Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday continued his series on prayer in the letters of Saint
Paul. Speaking to tens of thousands of people gathered in St. Peter’s Square for
the weekly general audience, Pope Benedict reflected on the Holy Spirit’s role in
prayer. “Through the gift of the Holy Spirit in Baptism, we have become sons and
daughters of God, sharing by adoption in the eternal sonship of Jesus,” the Pope said
in his English remarks. The Pope reminded the faithful that “Our individual prayer
is always part of the great symphony of the Church’s prayer.”
Below
are the Pope’s full remarks in English
In our reflection on prayer
in the letters of Saint Paul, we now consider two passages in which the Apostle speaks
of the Holy Spirit, who enables us to call upon God as “Abba”, our Father (cf. Gal
4:6; Rom 8:5). The word “Abba” was used by Jesus to express his loving relationship
with the Father; our own use of this word is the fruit of the presence of the Spirit
of Christ within us. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit in Baptism, we have become
sons and daughters of God, sharing by adoption in the eternal sonship of Jesus. Paul
teaches us that Christian prayer is not simply our own work, but primarily that of
the Spirit, who cries out in us and with us to the Father. In our prayer, we enter
into the love of the indwelling Trinity as living members of Christ’s Body, the Church.
Our individual prayer is always part of the great symphony of the Church’s prayer.
Let us open our hearts ever more fully to the working of the Spirit within us, so
that our prayer may lead us to greater trust in the Father and conformity to Jesus,
his Son. * * * * * I am pleased to greet the ecumenical delegation from the
Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Sweden. I also welcome the group from the Pontifical
University of Santo Tomas in Manila. I thank the choirs for their praise of God in
song. Upon all the English-speaking visitors present at today’s Audience, including
those from England, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, India, the Philippines, South Korea
and the United States I cordially invoke the Holy Spirit’s gifts of wisdom, joy and
peace.