Pope Benedict Continues Catechesis on St. Paul at Weekly General Audience
(10 Sept. 08 - RV) Pope Benedict held his weekly General Audience today in the Paul
VI audience hall.
In his catechesis, the Holy Father returned to the life and
legacy of St. Paul the Apostle, concentrating on Saint Paul’s view of what it means
to be an apostle of Jesus Christ.
Speaking in English to the faithful, the
Holy Father said even though St. Paul was not one of the original 12 disciples, Paul
nevertheless claims the title of Apostle for himself because he was chosen and transformed
by the grace of God, and shared the three principal characteristics of the true apostle.
The
first is to have seen the Lord and to have been called by him. One becomes an apostle
by divine vocation, not by personal choice. The second characteristic also underlines
the divine initiative: an apostle is someone who is sent and therefore acts and speaks
as a delegate of Christ, placed totally at his service. The third characteristic
is dedication to the work of proclaiming the Gospel and founding Christian communities.
Saint Paul can point to his many trials and sufferings that speak clearly of his courageous
dedication to the mission.
Pope Benedict concluded his English remarks
by praying that the example of St. Paul’s Apostolic zeal continue to encourage all
the faithful of today.
Saint Paul can point to his many trials and sufferings
that speak clearly of his courageous dedication to the mission (cf. 2 Cor 11:23-28).
In this context he sees an identification between the life of the apostle and the
Gospel that he preaches; the apostle himself is despised when the Gospel is rejected.
Saint Paul was steadfast in his many difficulties and persecutions, sustained above
all by the unfailing love of Christ (cf. Rom 8:35-39). May the example of his apostolic
zeal inspire and encourage us today!
Pope Benedict greeted the faithful
in many languages, including English…
I am happy to greet all the English-speaking
visitors and pilgrims present at today’s audience, including the All Party Parliamentary
Group from the United Kingdom, and the participants in the seminar on Social Communications
at the Santa Croce Pontifical University. I also greet the groups from England, Ireland,
Denmark, Sweden, South Africa, Zambia, India and the United States of America. May
your pilgrimage renew your love for the Lord and his Church, and may God bless you
all!
This weekend, Pope Benedict travels to France, to mark the 150th
anniversary of the Marian apparitions at Lourdes.