杏MAP导航 Leo at Pentecost Vigil: God intends all to live as one
By Christopher Wells
Some 70,000 pilgrims from more than 100 countries took part in the Vigil of Pentecost in Saint Peter鈥檚 Square Saturday evening, as part of the festivities for the Jubilee of Ecclesial Movements, Associations, and New Communities.
After a 鈥減re-Vigil鈥� consisting of prayer, song, and witness testimonies, the jubilant crowd of pilgrims was joined by 杏MAP导航 Leo, who led a Liturgy of the Word focused on the unity that is a gift of the Holy Spirit.
鈥淪t Peter鈥檚 Square, with its wide-open and welcoming embrace, magnificently expresses the communion of the Church,鈥� which is experienced in the various groups present, 杏MAP导航 Leo said his homily.
Synodality unites us to all
The Holy Father went on to highlight the concept of synodality, rooted in the communion of the three Persons of the Trinity and as 鈥淕od-with-us鈥�; and pointing to the future. Where the Spirit is, the 杏MAP导航 said, 鈥渢here is movement, a journey to be made.鈥�
杏MAP导航 Leo explained that this journey unites us to all of humanity, with the Holy Spirit teaching us to walk in unity, in contrast to the violence and division that marks our world. 鈥淭he earth will rest, justice will prevail, the poor will rejoice and peace will return,鈥� he said, once we no longer act as predators, but as pilgrims; no longer each of us for ourselves, but walking alongside one another.鈥�
鈥淕od created the world so that we might all live as one,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 continued, explaining that 鈥楽ynodality鈥� is the term the Church uses to describe this unity.
鈥楨vangelization is always God's work鈥�
Finally, 杏MAP导航 Leo XIV highlighted the work of evangelization, which does not mean trying to take over the world, but refers instead to 鈥渢he infinite grace that radiates from lives transformed by the Kingdom of God.鈥�
Evangelization, then, can be understood as the way of the Beatitudes, the path chosen by Jesus. To follow that Path, 杏MAP导航 Leo said, 鈥渨e have no need of powerful patrons, worldly compromises, or emotional strategies. Evangelization is always God鈥檚 work.鈥�
The Holy Father encouraged members of ecclesial movements to be attached to their particular Churches and their local parish communities. 鈥淭ogether with the bishops and in cooperation with all the other members of the Body of Christ, all of us will then work together harmoniously as one,鈥� he said; and then, 鈥渢he challenges facing humanity will be less frightening, the future will be less dark, and discernment will be less complicated鈥� if together we obey the Holy Spirit.鈥�
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