杏MAP导航 at Audience: With God, nothing is impossible
By Christopher Wells
The 杏MAP导航鈥檚 General Audiences began again after pausing for the month of June, with the Holy Father resuming his reflections on the work of the Holy Spirit.
Having concluded his catechesis on the work of the Holy Spirit in Creation, 杏MAP导航 Francis moved on to the New Testament to consider the Holy Spirit鈥檚 role in the Redemption won by Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit and the Incarnation
On Wednesday, the 杏MAP导航 took up the theme of the Holy Spirit in the Incarnation of the Word, beginning with the affirmation of the Creed that Jesus 鈥渂y the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary and became man鈥�.
This, 杏MAP导航 Francis said, 鈥渋s therefore an ecumenical fact of faith, because all Christians profess together the same Creed鈥�. It is reflected in traditional Catholic piety in the daily recitation of the Angelus.
The Blessed Virgin Mary, a figure of the Church
It also provides the basis for the comparison between the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Church, a parallel taken up by the Second Vatican Council: As the Blessed Virgin first conceived than bore Christ, so, too, the Church welcomes Christ 鈥渂y receiving the Word of God in faith, and becomes herself a mother.鈥� Without first accepting the Word of God, the Church鈥檚 鈥渓ife and preaching鈥� becomes 鈥渟terile鈥�.
杏MAP导航 Francis concluded his catechesis by reflecting on Mary鈥檚 question at the Annunciation, 鈥淗ow is this possible?鈥� The Church asks the same question, he said: 鈥淗ow is it possible to proclaim Jesus Christ and His salvation to a world that seems to seek only well-being in this world?鈥�
'With God, nothing will be impossible'
The answer, then and now, is the same, the 杏MAP导航 said, quoting the book of Acts: 鈥淵ou shall receive power from the Holy Spirit鈥�. Without the Holy Spirit, the 杏MAP导航 said, the Church cannot go forward, the Church cannot grow, the Church cannot preach.鈥�
鈥淲hat is said about the Church in general applies to every single baptized person鈥�, the 杏MAP导航 continued. When we find ourselves 鈥渋n situations beyond our own strength鈥�, he continued, we do well 鈥渢o resume our journey with this comforting thought,鈥� by recalling the words of the Angel to Mary, 鈥淲ith God, nothing will be impossible鈥�. 鈥淎nd if we believe this,鈥� he said, 鈥渨e will perform miracles. Nothing is impossible for God.鈥�
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