杏MAP导航

By Christopher Wells

At the General Audience on Wednesday, 杏MAP导航 Francis turned his gaze to the prayer life of the early Church, as he continued his catechesis on prayer.

鈥淭he Church鈥檚 first steps in the world were interspersed with prayer,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 said. The writings of the New Testament, and especially the Acts of the Apostles, give us 鈥渢he image of an active Church on the move, yet which gathered in prayer finds the basis and impulse for missionary action.鈥�

Prayer, the driving force of evangelization

The Holy Father pointed out four essential characteristics of ecclesial life, drawn from St Luke鈥檚 account in the book of Acts: 鈥渓istening to the Apostle鈥檚 teaching鈥� which involves preaching and catechesis; the continual quest for fraternal communion; the 鈥渂reaking of the bread,鈥� the Eucharist, which is the Sacrament of Jesus鈥� presence among us; and prayer, 鈥渨hich is the space of dialogue with the Father through Christ in the Holy Spirit.鈥�

Anything that arises outside of those "coordinates," the 杏MAP导航 warned, "is deprived of a foundation... deprived of ecclesiality." When these four characteristics are present, however, it is a guarantee of the Holy Spirit. 

杏MAP导航 Francis said that reading the Acts of the Apostles, 鈥渨e then discover what a powerful driving force of evangelization the prayer gatherings can be.鈥� In prayer, he explained, we experience Christ鈥檚 presence among us 鈥渁nd are touched by the Spirit.鈥�

Making Jesus present

The 杏MAP导航 quotes the Catechism: 鈥淭he Holy Spirit ... keeps the memory of Christ alive in his Church at prayer, also leads her toward the fullness of truth and inspires new formulations expressing the unfathomable mystery of Christ at work in his Church's life, sacraments, and mission.鈥� This, 杏MAP导航 Francis explained, 鈥渋s the Spirit鈥檚 work in the Church: making us remember Jesus.鈥�

He insisted, however, that this is not simply a question of recalling facts. Instead, 鈥淐hristians, walking on the paths of mission, remember Jesus while they make Him present once more; and from Him, from His Spirit, they receive the 鈥榩ush鈥� to go, to proclaim, to serve.鈥�

Love, the mystical root

Prayer, the 杏MAP导航 said, 鈥渋mmerses鈥� Christians in God鈥檚 love for each and every person and provides the missionary impulse to preach the Gospel to every human person. 鈥淕od is God for everyone,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 said, 鈥渁nd in Jesus every wall of separation has definitively crumbled.鈥�

The exchange of love 鈥� God鈥檚 love for us, and the love He asks in return 鈥� is 鈥渢he mystical root of the believer鈥檚 entire life,鈥� 杏MAP导航 Francis said. And, both for the early Christians and for Christians today, prayer enables us to live that experience. Through prayer, the 杏MAP导航 continued, every Christian can make his own the words of St Paul: 鈥渢he life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis said it is 鈥渙nly in the silence of adoration鈥� that 鈥渨e experience the full truth of these words... And this prayer is the living flame of the Spirit that gives strength to witness and mission.鈥�