(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis held his weekly General Audience on Wednesday – the Wednesday
of Holy Week or “Spy Wednesday” as it is called in many parts of the English-speaking
world. The Gospel reading of the day recounts Judas’ betrayal of Jesus, which sets
in motion the events of Christ’s Passion, Death and Resurrection. In his catechetical
remarks to pilgrims and tourists gathered in St. Peter’s Square under a brilliant
blue April sky, with a crisp spring breeze blowing through the city, Pope Francis
spoke of Christ’s free embrace of suffering and death, which he took on for our sake.
It was a theme to which he returned in the English-language remarks that were read
out following the main catechesis in Italian.
“Out of love for us,” wrote
Pope Francis, “Jesus freely walked the path of humiliation and self-abandonment for
our salvation.” Listen:
As Saint Paul
says, “he emptied himself… and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross”
(Phil 2:7-8). As we contemplate Jesus in his passion, we see reflected the sufferings
of all humanity and we discover God’s answer to the mystery of evil, suffering and
death. He gives us his Son, who dies humiliated, betrayed, abandoned and reviled.
Yet God’s victory shines forth in what appears, in human terms, to be failure and
defeat.
The Holy Father’s English remarks went on to say that Jesus’ passion
is the culmination of his revelation of the Father’s infinite love and his summons
to faith in his word.
Christ takes upon himself the power of evil in order
to set us free: “by his wounds we have been healed” (cf. 1 Pet 2:24). This week,
as we follow Jesus along the way of the cross, may we imitate his loving obedience
to the will of the Father, especially in times of difficulty and humiliation, and
open our hearts to his gifts of reconciliation, redemption and new life.
There
were several groups of English-speaking pilgrims in the crowd, from countries including
England, Australia, Canada and the United States, for whom the Holy Father had greetings.
Pope Francis offered a particular welcome to the delegation from the NATO Defense
College, which is located in Rome and which hosts major international events as the
premier academic institution of the Treaty Organization.
Pope Francis will
lead the Holy Week liturgies and devotions in Rome, including the traditional Chrism
Mass on Holy Thursday morning, the Missa in coena Domini at the Centro Santa
Maria della Provvidenza – “Our Lady of Providence” – home for the elderly and
disabled on Thursday evening, the Passion service with the veneration of the Cross
on Good Friday afternoon, and the Way of the Cross on Good Friday evening at the Colosseum
in Rome, and the culminating celebration of the Sacred Triduum – the Easter Vigil
Mass – in St Peter’s Basilica, on the night between Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday
morning, when he will also give the traditional urbi et orbi blessing following Mass.