杏MAP导航

By Vatican News

杏MAP导航 Francis begins his general audience catechesis by citing a few instances from the Book of Genesis to point out that blessing is an essential dimension of prayer.  

God 鈥渟peaks well鈥� of creation

While God creates, He 鈥渃ontinually blesses life鈥�, such as the animals, man and woman, and the Sabbath. Even men and women give blessings, aware that "blessing possesses a special power that accompanies the person who receives it throughout his or her entire life."  It opens up the person鈥檚 heart to allow God to change it.

The Holy Father explains the meaning of the word 鈥榖less鈥� by going to the Italian word 鈥渂enedire鈥� which means 鈥渟peaks well鈥�.  Therefore, 鈥渢here is a God who speaks well鈥�. God sees every work of His hands as good and beautiful, when He creates man and woman, His creation is complete and is 鈥渧ery good鈥�. 

God鈥檚 indelible image in us despite sin

Soon, however, the 杏MAP导航 continues, this 鈥渂eauty that God had imprinted within His work will be altered, and the human being will become a degenerate creature, capable of spreading evil and death in the world.  But nothing will ever take away the original imprint of goodness that God placed within: the capacity to bless and to be blessed.鈥�  鈥淭he hope of the world lies entirely in God鈥檚 blessing: He continues to desire our good, He is the first, to continue to hope for our good."

This is why, the 杏MAP导航 says, 鈥淕od鈥檚 greatest blessing is Jesus Christ鈥�, the eternal Word, with which, as St. Paul says, the Father blessed us 鈥渨hile we were yet sinners鈥�.   St. Paul proclaims with emotion God鈥檚 plan of love saying, 鈥淏lessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.鈥�

According to the Holy Father, 鈥淭here is no sin that can completely erase the image of Christ present in each one of us. No sin can cancel that image that God has given us: the image of Christ.鈥�  Sin can disfigure this image, but cannot remove it from God鈥檚 mercy.  No matter how long the sinner is in sin, the 杏MAP导航 says, 鈥淕od is patient till the end, hoping that the sinner鈥檚 heart will eventually open and change鈥�. 鈥淕od is like a good father and a good mother: they never stop loving their child, no matter what he or she may have done wrong.鈥�

In this regard, the Holy Father recalled having witnessed, during his experience as a priest and a Bishop, lines of mothers queuing up in front of the prison to visit their children behind bars. 鈥淭hey don't stop loving their children鈥� despite being aware how ill those passing by in buses think about them.  Yet, the 杏MAP导航 says, these mothers are not ashamed and go on because their children are more important than the shame they face. 鈥淗ence,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 stresses, 鈥渨e are more important to God than all the sins we can commit because He is father, He is mother, He is pure love, He has blessed us forever, and He will never stop blessing us.

God blesses even sinful children

杏MAP导航 Francis points to the great impact that these 鈥渂iblical texts of blessing鈥� can have on those in prison or in a rehabilitation centre.  They realize that 鈥渢hey are still blessed, notwithstanding their grave errors鈥�; the 鈥淔ather continues to desire their good and to hope that they will open themselves in the end to the good鈥�.  鈥淓ven if their closest relatives have abandoned them,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 says, 鈥渢hey are always children to God鈥�. "God cannot erase in us the image of a child, each of us is son and daughter.鈥� This is why, he points out, miracles happen and God鈥檚 grace changes lives.  God 鈥渢akes us as we are, but He never leaves us as we are鈥�.

In this regard, the Holy Father cites the episode of Zacchaeus, who was regarded as a sinner. Instead, 鈥淛esus spots a glimmer of goodness鈥� in him, and through his curiosity, allows the mercy that saves to pass through and change the heart and life of Zacchaeus. 鈥淛esus,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 says, 鈥渟ees the indelible blessing of the Father in the people who are rejected and repudiated鈥�.   Jesus sees in Zacchaeus, the public sinner, that indelible sign of the Father's blessing and hence the reason for His compassion that leads him to change his heart.

What more, the 杏MAP导航 says, Jesus came to identify Himself with every person in need.  In the Last Judgement, as Matthew narrates, Jesus will say He was hungry, naked, imprisoned and sick.

About blessing and cursing

In conclusion, the Holy Father pointed out that man and woman respond to this God who blesses by blessing Him in return, which, he says, is done through the prayer of praise, adoration and thanksgiving. 鈥淧rayer is joy and awareness鈥�, the 杏MAP导航 said. 鈥淕od did not wait for us to convert ourselves before beginning to love us, but He loved us a long time before when we were still in sin鈥�.

The 杏MAP导航 further explained that it is not enough just to bless God who blesses us.  We must bless everything in Him, all people, our brothers, the world.  This, he said, is the root of Christian meekness, the ability to feel blessed and the ability to bless.  鈥淚f all of us did this, there would certainly be no wars,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 said, adding this world needs blessing and we can give the blessing and receive the blessing.

The 杏MAP导航 had a word of those used to cursing, who always have in their mouth and their heart, an ugly word, a curse. Each of us should examine himself or herself regarding this habit and ask the Lord for the grace to change because a curse cannot come out from a blessed heart.  鈥淢ay the Lord teach us never to curse but to bless.鈥�