Pope Francis' General Audience:
English Summary
 |
| Pope Francis greets pilgrims at the Wednesday General Audience. (Vatican Media) |
At the Wednesday General Audience, Pope Francis' reflects on
the first words of the Lord's Prayer: "Our Father". Below is the
official English-language summary of the Pope's address:
Summary
Dear brothers and sisters: In our catechesis on the Lord’s
Prayer, we now reflect on its very first words: “Our Father”. Saint
Paul’s letters testify that the earliest Christians, guided by the Holy Spirit,
prayed using the Aramaic word for “father” that Jesus himself had used: “Abba”
(cf. Rom 8:15; Gal 4:6). At the
beginning of the Lord’s Prayer, then, we hear an echo of the voice of Jesus
himself, who teaches the disciples that to pray is to share in his own intimate
and trusting relationship with the Father. The parable of the prodigal
son shows us most vividly how Jesus wants us to understand our heavenly Father
and his infinite love, mercy and forgiveness. Indeed, there is also
something maternal about this love of the Father, which accompanies and
nurtures the development of our new life in Christ as his adoptive sons and
daughters. All the newness of the Gospel, and the very heart of our
prayer as Christians, is in some sense summed up in the one word: “Abba”.
Even in the most difficult times in our lives, may we never be afraid to turn
in trust and confidence to the Father, praying in the words that Jesus taught
us: “Abba”, “Our Father”.
Greetings to pilgrims
I welcome the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking
part in today’s Audience, especially the groups coming from Korea and the
United States of America. In the context of the forthcoming Week of
Prayer for Christian Unity, I offer a special greeting to the group from the
Bossey Ecumenical Institute. My cordial greeting also goes to the priest
alumni of the Pontifical North American College. Upon all of you I invoke
the joy and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you!
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét