At today’s (Wednesday) General Audience the Pope spoke of death and advised that to overcome fear we must “recover the sense of Christian charity and fraternal sharing” The biting cold did not discourage the Pope from going on his usual open top- jeep ride round St. Peter’s Square this morning. He threw on a coat and scarf and went round greeting faithful and pilgrims – about 50,000 of them – who arrived from all across the world to attend Francis General Audience. Today the Pope concluded his cycle of catechesis on the Creed, for the Year of Faith which ended Sunday. In today’s and next week’s General Audiences, the Pope said he intends to “consider the subject of the resurrection of the flesh, taking two aspects as presented in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, namely our dying and rising in Jesus Christ. Today I shall pause on the first aspect, to “die in Christ.” “There is a wrong way to look at death. Death affects us all, it questions us in a profound way, especially when it touches us closely, or when it involves small children, the helpless in a way that seems scandalous to us. I have always been struck by the question: Why do children suffer? Why do children die?” “If it is understood as the end of everything, death scares, frightens, it becomes a threat that destroys every dream, every future hope that destroys every relationship ends every journey. This happens when we consider our life as a period of time locked between two poles: birth and death, when we do not believe in a horizon that goes beyond that of present life when you live as if God did not exist,” the Pope continued. “This concept of death is typical of atheist thinking, that sees our existence as a casual finding of in the world and a journey to nowhere. But there is also a practical atheism, which is a living only for ones own interests, to live only for worldly things. If we allow ourselves to think of death in this way, we have no choice but to conceal death, to deny or trivialize it so it does not frighten us.” But this false solution rebels in mans heart, the desire we all have for the infinite, the longing that we all have for the eternal. So what is the Christian meaning of death? If we look at the most painful moments of our lives when we have lost a loved one - parents, a brother, a sister, a spouse, a child, a friend - we realize that, even in the drama of loss, even when devastated by loss, the conviction rises from the heart that it cannot all be over, that the good given and received was not in vain.” “There is a powerful instinct within us that tells us that our life does not end with death. And this is true: our life does not end with the death. This thirst for life has found its real and reliable response in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Resurrection of Jesus not only gives the certainty of life after death, but also illuminates the mystery of each of our deaths.” “We die as we live: if our lives were lived in loving union with God” “If we live united to Jesus , faithful to Him , we will be able to cope with the passage of death with hope and serenity, we will be able to abandon ourselves serenely and confidently into his hands at the moment of our death.” “Our Lord frequently tells us to be watchful, knowing that our life in this world is a preparation for the life to come. If we remain close to him, especially through charity to the poor and solidarity with those in need, we need not fear death, but rather welcome it as the door to heaven and to the joy of eternal life.” “And how can we draw closer to Jesus?” Francis asked. “With prayer, the sacraments and also in the practice of charity. Remember that He is present in the most vulnerable and needy. He identified himself with them, in the famous parable of the last judgment (Matthew 25:35-36.40).” “One certain way is to recover the sense of Christian charity and fraternal sharing, taking care of the physical and spiritual wounds of our neighbour. Solidarity in sorrow and in instilling hope - he said - is the premise and condition for receiving the inheritance of that Kingdom prepared for us. Those who practice mercy do not fear death. Think about this: those who practice mercy do not fear death. Do you agree? Let’s say it together so as not to forget: Those who practice mercy do not fear death! One more time, Those who practice mercy do not fear death!”
Posted on: Fri, 29 Nov 2013 04:29:42 +0000
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