Church is a mother who guides her children says Pope Francis

Church is a mother who guides her children says Pope FrancisAddressing the thousands of pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square to hear his weekly address, Pope Francis began by noting that “In our catechesis, we have often noted that we do not become a Christian on our own, but by being born and nurtured in the faith in the midst of the People of God, that is the Church.” In his homely, he continued his catechesis on the Church, turning to the aspect of her maternity, of which the Virgin Mary is a model encouraging us to reach out to our brothers and sisters.
The Church is a "mother" that offers children the gospel and the grace of the sacraments, guiding them on the path of salvation and defend them against the dangers arising from the presence of Satan in the world, to bring them encounter with Jesus. “She nourishes and sustains us with the sacraments; she illuminates us with the light of the Gospel, orients us to the good, encourages us in moments of darkness and defends us from the snares of evil, exhorting us to vigilance so as not to succumb to its seductions.”
Pointing to the mother of Jesus, the Roman Pontiff explained that “The model of maternity for the Church is the Virgin Mary” who “in the fullness of time conceived through the Holy Spirit and gave birth to the Son of God.” “Her motherhood continues through the Church, who brings forth sons and daughters through baptism, whom she nourishes through the Word of God,” he said. “The birth of Jesus in the womb of Mary as firstborn of many brothers is a prelude of the new life that Christians receive in baptism.”
Going on, the Bishop of Rome observed how Jesus gave the Gospel to the Church in order to bring forth new life by generously proclaiming his word and winning other sons and daughters for God our Father. As a mother, he explained, the Church nurtures us throughout life by illuminating our path with the light of the Gospel and by sustaining us with the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist.
Concluding his address, Pope Francis explained that since we are all a part of the Church, we have the call to live this same spiritual, maternal attitude toward our brothers and sisters. “Let's not forget that in the Church we are all baptized, and that her maternity is also expressed in our ability to welcome, to forgive, and to install courage and hope.”
He then invited all present to invoke the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, praying that we can learn from her that tenderness which allows us to be witnesses of maternity of the Church. Following his reflections, the Roman Pontiff extended greetings to groups of pilgrims present from various countries around the world, including Ireland, Malta, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Canada, the United States, Cuba, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Colombia, etc.
More Missionaries News Updates

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

D G S Dhinakaran

Image
Dr.Duraisamy Geoffery Samuel Dhinakaran, was an Indian Evangelical Preacher and founder of the Jesus Calls Ministry, born on July 1, 1935 at Surandai in Tirunelveli District of Tamil Nadu, India. He attended St.John`s college, Palayamkottai and subsequently was awarded a Bachelor degree in Mathematics from Madras University in 1955. He had a very tough life being torn by the ailments of poverty and agony of unemployment. Unable to bear the agony of these problems, on February 11, 1955, Dr.D.G.S.Dhinakaran decided to put an end to his life. He started towards the nearest railway track in his village to throw himself before the speeding train when he was stopped by his uncle who introduced Jesus Christ. He experienced a sudden wave of divine peace and hope, flood his heart. His mind was transformed and he returned home enlightened. After this incident, things started happening in him supernaturally. There arose an unquenchable thirst in him to spend hours together poring over the lif...
More +

India Celebrates World Sunday School Day

Image
The "World Sunday School" was founded with a great challenge to save and shape the children community after seeing thousands and thousands of street children who neither go to school nor to Church by Serampore trio (William Carey, Joshua Marshman, and William Ward) in India at 1803. Every year first Sunday of November, the "World Sunday School Day", was observed by the Churches. The day is being observed to commemorate the day and its significant change of effective effects towards this modern world especially to the children of the Sunday School in nurturing their shape in way of how a good Christian by birth should adapt to grow in the society through the foot-steps of Christianity's religion principles.
More +

Charles Mead

Image
Rev.Charles Mead was the Father of the South Travancore Mission, born on 1st October 1792 at Bristol, Gloucester, England. He was brought up by his uncle Rev.John Hunt at Wakefield, Yorkshire, attended Gosport Missionary School and ordained at Chichester on 6th March 1816. According to the London Mission Society’s report, Rev.Charles Mead was nominated for Travancore as Rev.Ringeltaube’s successor. He married Rev.Hunt’s daughter. He left from England on 20th April, 1816 for Travancore and arrived at Madras on 28th August 1816 along with Rev.Richard Knill, who known as the pastor of the church at St Petersburg. He was received by Rev.Loveless, who was the first England missionary of Madras. Rev.Mead was detained a considerable time at Rev.Loveless’s house at Madras by his wife's ill-health and he studied Tamil. There after he gave early intimation of his arrival to Col.Munro and consulted him on various subjects related to the mission affairs and solicited help. After one year back,...
More +