Pope: Pray as a Family! Keep the faith by sharing it

Pope Francis: Jesus continues to pray and intercede for us

(Vatican Radio) At the center of Pope Francis’ homily on Monday morning was the passage from the Gospel of Luke during which Jesus remained in prayer throughout the whole night before choosing the twelve apostles, and he pointed out that Jesus continues to pray and to intercede for us.


Speaking to those gathered at Casa Santa Marta for Mass, the Pope said that by praying to God to choose his apostles, Jesus was “putting together his team together” – and afterwards a great number of people came to be with Him and to be healed by Him, because “power was coming Him and healing them all”. And he referred to three different rapports Jesus has: “Jesus and the Father, Jesus and his Apostles, Jesus and the people”. And the Pope pointed out that “Jesus prayed to the Father for the Apostles and for the people”. And he said: he is still praying.

Jesus has saved us, he said, with his prayers, with his sacrifice, with his life. He is gone now and he continues to pray – the Pope said – but does that mean that Jesus is a spirit? Jesus – he underlined – is not a spirit! He is a person, a man with flesh like our flesh, but in the glory of God. He said Jesus has wounds on his hands, on his feet and on his side. And when he prays he shows the Father the price of our salvation. Pope Francis said: “it is as if he is saying: Father, may this not be lost!”

So prayer stems from Jesus who prays and intercede for us.

“We often say to each other: pray for me. I need prayers. I have so many problems”. And that is good – Francis pointed out – “because we are brothers and we must pray for each other”.

And the Pope says he prays to Jesus to pray for him and intercede for him.

He concluded saying that He prays for all of us, and he does so courageously, showing the Father the price of our redemption: his wounds.

We must think about this – concluded the Pope – and we must thank the Lord. We must thank him for giving us a brother who prays for us and intercedes for us. And speaking to Jesus we must say: “Lord, you have saved me. And now pray for me”. “It is to him we must entrust our problems, our life and many other things so that He may take them to the Father”.

Pope Francis: Catholic media to be professional, in service to Church

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Monday met with the staff of Vatican Television Centre (CTV) as it continues to mark its 30^th anniversary.

He commended them for their professionalism, and said they “must not flinch” as they tackle the technological challenges of the present age. He also reminded them to not lose sight of their Christian duties in their work.

“Play like a team,” said Pope Francis. “The effectiveness of the pastoral work of communications is possible by creating bonds, by coming together around shared projects on a number of subjects: a unity of planning and resources. We know this is not easy, but if we work together like a team everything becomes easier, and more importantly, this style of your work will also be a witness of communion.”

The Pope’s second point was to be professional in the service of the Church.

“Your work is high quality, and it has to be given the task you have been assigned,” said Pope Francis. “But professionalism for you is always in service to the Church , in everything: in filming , directing , in your editorial choices, administration ... Everything can be done with a style, a perspective, that is that of the Church, that of the Holy See”

Pope Francis also gave a special thanks to the families of the staff, “whose schedules are often dictated by the agenda and commitments of the Pope.”

“It is not a small sacrifice…and for this not only am I grateful, but I assure you all of my prayers, especially for your children,” he said.

Pope Francis on the family: an inestimable and irreplacable good

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis celebrated Mass in St Peter's Square on Sunday, October 27th, 2013, to mark the 30th Sunday of Ordinary Time and the World Family Day at the close of the 21st Plenary Assembly of the Pontifical Council for the Family, which met in Rome this past week to reflect on the theme of living the joy of the Faith. In his homily, the Holy Father spoke of the Christian family as an institution that prays, keeps faith, and experiences joy.
Over 100 thousand people were in St Peter’s Square on Sunday morning under a late October sky that was at first overcast and threatening before giving way during the course of Mass to brilliant sunshine. In his homily, Pope Francis challenged families to pray together:. “It is,” he said, “a matter of humility: of realizing that we need God.” The Holy Father went on to call families to lives of Christian witness, asking them to model their lives on St the example of St. Paul, who kept the faith by sharing it. “ Christian families are missionary families,” said Pope Francis, “in their everyday life, in their doing everyday things, as they bring to everything the salt and the leaven of faith!”

Pope Francis concluded his homily with a reflection on the joy of living as a Christian family. He said, “The family which experiences the joy of faith communicates it naturally.” He went on to say, “That family is the salt of the earth and the light of the world, it is the leaven of society.”

After Mass, before reciting the Angelus with the gathered faithful, the Holy Father paused before an icon of the Holy Family that was placed on the steps of the Basilica, and recited a prayer composed for the occasion: “Holy Family of Nazareth,” he prayed, “reawaken in our society the awareness of the sacred and inviolable character of the family, an inestimable and irreplaceable good. Let every family be a welcoming place of goodness and peace for children and the elderly, for the sick and lonely, for the poor and needy.”