|
76 |
|
Pope Francis I, General Audience 2022:
General Audience, 17 August 2022 Catechesis on Old Age - 17. The "Ancient of days". Old age is a reassurance regarding the destination to a life that never dies again Scripture Reading: Daniel 7: 9-10, see Book of Daniel Chapter 7. Video, Video (American Sign Language). Text. Extracts: …It is painful – and harmful – to see that the ages of life are conceived of as separate worlds, in competition among themselves, each one seeking to live at the expense of the other: this is not right. Humanity is ancient, very ancient, if we consider time measured by the clock. But the Son of God, who was born of a woman, is the First and the Last for every time. This means that no one falls outside of his eternal generation, outside of his glorious might, outside of his loving proximity.
The alliance – and I am saying alliance – the alliance between the elderly and children will save the human family. There is a future where children, where young people speak with the elderly. If this dialogue does not take place between the elderly and the young, the future cannot be clearly seen. The alliance between the elderly and children will save the human family. Can we please give back to children, who need to learn to be born, the tender witness of the elderly who possess the wisdom of dying? Will this humanity, which with all its progress seems to be an adolescent born yesterday, be able to retrieve the grace of an old age that holds firmly to the horizon of our destination? Death is certainly a difficult passage from life for all of us it is a difficult passage. All of us must go there, but it is not easy. But death is also a passage that concludes the time of uncertainty and throws away the clock. This is difficult because this is the passage of death. For the beautiful part of life, which has no more deadlines, begins precisely then. But it begins from the wisdom of that man and that woman, the elderly, who are capable of bearing witness to the young. Let us think about dialogue, about the alliance between the elderly and children, of the elderly with young people, and let us do it in such a way that this bond is not broken. May the elderly have the joy of speaking, of expressing themselves with the young, and may the young seek out the elderly to receive the wisdom of life from them. Pope Francis I (General Audience, 17 August 2022)
General Audience, 10 August 2022 Catechesis on Old Age: 16. “I go to prepare a place for you”. Old age, a time projected towards fulfilment Video, Video (American Sign Language). Text. Scripture Reading: John 14:1-3 (See John Chapter 14). Extracts: Here, on earth, the process of our “novitiate” begins: we are apprentices of life, who — amid a thousand difficulties — learn to appreciate God’s gift, honouring the responsibility of sharing it and making it bear fruit for everyone. The time of life on earth is the grace of this passage. The presumption of stopping time — of wanting eternal youth, unlimited well-being, absolute power — is not only impossible; it is delusional.
Our existence on earth is the time of the initiation into life: it is life, but one that leads you towards a fuller life, the initiation of the fuller one; a life which finds fulfilment only in God. We are imperfect from the very beginning, and we remain imperfect up to the end. In the fulfilment of God’s promise, the relationship is inverted: the space of God, which Jesus prepares for us with the utmost care, is superior to the time of our mortal life. Hence: old age brings the hope of this fulfilment closer. Old age, by now, definitively knows the meaning of time and the limitations of the place in which we live our initiation. This is why old age is wise: this is why the elderly are wise. This is why it is credible when it invites us to rejoice in the passing of time. It is not a threat; it is a promise. Old age is noble; it does not need to beautify itself to show its nobility. Perhaps the disguise comes when nobility is lacking. Old age is credible when it invites one to rejoice in the passing of time: but time passes… Yes, but this is not a threat; it is a promise…
Dear brothers and sisters, old age, lived in the expectation of the Lord, can become the fulfilled “apologia” of faith, which gives account, to everyone, of our hope for all (cf. 1 Peter 3:15). Because old age renders Jesus’ promise transparent, projecting towards the Holy City of which the Book of Revelation speaks (chapters 21- chapter 22). Old age is the phase in life best suited to spreading the joyful news that life is the initiation to a definitive fulfilment. The elderly are a promise, a witness of promise. And the best is yet to come . The best is yet to come: it is like the message of elderly believers, the best is yet to come. May God grant us all an old age capable of this! Thank you. Pope Francis I (General Audience, 10 August 2022)
General Audience, 3 August 2022 Catechesis: The Apostolic Journey in Canada Scripture Reading: Luke 24:13-15 (see Luke chapter 24). Video, Video (American Sign Language). Text. Extracts: Before the Governors, indigenous leaders and the diplomatic corps, I reaffirmed the active will of the Holy See and the local Catholic communities to promote the indigenous cultures, with appropriate spiritual paths and with attention to the customs and languages of the peoples. At the same time, I noted how the colonizing mentality is present today in various forms of ideological colonization, threatening the traditions, history and religious bonds of peoples, erasing differences, focusing only on the present and often neglecting duties towards the weakest and most fragile. It is therefore a matter of recovering a healthy balance, to recover harmony, which is more than balance, it is something else; to recover harmony between modernity and ancestral cultures, between secularization and spiritual values. And this directly addresses the mission of the Church, sent all over the world to bear witness to and “sow” a universal fraternity that respects and promotes the local dimension with its multiple riches (cf. Encyclical Letter Fratelli tutti, 142-153). Pope Francis I (General Audience, 3 August 2022)
General Audience, 22 June 2022 Catechesis on Old Age: 15. Peter and John Scripture Reading: John 21:17-18. See John chapter 21. Video, Video (American Sign Language). Scripture Reading starts @ 13:06/1:08:52. Teaching starts @ 20:30/1:08:52. Extracts: We old people should not be envious of young people who take their path, who occupy our place, who outlive us. The honour of our faithfulness to sworn love, fidelity to the following of the faith we have believed, even in the conditions that bring them nearer to the end of their life, is our claim to admiration of the generations to come and of grateful recognition from the Lord. Learning to take leave: this is the wisdom of the elderly. But to say farewell well, carefully, with a smile, to take one’s leave in society, to take one’s leave with others. The life of the elderly is a farewell, slow, slow, but a joyful farewell: I have lived live, I have kept my faith. This is beautiful, when an elderly person can say, “I have lived life, this is my family; I have lived life, I was a sinner but I have also done good.” And this peace that comes, this is the farewell of the elder.
Even the forcibly inactive following [of Jesus], made up of enthusiastic contemplation and rapt listening to the word of the Lord – like that of Mary, the sister of Lazarus – will become the best part of their lives, of the lives of us elderly persons. May this part never be taken from us again, never (cf. Luke 10:42). Let us look to the elderly, let us look upon them, and let us help them so that they may live and express their wisdom of life, that they may give us what is beautiful and good in them. Let us look at them, let us listen to them. And we elders, let us look at the young, and always with a smile, at the young: they will follow the path, they will carry forward what we have sown, even what we have not sown because we have not had the courage or the opportunity: they will carry it forward. But always this relationship. Pope Francis I (General Audience, 22 June 2022)
15 June 2022 General Audience Catechesis on Old Age: 14. The joyful service of faith that is learned in gratitude (cf. Mark 1, 29-31) Scripture Reading: Mark 1:29-31. See Mark Chapter 1. Video, Video (American Sign Language). Scripture Reading starts at 13:10. Teaching starts at 18:15. Extracts: But we must learn well that the spirit of intercession and service, which Jesus prescribes to all his disciples, is not simply a matter for women: there is no trace of this limitation in Jesus’ words and gestures...Peter’s mother-in-law, before the Apostles arrived, along the path of following Jesus, showed the way to them too. And the special gentleness of Jesus, who “took her by the hand” and “lifted her up”, clearly shows, from the very beginning, his special sensibility towards the weak and the sick, which the Son of God had certainly learned from his Mother. Please, let us make sure that the elderly, grandparents, are close to children, to the young, to hand down this memory of life, to pass on this experience of life, this wisdom of life. To the extent to which we ensure that the young and the old are connected, to this extent there will be more hope for the future of our society. Pope Francis I (General Audience, 15 June 2022)
8 June 2022 General Audience Catechesis on Old Age: 13. Nicodemus. “How can a man be born when he is old?” (John 3:4) Video, Video (American Sign Language), Scripture Reading starts at 11:47. Teaching starts at 18:30.
1 June 2022 General Audience Pope Francis Catechesis on Old Age: 12. "Forsake me not when my strength is spent" (Psalm 71:9) Video, Video (American Sign Language). Short video. Text.
25 May 2022 General Audience Catechesis on Old Age: 11. Ecclesiastes: the uncertain night of meaning and of things in life Video, Video (American Sign Language). Short video. Text.
18 May 2022 General Audience Catechesis on Old Age: 10. Job. The trial of faith, the blessing of waiting Video, Video (American Sign Language). Short video. Text.
11 May 2022 General Audience Catechesis on Old Age: 9. Judith. Admirable in youth, generous in old age Video, Video (American Sign Language). Short video. Text.
4 May 2022 General Audience Catechesis on Old Age: 8. Eleazar, consistency of the faith, honourable inheritance Video, Video (American Sign Language). Short video. Text.
27 April 2022 General Audience Catechesis on Old Age - 7. Naomi, the alliance between the generations that opens up the future Video, Video (American Sign Language). Short video. Text.
April 20 2022 General Audience Catechesis on Old Age: 6. "Honour your father and your mother": love for the gift of life Video, Video (American Sign Language), Short Video. Text. Scripture Readings: Sirach 3:3-6,12-13,16 (starts at 16:51/1:16:09). See Sirach Chapter 3. Teaching starts at 25:28/1:16:09 Extracts: This is the first great commandment, and the only one that says the reward: ‘Honour your father and your mother, and you will have long life on earth.’ This commandment to honour the elderly gives us a blessing, which is expressed in this way: ‘You will have long life.’ Please cherish the elderly. And [even] if their mind goes, cherish the old. Because they are the presence of history, the presence of my family, and thanks to them I am here, we can all say: thanks to you, grandfather and grandmother, I am alive. Please don’t leave them alone. And this, looking after the elderly, is not a question of cosmetics and plastic surgery, no. Rather, it is a question of honour, which must transform how we educate the young about life and its stages. Love for the human person that is common to us, including honouring a life lived, is not a matter for the old. Rather it is an ambition that will bring radiance to the youth who inherit its best qualities. May the wisdom of God’s Spirit grant us to open the horizon of this true cultural revolution with the necessary energy. Thank you. Pope Francis I (General Audience, 20 April 2022)
13 April 2022 General Audience: The Peace of Easter Video, Video (American Sign Language). Text. Scripture Readings: John 14:27 (Starting at 6:30/54:10). See John Chapter 14 Teaching starts at 10:04/54:10.
06 April 2022 General Audience, Apostolic Journey to Malta Video, Video (American Sign Language). Text.
30 March 2022 General Audience Catechesis on Old Age – 5. Fidelity to God’s Visitation for the Next Generation Video, Video (American Sign Language). Text.
General Audience, 23 March 2022 Catechesis on Old Age: 4. Faith is always passed on in the language of the family. Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 34:4-5,7,9. See Deuteronomy chapter 34. General Audience video (American Sign Language, Text, short video).
General Audience, 16 March 2022 Catechesis on Old Age: 3. God entrusts the task of saving life on earth from corruption and from the flood to the fidelity of the eldest of all, the “righteous” Noah. Scripture Reading: Genesis 6:5-8. See Genesis Chapter 6. 8-) General Audience video (American Sign Language, Text, short video). Extracts: A word of Jesus, that evokes “the days of Noah”, will help us to explore more deeply the meaning of the bible passage we have heard. Jesus, speaking about the end times, says, “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man. They ate, they drank, they married, they were given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all” (Luke 17:26-27). Indeed, eating and drinking, taking a husband or wife, are very normal things and do not seem to be examples of corruption. Where is the corruption? Where is the corruption there? In reality, Jesus stresses the fact that human beings, when they limit themselves to enjoying life, lose even the perception of corruption, which mortifies their dignity and poisons meaning. When the perception of corruption is lost, and corruption becomes something normal: everything has its price, everything! Opinions, acts of justice, are bought and sold. This is common in the world of business, in the world of many professions. Pope Francis I (General Audience, 16 March 2022)
General Audience on Ash Wednesday, 2 March 2022 Catechesis on Old Age - 2. Longevity: symbol and opportunity Scripture Reading: Genesis 5:1-5. See Genesis Chapter 5. 8-) General Audience video (American Sign Language, Text, short video).
General Audience, 23 February 2022 Catechesis on Old Age: 1. The meaning and value of old age. Scripture Reading: Joel 2:28-29. See Joel Chapter 2. 8-) General Audience video (American Sign Language, Text, short video).
General Audience, 16 February 2022 Catechesis on Saint Joseph: 12. Conclusion. General Audience video (American Sign Language, Text).
General Audience, 9 February 2022 Catechesis on Saint Joseph: 11. Saint Joseph, patron of the good death. General Audience video (American Sign Language, Text).
General Audience, 2 February 2022 Catechesis on Saint Joseph: 10. Saint Joseph and the communion of saints General Audience video (American Sign Language, Text).
General Audience, 26 January 2022 Catechesis on Saint Joseph: 9. Saint Joseph, a man who "dreams" General Audience video (American Sign Language, Text).
General Audience, 19 January 2022 Catechesis on Saint Joseph: 8. Saint Joseph, father in tenderness General Audience Video (American Sign Language, Text).
General Audience, 12 January 2022 Catechesis on Saint Joseph: 7. Saint Joseph the Carpenter Scripture Reading: Matthew 13:54-57, See Matthew Chapter 13. Video (Scripture Reading starts @7:39, Teaching starts @ 12:00), Video (American Sign Language), Text.
General Audience, 5 January 2022 Catechesis on Saint Joseph - 6. Saint Joseph, Jesus' foster father Video, Video (American Sign Language), Text.
Pope Francis I, General Audience 2021:
General Audience, 29 December 2021 Catechesis on Saint Joseph - 5. Saint Joseph, persecuted and courageous migrant Video, Video (American Sign Language), Text.
General Audience, 22 December 2021 Catechesis: The birth of Jesus Video, Video (American Sign Language), Text.
General Audience, 15 December 2021 Catechesis on Saint Joseph - 4. Saint Joseph, man of silence Video, Video (American Sign Language), Text.
General Audience, 1 December 2021 Catechesis on Saint Joseph - 3. Saint Joseph: just man and husband of Mary Video, Video (American Sign Language), Text.
General Audience, 24 November 2021 Catechesis on Saint Joseph - 2. Saint Joseph in salvation history Text. Video, Video (American Sign Language)- not available.
General Audience, 17 November 2021 Catechesis on Saint Joseph - 1. Saint Joseph and the environment in which he lived Video, Video (American Sign Language), Text .
General Audience, 10 November 2021 Catechesis on the Letter to the Galatians: 15. Let us not grow weary Video, Video (American Sign Language), Text .
General Audience, 3 November 2021 On the Letter to the Galatians: 14. Walking according to the Spirit Video, Video (American Sign Language), Text.
General Audience, 27 October 2021 Catechesis on the Letter to the Galatians: 13. The fruit of the Spirit Video, Video (American Sign Language), Text.
General Audience, 20 October 2021 Catechesis on the Letter to the Galatians: 12. Freedom is realised in love Video , Video (American Sign Language), Text .
General Audience, 13 October 2021 Catechesis on Saint Paul’s Letter to the Galatians: 11. Christian freedom, universal leaven of liberation Scripture Reading: Galatians 5: 1,13 (see Galatians chapter 5) 8-) 5 1 For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. 13 For you were called to freedom… Video , Video (American Sign Language) , Text . Extracts: To welcome faith for him involves renouncing not the heart of cultures and traditions, but only that which may hinder the newness and purity of the Gospel. Because the freedom obtained through the death and resurrection of the Lord does not enter into conflict with cultures or with the traditions we have received, but rather introduces into them a new freedom, a liberating novelty, that of the Gospel… The freedom of Christian faith – Christian freedom - does not indicate a static vision of life and culture, but rather a dynamic vision, and vision that is dynamic even in tradition. Tradition grows, but always with the same nature. Let us not claim, therefore, to possess freedom. We have received a gift to take care of. Rather, it is freedom that asks each one of us to be constantly on the move, oriented towards its fullness. It is the condition of pilgrims; it is the state of wayfarers, in continual exodus: liberated from slavery so as to walk towards the fullness of freedom. And this is the great gift that Jesus Christ gave us. The Lord has liberated us from slavery freely, and has set us on the path to walk in full freedom. Pope Francis I (General Audience, 13 October 2021)
October 06 2021 General Audience Pope Francis Catechesis on the Letter to the Galatians - 10. Christ has set us free Scripture Reading: Galatians 4:4-5, 5:1 (see Galatians 4, 5) 8-) 44 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. 51 For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Video , Video (American Sign Language) , Text . Extracts: …But above all, Saint Paul’s teaching about freedom is positive. The Apostle proposes the teaching of Jesus that we find in the Gospel of John as well: “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (8:31-32). Therefore, the call is above all to remain in Jesus, the source of truth who makes us free. Christian freedom, therefore, is founded on two fundamental pillars: first, the grace of the Lord Jesus; second, the truth that Christ reveals to us and which is He himself. Pope Francis I (General Audience, 6 October 2021)
29 September 2021 General Audience Catechesis on the Letter to the Galatians: 9. Life of faith Scripture Reading: Galatians 2:20 (see Galatians chapter 2) 8-) Video , Video (American Sign Language) , Text Extracts: In this context, it is good to recall the teaching of the Apostle James, who wrote: “You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone”. It seems to be the contrary, but it is not the contrary. “For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so faith apart from works is dead” (James 2:24, 26). If justification does not bear fruit with our works, then it will just remain there, buried, as if dead. It is there, but we must activate it with our works. This is how James’ words complement Paul’s teaching. For both, therefore, the response of faith demands that we be active in our love for God and in our love of neighbour. Why “active in that love”? Because that love saved all of us, it freely justified us, gratis! …The power of grace needs to be coupled with our works of mercy which we are called to live to bear witness to how tremendous God’s love is. Let us move ahead with this trust: we have all been justified, we are just in Christ. We must effect that justice with our works. Pope Francis I (General Audience, 29 September 2021)
General Audience, 22 September 2021 Catechesis: The Apostolic Journey in Budapest and in Slovakia Text , Video , Video (American Sign Language)
Click “Next” for earlier records.
|