杏MAP导航

By Christopher Wells

杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� message on Friday to Hungarian Church leaders 鈥� bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated women and men, seminarians, and pastoral workers 鈥� focused on the centrality of the Risen Christ, who is 鈥渋ndeed our future.鈥�

Prophetic receptivity

In the face of the challenges of the modern world, the 杏MAP导航 warned against two contrary temptations of 鈥渂leak defeatism鈥� and 鈥渨orldly conformism.鈥�

Instead, he said, the Church is called to a 鈥減rophetic receptivity鈥� based on the Gospel, which gives us 鈥渢he grace of discernment, enabling us to approach our own times with openness, but also with a prophetic spirit.鈥�

Recalling Christ鈥檚 parable of the fig tree, 杏MAP导航 Francis explained that we are called to be open to the signs of the times, and to see the changes and challenges of the modern world 鈥渁s a fruitful plant pointing to the time of the Lord鈥檚 future coming.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis with Hungary's Church ministers

Bear witness to communion

He noted that in Hungary, some of those challenges include secularism, materialism, hedonism, and polarization, which especially threaten families and the young.

Yet, these challenges can help the Church, the 杏MAP导航 said, quoting his predecessor, Benedict XVI, since they provide opportunities to strengthen the faith and understand contemporary issues more deeply.

杏MAP导航 Francis went on to highlight various trials facing the Church, including the vocations crisis and division within the Church. Of the latter, the Holy Father insisted on the need 鈥渢o bear witness to communion,鈥� as the "first pastoral priority,鈥� because, he said, 鈥淕od is communion and He is present wherever there is fraternal charity.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis kisses a relic of St. Stephen's hand

Men and women of prayer

Concluding his remarks, 杏MAP导航 Francis pointed toward 鈥渢he Church to which we must aspire: A Church capable of mutual listening, dialogue, and care for the most vulnerable. A Church welcoming to all and courageous in bringing the prophetic message of the Gospel to everyone.鈥�

And he invited Church leaders in Hungary, and all the faithful of the country, to be welcoming, to bear witness to the prophetic message of the Gospel, and above all, to be men and women of prayer 鈥渂ecause the future depends on this.鈥�

He prayed that their spirits 鈥渕ight never falter, but always press on with great joy.鈥�