions.鈥� A consecrated life 鈥渋ncapable of openness to surprises is only a half a life鈥�, he said. The Church does not grow by proselytizing but by attraction: these words of Benedict XVI, said 杏MAP导航 Francis, are prophetic for our times. 鈥淟et us not be afraid to continue inculturating the Gospel鈥�, he added. 鈥淲e need to seek new ways to transmit the Word that is capable of mobilizing and awakening the desire to know the Lord.鈥�  

Talking 鈥渋n dialect鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis suggested we find ways 鈥渢o talk about the faith 鈥榠n dialect鈥�, like a mother who sings lullabies to her child.鈥� With that same intimacy, 鈥渓et us give faith a Thai face and flesh, which involves much more than making translations鈥�, he said. We need to let the Gospel 鈥渟ing鈥� with the native music of this land, 鈥渁nd inspire the hearts of our brothers and sisters with the same beauty that set our own hearts on fire.鈥� 

The example of Mary

Turning to Mary as our example, 杏MAP导航 Francis said her gaze 鈥渋mpels us to turn our eyes to that other gaze and to do whatever He tells us.鈥� Jesus鈥� gaze captivates because it penetrates and shatters appearances: 鈥淲here many saw only a sinner, a blasphemer, a tax collector, an evildoer or even a traitor, Jesus was able to see apostles鈥�, said the 杏MAP导航. 

What it means to be a Christian 

杏MAP导航 Francis noted how many vocations begin by going out 鈥渢o visit the needy, the neglected and even the despised, orphans and the elderly.鈥� In the faces of those we encounter on the street, said the 杏MAP导航, 鈥渨e can discover the beauty of being able to treat one another as brothers and sisters. We see them no longer as orphans, derelicts, outcasts or the despised. Now each of them has the face of a brother or sister redeemed by Jesus Christ. That is what it is to be a Christian!鈥�  

Seeing beauty

鈥淐an holiness be understood apart from this lively recognition of the dignity of each human being?鈥� asked the 杏MAP导航. He acknowledged that many of those present 鈥渕anage to see beauty where others see only contempt, abandonment or an object of sexual gratification. In this way, you are a concrete sign of the Lord鈥檚 mercy, alive and at work鈥�, he said, 鈥渁 sign of the anointing of the Holy One in these lands.鈥�

Fidelity to prayer   

杏MAP导航 Francis then spoke of the importance of prayer: 鈥淎postolic fruitfulness is sustained by fidelity to deep prayer鈥�, he said. 鈥淗ow many of us have received the faith from our grandparents, from seeing them doing their household chores, rosary in hand, sanctifying their entire day.鈥� This is contemplation in action, said the 杏MAP导航, 鈥渕aking God part of the little things of each day. Without prayer, our life and mission loses all its meaning, strength and fervour.鈥�

A quiet place

鈥淚mmersed in myriad responsibilities, may we always seek that quiet place where we can remember, in prayer, that the Lord has already saved the world and that we are asked, in union with Him, to make this salvation felt by all.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis concluded by inviting those present to think of themselves as 鈥渓ittle tools in the Lord鈥檚 creative hands. He will be writing with your lives the finest pages of the history of salvation in these lands.鈥�