Pope Francis in Turkey: “When we try to create diversity, but are closed within our own particular and exclusive ways of seeing things, we create division. Beware of what prevents us from understanding others... The solution for all problems is the Holy Spirits unifying power. The temptation is always within us to resist the Holy Spirit. We resist because he takes us out of our comfort zone & unsettles us; he makes us get up and drives the Church forward. It is always easier & more comfortable to settle in our sedentary & unchanging ways. Our defensiveness is evident when we are entrenched within our ideas & our own strengths. When we are ambitious or vain, defensive mechanisms prevent us from truly understanding other people & opening ourselves to sincere dialogue with them. The more we allow ourselves to be humbly guided by the Spirit of the Lord, the more we will overcome misunderstandings, divisions, & disagreements & be a credible sign of unity & peace. The Church shows her fidelity to the Holy Spirit -not trying to control or tame him. When Christians become true missionary disciples, we are able to challenge consciences, as long as we have thrown off our defensiveness and allow ourselves to be led. The Spirit’s “freshness, imagination & newness,” makes this possible. The Holy Spirit is the soul of the Church. He gives life, brings forth different charisms which enrich the people of God & creates unity among believers. The Church’s whole life & mission depend on the Holy Spirit, for “he fulfills all things. When the Spirit takes hold when we pray, it is because the Holy Spirit inspires prayer in our heart, he also does more. “When we break the cycle of our self-centeredness & move beyond ourselves & go out to encounter others, to listen to them & help them, it is the Spirit of God who impels us to do so. Moreover, when we find within a hitherto unknown ability to forgive, to love someone who doesnt love us in return, it is the Spirit who has taken hold of us. When we move beyond mere self-serving words & turn to our brothers & sisters with that tenderness which warms the heart. At such times, we have been touched by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit brings forth different charisms in the Church, which at first glance, may seem to create disorder but, in reality, create unity -the unity the Father has desired among all believers. After Mass, Pope Francis & Ecumenical Patriach Bartholomew gave a joint blessing. The blessing was welcomed with cheers & loud applause, as was the Patriarch’s entrance to the cathedral.
Posted on: Sun, 30 Nov 2014 03:31:00 +0000
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