[Kd1871-covenant-solidarity] Our Holy Father teaching and practizing Covenant Solidarity...

[maria fischer]

*THE CHARISMS ARE A WAY OF GROWING IN FAITH*

Vatican City, 6 November 2013 (VIS) -- The communion of holy persons who 
grow through participation in spiritual goods, and above all the 
Sacraments, the charisms and charity, was the theme of Pope Francis' 
catechesis during today's general audience.

In the Sacraments, each one of us is "incorporated in Christ and united 
with the entire community of believers. Therefore, if one the one hand 
there is the Church who 'makes' the Sacraments, on the other there are 
the Sacraments which 'make' the Church, edifying her, generating new 
sons, and joining them to the holy people of God". Furthermore, "the 
Sacraments offer us the impetus to become missionaries, and the 
apostolic commitment to taking the faith to all places, even the most 
hostile, is the most authentic fruit of a steadfast sacramental life, 
inasmuch as it constitutes participation in God's salvific plan, which 
aims at bringing salvation to all".

The second aspect of communion in holy things is the communion of 
charisms. "The Holy Spirit dispenses a multitude of gifts and spiritual 
graces to the faithful ... for the edification of the Church", explained 
the Pope. "Therefore, they are not given for the benefit of the 
recipient, but for use by the people of God. ... The charisms are 
particular graces, given to some for the good of many others", and "they 
are born in the conscience and experience of certain persons, called to 
put their gifts at the service of the community. In particular, these 
spiritual gifts are are of benefit to the sanctity of the Church and her 
mission".

Charity is the third aspect of this communion with spiritual goods. "The 
charisms are important in the life of the Christian community, but they 
are always means of growing in charity, which St. Paul places above the 
charisms. Without love", Pope Francis emphasised, "even the most 
extraordinary gifts are in vain, while the smallest of our gestures of 
love brings good to all. ... This brotherly solidarity is not a 
rhetorical figure, a figure of speech, but rather an integral part of 
communion between Christians. If we live this solidarity, we are a sign 
to the world, a 'sacrament' of God's love".

"This is not that easy charity that we offer between ourselves, but 
instead something deeper: it is a communion that makes us able to enter 
into the joy and the pain of others in order to sincerely make them our 
own. And often we are too arid, indifferent and detached, and instead of 
transmitting brotherliness, we transmit ill-humour, coldness and 
selfishness. And with ill-humour, coldness and selfishness, one cannot 
help the Church to grow; the Church grows only with the love that comes 
from the Holy Spirit".

"And I would now like to ask of you an act of charity", said the Holy 
Father to the tens of thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter's 
Square, and added jokingly, "Don't worry! It's not a collection! Before 
coming to the Square, I went to see a seriously ill child aged just one 
and a half. Her mother and father pray and implore the Lord to cure 
their daughter. She is called Noemi and she smiled, poor girl. Let us 
carry out an act of love; we do not know her but she is a baptized 
child, she is one of us, a Christian. Let us ask the Lord to help her in 
this moment and to give her health: first in silence, and then let us 
pray the Hail Mary".

Silence fell over the square for a moment, after which the Pope said, 
"And now let us pray together to the Virgin for the health of Noemi. ... 
Thank you for this act of charity", he concluded, after more than fifty 
thousand people recited the Hail Mary in unison.

Don`t miss...
http://www.schoenstatt.org/en/schoenstatt-news/francis-for-the-pilgrims-2014.htm

And tell us your story with Francis` words to the pilgrims 2014...

Greetings in Covenant Solidarity,

maria


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