杏MAP导航

By Christopher Wells

杏MAP导航 Francis continued his series of catecheses on the Acts of the Apostle鈥檚 during his weekly General Audience in St Peter鈥檚 Square.

The Holy Father looked at St Paul鈥檚 ministry in Ephesus, and his farewell message to the leaders of the community after he left.

St Paul's ministry in Ephesus

While he was in Ephesus, St Paul was able to work miracles of all kinds, including healing the sick and liberating those who were oppressed. He was able to do so, the 杏MAP导航 said, precisely because Paul resembled Jesus, His Master, 鈥渁nd made Him present, communicating to his brothers and sisters the same new life that he himself had received鈥� from the Lord.

Magic is not Christian

The 杏MAP导航 also noted that Paul exposed exorcists in Ephesus who attempted to cast out demons without spiritual authority; and he exposed the weakness of magic, which many people abandoned after Paul鈥檚 preaching. St Luke, who wrote Acts, emphasized the incompatibility between faith in Christ and magic; and 杏MAP导航 Francis underlined the point: 鈥淚f you choose Christ, you can鈥檛 turn to magicians鈥�. But even today, he said, some Christians will go to fortune-tellers, who use tarot cards or read palms to tell the future. But 鈥渕agic is not Christian!鈥� the 杏MAP导航 insisted, saying that Christians should remember 鈥渢he grace of Christ brings you everything鈥� and concluding, 鈥淧ray, and entrust yourself to the Lord鈥�.

"Watch over the flock"

杏MAP导航 Francis then turned to St Paul鈥檚 final farewell to the Christian community in Ephesus, after he had left the city. The Apostle exhorted the elders 鈥� that is, the 杏MAP导航 said, the priests 鈥� to 鈥渨atch over yourselves and the whole flock鈥�. This, the 杏MAP导航 said, 鈥渋s the work of the pastor: to keep watch, to be vigilant, to guard the flock; but also oneself, examining one鈥檚 conscience.鈥� Bishops, he continued, are called to be very close to their flock, [which has been] redeemed by the Precious Blood of Christ, and to be ready to defend it from the wolves鈥�.

Then, the 杏MAP导航 says, 鈥渁fter entrusting this task鈥� to the leaders of the Church in Ephesus, 鈥淧aul places them in the hands of God, and entrusts them to the word of His grace鈥� which is 鈥渢he leaven of every growth and path of holiness in the Church.

Renew in us His love for the Church

The Holy Father concluded his homily asking us to pray that the Lord would 鈥渞enew in us His love for the Church and for the deposit of the faith, which she preserves, and to make us all co-responsible in the custody of the flock, supporting in prayer the shepherds so that they may manifest the tenderness and love of the Divine Shepherd鈥�.