Francis dedicates the reflection at the general audience to the theme of “spiritual struggle”: the life of a Christian consists of challenges and trials, but it is possible to overcome temptations and move towards holiness by counting on the “infinite mercy of God the Father “
Adriana Masotti – Vatican City
“Spiritual Struggle” is the title of the catechesis at the general audience this Wednesday in the Paul VI Hall, the second of the new cycle dedicated to the theme of vices and virtues. It concerns every Christian, says Pope Francis, because his spiritual life “is not peaceful, linear and without challenges, but on the contrary requires a constant struggle.” At baptism, the unfragranced anointing of the catechumen accurately indicates that “the Christian is not spared the battle” and that “he must enter the arena.” In ancient times, the body of wrestlers was anointed, the Pope emphasizes. Life is a series of trials:
The saints are not people who have been spared from temptations, but people who are aware of the fact that the temptations of evil continually arise in life, need to be exposed and rejected, and we all have the experience of this, all of us . That a bad thought comes to you, that you feel the desire to do this, or to speak ill of something else… we are all tempted and we must fight not to succumb to these temptations. If any of you feel no temptation, tell me, won't you? Because it would be something extraordinary.
In the general audience in the Paul VI Hall, the Pope's plea for the hotbeds of armed destruction in the world can still be heard. In particular, the Pope recalls Palestine, …
The risk of feeling “OK.”
The Pope continues to warn against feeling “good,” recalling a saying by the East Syrian Christian mystic and bishop Isaac of Nineveh, according to which “in the Church, the one who knows his own sins and mourns them is greater than the one who who resurrects them “dead”. Francesco spontaneously adds:
Often it happens that we go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation and say: “With sincerity, isn't it?” – “But, Father, I don't remember, I don't know, one sin, some sins”: but that is one Lack of knowledge about what is happening in the heart. We are all sinners, all of us. And a little self-examination, a little introversion will do us some good, right? (…) We must all ask God for the grace to recognize ourselves as poor sinners in need of repentance and keep in our hearts the confidence that no sin is too great for the infinite mercy of God the Father.
“Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John to be baptized by him. But John wanted to stop him and said: “I am the one who needs to be baptized by you, and you come to me?”
Christ stands with us all
“Mercy is the first lesson that Jesus gives us,” notes Pope Francis. By undergoing the purification rite performed by the Baptist, he tells us that he is a Messiah who is different from what people imagined him to be and continues:
Jesus never leaves us alone, never! Think about it carefully. “Oh, Father, I have made some great ones!” – “But Jesus understands you and accompanies you: He understands your sin and forgives it”: Never forget that. In the worst moments, in the moments when we fall into sin, Jesus is at our side to help us lift ourselves up. That gives comfort. We must not lose this idea, this reality: Jesus is at our side to help us, to protect us and to lift us up after sin.
Believers and pilgrims in the Paul VI Hall
Jesus never forgets to forgive
The Pope reiterates that Jesus “came to forgive, to save,” he just wants us to open our hearts to the one who doesn’t never forgets to forgive, while “we often lose the ability to ask for forgiveness”. Francis further explains:
Each of us has many things for which we need to ask forgiveness: each of us thinks about it within ourselves, and today you are talking to Jesus. You talk to Jesus about this: “Lord, I don’t know if this is true or not, but I have the ability to stop You from turning away from me. I have the ability for you to forgive me. Lord, I am a sinner, a sinner, but please don't turn away. That would be a nice prayer to Jesus today: “Lord, do not depart from me.”
Francis holds a child in his arms as he greets the faithful present at the audience
It is possible to open yourself to God and move toward holiness
It is important, the Pope continued, to recognize that “we are always torn between opposite extremes,” between pride and humility, between hatred and charity, but that through spiritual struggle it is possible to recognize our vices and to turn to the virtues:
Christians go to this ridge all the time. Therefore, it is important to reflect on vices and virtues: it helps us overcome the nihilistic culture in which the lines between good and evil remain blurred, while reminding us that humans, unlike any other creature, can always go beyond yourself, open yourself to God and move towards holiness.