杏MAP导航

By Sergio Centofanti

鈥淚 urge you to love the Church of the Lord.鈥�

This was 杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� invitation at the conclusion of the General Audience on Wednesday, the feast of the Dedication of the Basilicas of the Apostles Peter and Paul.

鈥淭his feast highlights the meaning of the church, a sacred building where the faithful reunite. May it enkindle in us the awareness that each of us is called to be a living temple of God,鈥� working together 鈥渨ith generosity and enthusiasm鈥� to 鈥渂uild up the House of the Lord, the dwelling of the Most High among us.鈥�

Family of God

Loving the Church is an important characteristic of the believer, who belongs to the family of God.

In a catechesis on 29 May 2013, 杏MAP导航 Francis recalled that God鈥檚 plan 鈥渋s to make of us all a single family of his children, in which each person feels that God is close and feels loved by him鈥�. The Church 鈥渋s not an organization established by an agreement between a few people鈥�, but 鈥渟he is a work of God鈥�, she is born 鈥渇rom the supreme act of love of the Cross, from the pierced side of Jesus from which flowed blood and water, a symbol of the sacrament of the Eucharist and of Baptism鈥�. The Church 鈥渂ecame manifest when the gift of the Holy Spirit filled the heart of the Apostles and spurred them to go out and begin their journey to proclaim the Gospel, spreading God鈥檚 love.鈥�

Still today some say: 鈥淐hrist yes, the Church no鈥�. Like those who say 鈥淚 believe in God but not in priests鈥�. In response the 杏MAP导航 said, 鈥淏ut it is the Church herself which brings Christ to us and which brings us to God. The Church is the great family of God鈥檚 children. Of course, she also has human aspects. In those who make up the Church, pastors and faithful, there are shortcomings, imperfections and sins. The 杏MAP导航 has these too 鈥� and many of them; but what is beautiful is that when we realize we are sinners we encounter the mercy of God who always forgives. Never forget it: God always pardons.鈥�

鈥淚n the end,鈥� said the 杏MAP导航, 鈥渢he Church is our mother because she brings us to new life and leads us to Christ.  So we must love her, even when we see her face marred by human frailty and sin, and we must help to make her ever more beautiful and radiant, so that she can bear witness to God鈥檚 love in the world鈥� (Message of 杏MAP导航 Francis for the 2019 World Day of Prayer for Vocations).

Love Church like family

杏MAP导航 Francis is inviting us to love and defend the Church, just as we love and defend our families, even when our parents, brothers, sisters, or children make mistakes or have problems.

As an example of love for the Church, the 杏MAP导航 once pointed to Padre Pio:

鈥淗e loved the Church, with the many problems the Church has, with so many adversities, with so many sinners. Because the Church is holy, she is the Bride of Christ, but we, the children of the Church, are all sinners 鈥� some big ones! 鈥� but he loved the Church as she was, he did not destroy her with the tongue, as it is the fashion to do now. No! He loved her. He who loves the Church knows how to forgive, because he knows that he himself is a sinner and is in need of God鈥檚 forgiveness. He knows how to arrange things, because the Lord wants to arrange things well but always with forgiveness: one cannot live an entire life accusing, accusing, accusing the Church. Whose is the office of the accuser! The devil! And those who spend their life accusing, accusing, accusing, are 鈥� I will not say children, because the devil does not have any 鈥� but friends, cousins, relatives of the devil. And no, this is not good, flaws must be indicated so they can be corrected, but at the moment that flaws are noted, flaws are denounced, one loves the Church. Without love, that is of the devil鈥� (Greeting of 杏MAP导航 Francis to the Archdiocese of Benevento, 20 February 2019).

War fought with prayer, love

The devil works to destroy the unity of a family. 杏MAP导航 Francis has often pointed this out: Satan wants to divide brothers and sisters and divide the Church to drive people from God.

Many times the greatest danger comes not from outside but from within: 鈥淪elf-destruction, 鈥榝riendly fire鈥� from our fellow soldiers, is the most insidious danger. It is the evil which strikes from within鈥� (Presentation of the Christmas greetings to the Roman Curia, 22 December 2014).

The devil鈥檚 is a 鈥渄irty war鈥� and 鈥渨e who are unaware fall into his game鈥� (Mass at Santa Marta, 12 September 2016).

And again, 鈥渢he devil seeks to foment an internal war, a sort of civil and spiritual war. A war which is not fought with arms but with the tongue鈥� (Homily for the Vatican Gendarmerie, 28 September 2013).

This war of accusations, hatred, and lies, affirms 杏MAP导航 Francis, can be fought only with prayer and love: Pray for the Church and love her, because 鈥淛esus Christ and the Church are one and the same鈥� (General Audience, 29 May 2013).