Audience: the Spirit transforms our lives

Pope Benedict XVI renewed his expressions of spiritual closeness and participation in the pain of those affected by Tuesday's earthquake in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, expressing the hope that, "with the help of the whole people and the solidarity of the entire nation, there might be a return to normal life in the stricken areas as soon as possible."

The Holy Father's appeal came at the end of his weekly General Audience in St Peter's Square on Wednesday, during which he continued his catechetical series on the theme of prayer in the writings of St. Paul the Apostle:

Dear Brothers and Sisters, in our continuing reflection on prayer in the letters of Saint Paul, we now consider the Apostle’s striking affirmation that Jesus Christ is God’s “Yes” to mankind and the fulfilment of all his promises, and that through Jesus we say our “Amen”, to the glory of God (cf. 2 Cor 1:19-20). For Paul, prayer is above all God’s gift, grounded in his faithful love which was fully revealed in the sending of his Son and the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit, poured forth into our hearts, leads us to the Father, constantly making present God’s “Yes” to us in Christ and in turn enabling us to say our “Yes” – Amen! – to God. Our use of the word “Amen”, rooted in the ancient liturgical prayer of Israel and then taken up by the early Church, expresses our firm faith in God’s word and our hope in his promises. Through this daily “Yes” which concludes our personal and communal prayer, we echo Jesus’ obedience to the Father’s will and, through the gift of the Spirit, are enabled to live a new and transformed life in union with the Lord.

The Holy Father also had special greetings for pilgrims in many languages, including English:

I welcome the Vietnamese pilgrims from the Archidiocese of Hochiminh City, led by Cardinal Jean-Baptiste Pham Minh Mân. I also welcome the participants in the Buddhist-Christian Symposium being held in Castelgandolfo. My greeting likewise goes to the Hope for Tomorrow Foundation from the United States. Upon all the English-speaking visitors, including those from England, Ireland, Norway, India, Indonesia, Japan and the United States I invoke God’s blessings of joy and peace!

During his remarks to the faithful following the catechesis, Pope Benedict addressed the recent attention surrounding various leaks to the media. The Pope said, “Events in recent days regarding the Curia and my collaborators have brought sadness to my heart,” though, he continued, “the firm conviction that despite human weakness, despite the difficulties and trials, the Church is guided by the Holy Spirit, has never diminished – and the Lord will never fail to give His aid in sustaining the Church on her journey.” The Pope went on to say, “Nevertheless, some entirely gratuitous rumors have multiplied, amplified by some media, which went well beyond the facts, offering a picture of the Holy See that does not correspond to reality.” Pope Benedict concluded, saying, “I would like therefore to reiterate my confidence and my encouragement to my staff and to all those who, day in and day out, faithfully and with a spirit of sacrifice, quietly help me in fulfilling my ministry.” Listen to our report: