Posted On 2015-05-01 In Francis - Message

Apostolic courage to be bearers of life and not make our Christian life a museum of memories

Every part of the Church, and many others outside of her – believers or non-believers – have received Pope Francis` clear and hope-filled words. They are also words that motivate us to assume the responsibility we all have to build a world in accordance to the Will of God, in the strength of the Spirit and through the way of Christ. Cardinals and bishops, priests, men and women religious, novices and seminarians, families, the youth and elderly, communities and institutes have received this challenge to go out “onto the street” to take – not a utopian hope – but concrete deeds in living evangelization projects to all men and women wherever they may be. And if they are on the “outskirts” then we have to go there, with all the risks and dangers it may include. He repeats to us constantly: I prefer an injured church, because she goes out to serve, to a Church that is sick because of her self-absorption. Testimony to this can be found in the section of Schoenstatt.org where on a weekly basis texts are selected which motivate us on our own pilgrimage toward the 2014 Jubilee. Undoubtedly, because we are the Church, these words are also directed to us. How happy must our Father not be with this missionary impetus which is given to us from the very heart of the Church! (Fr. José María García)


To help others grow in the faith, by means of a journey of drawing closer to the Lord, we personally experience God’s goodness and tenderness. In fact, we are moved by the desire to offer mercy when we experience the Father’s merciful love for us (cf. Evangelii Gaudium, 24). The Lord wants to meet us, live with us, be our friend and brother, our teacher who shows us the way to happiness. He does not ask us anything in return, he only asks us to receive him, because God’s love is free, a pure gift.

Meeting with the Cursillos de Cristiandad Movement, 30.04.2015

He never forgets, but we forget our encounter with Jesus. This would be something good to try at home: think about when I truly felt the Lord close to me. When did I feel I should change my life, or be better, or forgive someone? When did I feel the Lord asking me something? When did I meet the Lord? Because our faith is an encounter with Jesus. This is the basis of our faith: I encountered Jesus as Saul does today. “When Lord, did you ask me to change my life or invited me to take this step in my life?” This is a beautiful prayer and I recommend that you pray it every day. And when you remember, take joy in this memory which is a recollection of love. Another beautiful exercise is to read the Gospels and see all the different stories. See how Jesus encounters people, how he chooses the apostles, how there are so many encounters with Jesus there [in the Bible]. Perhaps I can recognize myself in one of them. Each one has his own encounter.

Mass at Santa Marta, 24.04.2015

It is really creative work in the face of an educational system that is unable to react, in general; there are exceptions, at least from what I know in Latin America and some of Africa. This proposal opens horizons, is creative…furthermore, this education of the three coordinated languages — the language of the mind, the language of the heart and the language of the hand, work, coordinated…The secret is in the human person and in God. God sows so many possibilities in the human heart and when a society hides God and removes the human person from the centre, we end up with a throwaway culture, this is why I get involved in all these things.

Presentation of the Second Phase of the Scholas Occurerentes, 23.04.2015

See the world through the eyes of God the Creator: the earth is an environment to be safeguarded, a garden to be cultivated. The relationship of mankind with nature must not be conducted with greed, manipulation and exploitation, but it must preserve the divine harmony that exists between creatures and Creation within the logic of respect and care, so it can be put to the service of our brothers, also of future generations.

World Earth Day, 22.04.2015

I encourage you to “always go beyond,” faithful to your charism! Keep the zeal alive, the fire of the Holy Spirit that always impelled Christ’s disciples to reach who were distant, to “leave their own comfort and dare to reach all of the peripheries that need the light of the Gospel” (ibid, 20). How beautiful it is to proclaim the Love of God that saves and gives meaning to our lives to everyone! Help the men and women of today discover the beauty of the faith and the life of grace that can be lived in the Church, our mother! And you can do this if you are obedient, with an attitude of humility and confidence in the guidance of this holy mother, who always seeks the good of all her children; if you are in harmony with her Pastors and united to them in the mission of taking the joy of the Gospel to all.

Meeting with the Cursillos de Cristiandad Movement, 30.04.2015

Without prayer, there is no room for the Spirit. Ask God to send us this gift: “Lord, give us the Holy Spirit so that we may be able to discern what we should do in each situation,” which is not always the same. The message is the same: the Church goes forth, the Church goes forth with these surprises, with this newness of the Holy Spirit. It is necessary to discern them, and to discern them, it is necessary to pray, to ask for this grace. Barnabas was filled with the Holy Spirit and understood him straight away; Peter saw and said: “But who am I to deny baptism? The Holy Spirit ensures that we do not make mistakes. “But Father, why do you create so many problems?”

Mass at Santa Marta, 28.04.2015

Lord, you are here with us in the Eucharist, you who will be inside of us, give us the grace of the Holy Spirit. Give us the grace to not be afraid when the Spirit, with confidence, tells me to take that step forward. And in this Mass, we ask for this courage, this apostolic courage to be bearers of life and not make our Christian life a museum of memories.

Mass at Santa Marta, 28.04.2015
(Translation adapted from www.vatican.va, www.osservatoreromano.va)

Evangelii Gaudium Schoenstatt Audience Textos oficiales

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