杏MAP导航

By Francesca Merlo

In his continuing , 杏MAP导航 Francis asked those gathered in the Paul VI Hall for his weekly General Audience to 鈥渓ook at the unsurpassable model of evangelization: 闯别蝉耻蝉.鈥�

Word of God

The 杏MAP导航 noted that the Christmas Gospel defines Jesus as the 鈥淲ord of God鈥�, and said this fact highlights an essential aspect of Jesus, namely, that He is always 鈥渙utgoing鈥�.

The Word exists to be communicated and transmitted, the 杏MAP导航 continued, and 鈥淐hrist not only has words of life, but makes His life a Word.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis then noted that we see, through the Gospel, the intimacy that Jesus had with the Father, especially through His moments of prayer.

His service is always directed toward other people. In fact, speaking about His mission, jesus says that He did not come 鈥渢o be served, but to serve and give His own life.鈥�

The Good Shepherd

杏MAP导航 Francis then noted that Jesus is referred to as 鈥渢he Good Shepherd鈥�.

The Gospels also offer us a useful image to represent what this mission truly means.

鈥淭o be a shepherd,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 noted, 鈥渨as not just a job, but it required time and a lot of dedication. It was a true and proper way of life: twenty-four hours a day, living with the flock.鈥�

Jesus gave His life for us and 鈥渂y staying with Jesus, we discover that His pastoral heart always beats for the person who is confused, lost, far away.鈥�

The 杏MAP导航 then stressed that 鈥渋f we want to train our apostolic zeal, we must always think of the lost sheep."

In the passage that introduces the lost sheep, 鈥渨e discover that God does not remain contemplating the sheep pen, nor does He threaten them so they won鈥檛 leave, but rather if one leaves and is lost, He does not abandon that sheep, but goes in search of it.鈥�

An opportunity to bear witness 

Bringing his catechesis to an close, the 杏MAP导航 asked, 鈥淒o we feel similar emotions?鈥� He noted that those who, in our lives, may have left the flock, might be seen as enemies.

The 杏MAP导航 invited us to view our enmity with others as an opportunity 鈥渢o witness to them the joy of a Father who loves them and has never forgotten them."

鈥淭here is a good word for them and we have the honour and the burden of being the ones to bear it to them. Because the Word, Jesus, asks this of us,鈥� stressed the 杏MAP导航.

Finally, he asked that in prayer, 鈥淲e ask the grace of a pastoral heart, because without this love that suffers and takes risks, we risk pasturing only ourselves.鈥�