杏MAP导航

By Christopher Wells

Taking up the 鈥渄ifficult but important topic鈥� of justification in his at the weekly General Audience, 杏MAP导航 Francis said that St Paul 鈥渋nsists on the fact that justification comes through faith in Christ.鈥�

The Holy Father acknowledged that it is 鈥渘ot easy to arrive at an exhaustive definition鈥� of justification. However, with the help of the catechism, we can say that 鈥渏ustification is the consequence of 鈥楪od鈥檚 merciful initiative of offering forgiveness.鈥欌��

Reconciliation with God

Sinners, he explained, are granted pardon and salvation by God through the death of Jesus, and are 鈥渨elcomed by God and reconciled with Him.鈥� This freely given justification restores the relationship between the Creator and His creature, which had been damaged by sin and disobedience: 鈥淭he justification wrought by God, therefore, allows us to recuperate the innocence lost through sin.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis said that the question of how we are justified can be answered only by 鈥渄iscovering another novelty in Saint Paul鈥檚 teaching: that justification comes through grace.鈥� St Paul, always aware of his own sinfulness and his conversion on the road to Damascus, had himself discovered 鈥渢hat only God鈥檚 grace had saved him.鈥�

Saved by grace

This involves faith in Christ, which for St Paul, 鈥渉as an all-encompassing value鈥� that affects every aspect of the life of the Christian. 鈥淛ustification through faith,鈥� said 杏MAP导航 Francis, 鈥渦nderlines the priority鈥� of God鈥檚 grace.

However, although we are saved by grace, we are still obliged to observe the commandments; 鈥渂ut even here, we cannot count on our own efforts,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 said.

Collaborating with works of mercy

He noted that St Paul鈥檚 teaching is complemented by the teaching of St James, who wrote that 鈥渇aith without works is dead.鈥� For both Apostles, 鈥渢he response of faith demands that we be active in our love of God and in our love of neigbour.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis said, 鈥渢he light of faith allows us to recognise how infinite God鈥檚 mercy is,鈥� but at the same time, 鈥渕akes us see the responsibility that has been entrusted to us to collaborate with God in His works of mercy.鈥�

And so, the 杏MAP导航 said, 鈥渢he power of grace needs to be coupled with our works of mercy which we are called to live to bear witness to how tremendous is God鈥檚 love.鈥�