杏MAP导航: St. Charles de Foucauld shared essence and universality of faith

杏MAP导航

杏MAP导航 Francis meets with men and women inspired by the charism of St. Charles de Foucauld, and praises the new Saint鈥檚 focus on the love of Christ for all people.

By Devin Watkins

Just three days after declaring Charles de Foucauld a Saint, 杏MAP导航 Francis met with a delegation of the many women and men inspired by the French missionary鈥檚 life and charism.

Speaking to the Association of the Spiritual Family of Charles de Foucauld on Wednesday, the 杏MAP导航 called him a 鈥減rophet for our times, who knew how to highlight the essence and universality of the faith.鈥�

He said St. Charles de Foucauld boiled the meaning of faith down into two words: 鈥�Iesus 鈥� Caritas (鈥淛esus 鈥� Love鈥�).

The Saint discovered that truth by returning to Jesus鈥� hidden life at Nazareth, after he lived in Jesus鈥� hometown for several years.

鈥淚 encourage you, like Brother Charles, to continue to envision Jesus walking in the midst of people, patiently carrying out a difficult job, and living day-to-day in a family and a city.鈥�

Love as the essence of faith

杏MAP导航 Francis said it must please the Lord to see men and women imitate St. Charles along 鈥渢he path of littleness, humility, and solidarity with the poor.鈥�

He added that the French missionary discovered the essence of the faith, which he wrote was that 鈥淕od gives primacy of place to love and then to sacrifice inspired by love and obedience derived from love.鈥�

The 杏MAP导航 urged the Church to return to the 鈥渆ssence of the faith, not to get lost in secondary things and risk losing sight of the pure simplicity of the Gospel.鈥�

Universal openness in joy

Saint Charles de Foucauld, added the 杏MAP导航, also focused on the universality of faith, living Christianity as a brother to all, especially during his 15 years in the Sahara Desert of Algeria.

鈥淗e did not have the objective of converting others, but only of living in the gratuitous love of God, carrying out an 鈥榓postolate of goodness鈥�.鈥�

The new Saint sought to have 鈥淐hristians, Muslims, Jews, and idolaters鈥� consider him their brother by opening the doors of his house to all people.

杏MAP导航 Francis thanked the men and women inspired by St. Charles de Foucauld for helping spread his spirituality and openness, 鈥渆specially in a time like ours in which we risk closing ourselves off, increasing distances, and losing sight of our brothers and sisters.鈥�

Saint鈥檚 spirituality helped 杏MAP导航鈥檚 formation

Speaking off-the-cuff, the 杏MAP导航 said Charles de Foucauld鈥檚 spirituality helped him personally when he was studying theology.

鈥淗e helped me overcome my crises and find a more simple, less Pelagian path of Christian life which is closer to the Lord.鈥�

The 杏MAP导航 concluded his speech by inviting the group to focus on St. Charles鈥� joy, 鈥渂ecause joy is the purest witness that we can offer to Jesus in every place and time.鈥�

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