Pope at Audience: the fire of God鈥檚 love, the power of His word
By SA国际传媒
At this week鈥檚 General Audience held in a sun-drenched St Peter鈥檚 Square, Pope Francis continued his catechesis on the Acts of the Apostles, focussing specifically on the day of Pentecost.
Prayer and breath
The Pope described the Apostles, gathered around Mary in the Upper Room, as being 鈥渋n prayer鈥�. Prayer is the 鈥渓ung鈥�, said the Pope, 鈥渢hat gives breath to disciples of all times; without prayer one cannot be a disciple of Jesus鈥�. The descent of the Holy Spirit, he said, was 鈥渁n event that exceeded their expectations鈥�: they were 鈥渟urprised鈥� by the 鈥渇orce of a wind that reminds us of the鈥rimordial breath鈥�.
Wind and fire
To the wind is then added the fire, continued Pope Francis. The fire reminds of us the burning bush because, in the biblical tradition, 鈥渇ire accompanies the manifestation of God鈥�. In the fire God delivers his living word, said the Pope, and the fire itself expresses God鈥檚 work of 鈥渨arming, illuminating and testing hearts鈥�. On Mount Sinai, we hear the voice of God. In Jerusalem, on the feast of Pentecost, it is the voice of Peter. Despite his own weakness, once filled with the fire of the Spirit, Peter鈥檚 words acquire strength, 鈥渃apable of piercing hearts鈥� For God chooses what is weak in the world to confuse the strong鈥�, said Pope Francis.
Truth and love
鈥淭he Church is born of the fire of love鈥�, continued the Pope, a fire that 鈥渂reaks out at Pentecost and manifests the power of the Word of the Risen One imbued with the Holy Spirit鈥�. The words of the Apostles themselves become imbued with the same Spirit. They become 鈥渁 new, different word, which can be understood, as if it were translated simultaneously into all languages鈥�. This is the language of 鈥渢ruth and love, which is the universal language: even the illiterate can understand it鈥�.
Communion and reconciliation
Pope Francis went on to describe the Holy Spirit as 鈥渢he creator of communion, the artist of reconciliation who knows how to remove barriers between Jews and Greeks, slaves and freedmen鈥�. The Holy Spirit 鈥渕akes the Church grow by helping it to go beyond human limitations, sins and scandals鈥�, said the Pope. 鈥淥nly the Spirit of God has the power to humanize鈥� and to create connections, 鈥渂eginning with those who receive Him鈥�.
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