Pope's General Audience of Feb. 12

Vatican City, 12 February 2014: Pope Francis held his weekly general audience on Wednesday, where he delivered a catechesis on how we live the Eucharist in our daily lives, as a Church and individual Christians. The public meeting is an opportunity for pilgrims and tourists visiting Rome to be able to see and hear the Pope, and also receive his blessing. The general audience of February 12 was held in the open, in Rome’s St. Peter’s Square. It began with aides reading a passage from the 1^st Letter of St. Paul to Corinthians, in several languages.
Listen:

Basing himself on the scripture passage, Pope Francis 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: Continuing our catechesis on the Sacraments of Initiation, I wish to reflect on how we live the Eucharist in our daily lives, as a Church and individual Christians. First, the Eucharist affects the way we see others. In his life, Christ manifested his love by being with people, and by sharing their desires and problems. So too the Eucharist brings us together with others – young and old, poor and affluent, neighbours and visitors. The Eucharist calls us to see all of them as our brothers and sisters, and to see in them the face of Christ. Second, in the Eucharist we experience the forgiveness of God and the call to forgive. We celebrate the Eucharist not because we are worthy, but because we recognize our need for God’s mercy, incarnate in Jesus Christ. In the Eucharist, we renew the gift of the Body and Blood of Christ for the remission of sins, and our hearts are enlarged to receive and show mercy. Third, in the Eucharistic celebration, we are nourished as the Christian community by Christ’s Word and Life. It is from the Eucharist that the Church receives continually her identity and mission. It is in our celebration that Christ fills us with his grace, so that our lives may be consonant with our worship of God in the Liturgy. Let us live the Eucharist in a spirit of faith and prayer, with the certainty that the Lord will bring to fulfilment all that he has promised.

Pope Francis then greeted the English-speaking pilgrims in Italian.
Listen:

... I offer an affectionate greeting to all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present at today’s Audience, including those from England, Denmark, Hong Kong and the United States. May Jesus Christ confirm you in faith and make you witnesses of his love and mercy to all people. God bless you all!

Papal Blessing