Vatican City ( AsiaNews) - The Catholic Church is " apostolic " because it is founded on the preaching and prayer of the apostles and authority given to them by Christ himself, it is because it preserves and transmits the teaching transmitted by the Apostles, the Sacred Scripture and sacraments, and it is sent to bring the Gospel to all the world , continuing the mission that Jesus entrusted to the apostles .
Pope Francis also dedicated
today's general audience to the words of "The Creed " dedicated to
the Church , in particular the meaning of the term " apostolic " . More
than 70 thousand people were present in St Peter's Square , among which he
toured in his jeep , blessing people and religious objects and kissing babies.
Near the colonnade he even got out of the jeep to greet a group of young people
up close and put on a helmet fire gifted him by some firefighters .
To say that the Church is Apostolic, in the words of the Pope, "means that
it has the necessary link with the apostles, with that small group of twelve
men whom Jesus called to him one day , he called them by name, to remain with
him and to send them out to preach . "
But the Church , which " has its roots in the teaching of the apostles,
true witnesses of Christ," " always looks to the future, has the firm
awareness of being sent , sent by Jesus to be a missionary Church , carrying the
name of Jesus, with prayer, proclamation and witness . A Church that is closed
in on itself and in the past or a Church that only looks at the little rules of
habit, of attitudes is a Church that betrays its identity. A closed Church
betrays its own identity . "
"Apostle ", in fact , is a Greek word which means
"mandated", "sent " . An apostle is one who is sent, sent
to do something. It is a strong word , and the Apostles were chosen, called and
sent by Jesus to continue his work , namely, pray. This is the primary task of
an apostle . Prayer. And, second: to proclaim the Gospel. "
"And when we think of the successors of the apostles - the bishops; the
bishops , the Pope is Bishop - we must ask ourselves if this successor of the
apostle prays - first - and proclaims the Gospel . This, is to be an apostle ,
and for this reason the Church is Apostolic . " "This is the
Apostolic Church . It is a constitutive relationship that we have with the
apostles ."
Pope Francis then stressed three meanings of the adjective "Apostolic
" as applied to the Church.
"First : The Church is apostolic because she is founded on prayer and
preaching of the Apostles, on the authority that was given to them by Christ himself."
" The apostles lived with Jesus , heard his words , they shared his life ,
above all were witnesses to his death and resurrection. Our faith , the Church
that Christ willed , is not based on an idea, it is not is based on a
philosophy : it is based on Christ himself . The Church also is like a plant
that has grown over the centuries , it has developed , has borne fruit , but
its roots are firmly planted in Him and the fundamental experience of Christ which
the Apostles, chosen and sent by Jesus, had - comes to us : from the tiny plant
to these days. This is, the Church , for the whole world . "
" But let us ask : how is it possible for us to connect with that
testimony , as it may come down to us what have they experienced the Apostles
with Jesus , what have they heard from Him? Here is the second meaning of the
term "Apostolic . " The Catechism of the Church states that the
Catholic Church is apostolic because it " keeps and, with
the help of the Spirit dwelling in her, the Church keeps and hands on the
teaching, the "good deposit," the salutary words she has
heard from the apostles"
(No. 857 .) down through the centuries the Church has kept this precious
treasure , which is the Holy Scripture , the doctrine , the sacraments , the
ministry of pastors , so that we can be faithful to Christ and share in His
life. It 's like a river flowing through history, that develops, irrigates, but
the water flowing is always the one that starts from the source , and the
source is Christ himself : He is risen , He is the Living One, and His words do
not pass. Because He does not pass, He is alive , He today is among us , here .
He hears us when we talk to Him, listens to us , He is in our hearts : Jesus is
with us today . "
"One last thought : the Church is apostolic because it is sent to take the
Gospel to the whole world . It continues on the path of history, the same
mission that Jesus entrusted to the apostles ." "I insist on this
aspect of missionary activity, since Christ invites everyone to ' go ' out to
others, sends us , asking us to move to bring the joy of the Gospel. Once again
let us ask ourselves: are we missionaries with our words , but especially with our
Christian life ? With our testimony? Or are we Christians locked in our hearts
and in our churches? Sacristy Christians ? Christians who only talk the talk ,
but live like pagans ? We must ask ourselves these things! This is not a rebuke
. I too, ask myself am I a Christian ? With my witness, really? " .
"The Church has its roots in the teaching of the Apostles, true witnesses
of Christ, but always looking to the future, she is firm in the knowledge she is
being sent , sent by Jesus to be missionary, carrying the name of Jesus,
through prayer, proclamation and witness. " "So, today we discover
all the beauty and the responsibility of being an Apostolic Church ! And remember
, huh? : Apostolic because we pray - our first task - and because we proclaim
the Gospel with our lives and also with words ."