April 09, 2014 - Pope Francis held his weekly general audience on Wednesday, starting
a new series on the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The public meeting is an opportunity
for pilgrims and tourists visiting Rome to see and hear the Pope, and also receive
his blessing. The general audience of April 9 was held in the open, in Rome’s St.
Peter’s Square. It began with aides reading a passage from the First Letter of St.
Paul to the Corinthians in several languages. Listen:
Pope
Francis then delivered his main discourse in Italian - summaries of which were read
out by aides in various languages, including in English. But first, the aide greeted
the Pope on behalf of the English-speaking pilgrims. Listen:
…
Dear Brothers and Sisters: Today we begin a series of catecheses on the gifts of the
Holy Spirit. The Spirit is himself the “gift of God” (cf. Jn 4:10), the presence
of God’s love in the Church and in our hearts. Based on a messianic prophecy of Isaiah,
the Church has traditionally distinguished seven gifts of the Spirit: wisdom, understanding,
counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord. The first of these is
wisdom. As a spiritual gift, this wisdom is an interior light, a grace enabling us
to contemplate all things with the eyes of God and a heart docile to the promptings
of the Spirit. Born of closeness to God in prayer and loving communion, it helps
us to recognize with joyful gratitude his providential plan for all things. Christian
wisdom is thus the fruit of a supernatural “taste” for God, an ability to savour his
presence, goodness and love all around us. How much our world needs the witness of
such wisdom today! Let us pray for this gift, so that, rejoicing in the Holy Spirit,
we can be true men and women of God, transparently open to his own wisdom and the
power of his saving love.
Pope Francis then greeted the English-speaking
pilgrims in Italian. Listen:
…
I greet all the English-speaking pilgrims present at today’s Audience, including those
from England, Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Philippines, Zimbabwe, Australia and the
United States. Upon you and your families I invoke the gifts of the Holy Spirit for
a fruitful celebration of this coming Holy Week. God bless you all! (BLESSING)