Pope's general audience of May 14
May 14, 2014 - Pope Francis held his weekly general audience in the Vatican on Wednesday,
dedicating his catechesis to Fortitude, one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.
The weekly 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
May 14th in Rome’s St. Peter’s Square began with aides reading a passage
from the Book of Psalms. 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: In our continuing catechesis on the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, we now turn to the gift of fortitude. We have seen that the first three gifts of the Spirit – wisdom, understanding and counsel – enable us to contemplate God’s loving plan and to know his will. Through the gift of fortitude, we receive the strength to do God’s will in spite of our own natural weakness and limitations. In the parable of the sower and the seed, Jesus teaches us that the seed of God’s word sown in our hearts can encounter not only interior resistance, but also be choked by life’s sufferings and trials. Through the gift of fortitude, the Holy Spirit enables us to remain faithful amid every difficulty and – as the experience of so many Christians around the world shows – even amid persecution and martyrdom. For most of us, the gift of fortitude is exercised in our patient pursuit of holiness in the circumstances of our daily lives. Whenever we feel weary or discouraged along the journey of faith, let us ask the Holy Spirit to grant us the gift of fortitude, to refresh us and to guide our steps with renewed enthusiasm.
Pope Francis then greeted the English-speaking pilgrims in Italian.
Listen:
… I greet all the English-speaking pilgrims taking part in today’s Audience, including those from England and Wales, Sweden, Denmark, India, the Philippines, China, Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Canada and the United States. Upon all of you, and upon your families, I invoke the joy and peace of the Risen Lord. God bless you all! (BLESSING)
| All the contents on this site are copyrighted ©. |