杏MAP导航

By Francesca Merlo

Addressing the faithful gathered in St Peter鈥檚 Square for his weekly General Audience, 杏MAP导航 Francis recalled his recent trip to Hungary and decided to focus on two images: roots and bridges.

Roots

杏MAP导航 Francis stressed how he saw 鈥渟o many humble and hard-working people proudly cherish the bond with their roots鈥� during his Journey to Hungary, adding that 鈥渁mong these roots are first and foremost the saints: saints who gave their lives for the people, saints who bore witness to the Gospel of love, saints who were lights in times of darkness; so many saints of the past who today exhort us to overcome the risk of defeatism and the fear of tomorrow, remembering that Christ is our future鈥�.

The 杏MAP导航 then went on to note that despite this, the Hungarian people have been put to the test. 鈥淭heir faith, as we have heard from the Word of God, has been tested by fire鈥�, he said, recalling the atheist persecution of the 20th century, in which 鈥淐hristians were struck down violently, with bishops, priests, religious, and lay people killed or deprived of their freedom鈥�. Despite these attempts, the 杏MAP导航 said, 鈥渢o cut down the tree of faith, the roots remained intact鈥�: a hidden Church remained steadfast, with many clergy ordained in secret, who bore witness to the Gospel by working in factories, while grandmothers evangelised in hiding.

Bridges

杏MAP导航 Francis then turned to the second image: bridges. Budapest, the 杏MAP导航 noted, is famous for three bridges 鈥渢hat cross and unite its parts鈥�. He noted how he had stressed, in Hungary, 鈥渢he vocation of Europe, which is called, a 鈥渂ridge of peace,鈥� to include differences and to welcome those who knock on its doors. In this sense, the humanitarian bridge created for so many refugees from neighbouring Ukraine, whom I was able to meet while also admiring the great network of charity of the Hungarian Church, is beautiful鈥�.

Continuing with the image of the bridge, the Holy Father noted that the country is also very committed to building bridges 鈥渇or tomorrow鈥�, with its concern for ecology. 鈥淭here are also bridges that the Church is called upon to stretch towards the people of today, because the proclamation of Christ cannot consist only in repeating the past, but always needs to be updated, so as to help the women and men of our time to rediscover Jesus鈥�.

Finally, the 杏MAP导航 recalled 鈥渨ith gratitude鈥� the beautiful liturgical moments, and reflected on the 鈥渂eauty of building bridges between believers鈥�.

Let us ask ourselves, the 杏MAP导航 concluded, whether we too are building bridges in our daily lives, before entrusting Hungary to Mary, 鈥渢he Queen of Hungary鈥� and 鈥淨ueen of Peace鈥�.