In his homily at Casa Santa Marta, the Pope spoke about the power of the Holy Spirit in negotiations and reconciliation. He said that Christians in the Church should look for 'the path of prayer and dialogueâ? without encouraging betrayals and internal 'alliances.â?
POPE FRANCIS
'A Church where there are never problems of this type makes me think that the Holy Spirit is not very present within it. And a Church where its people are always arguing and there are lobbies and people are betraying their brothers and sisters, is a Church where there is no Holy Spirit! Itâ??s the Spirit which creates change, which creates the momentum for going ahead, that creates new spaces, that creates that wisdom which Jesus promised: â??It will teach you!â?? This moves things but is also what at the end creates the harmonious unity between everyone.â?
Pope Francis stressed the unifying role of the Holy Spirit. He remembered during the Mass Our Lady of Lujan, because it is the patron saint of Argentina's feast day.
EXCERPTS FROM THE POPE'S HOMILY
(Source: Vatican Radio)
'How do they resolve this problem? They hold a meeting and each person gives his opinion, his views. They discuss this issue but like brothers and sisters and not like enemies. They donâ??t form external lobbies in order to win, they donâ??t go to the civil authorities in order to win and they donâ??t kill in order to triumph. They seek the path of prayer and dialogue. Those who had opposing views have a dialogue with the other side and they reach an agreement. This is the work of the Holy Spirit.â?
'A Church where there are never problems of this type makes me think that the Holy Spirit is not very present within it. And a Church where its people are always arguing and there are lobbies and people are betraying their brothers and sisters, is a Church where there is no Holy Spirit! Itâ??s the Spirit which creates change, which creates the momentum for going ahead, that creates new spaces, that creates that wisdom which Jesus promised: â??It will teach you!â?? This moves things but is also what at the end creates the harmonious unity between everyone.â?
'Thatâ??s what this Reading teaches us today, it teaches us about the first ecumenical Council. It appears fine both to the Spirit and to usâ?¦.this is the formula used when the Spirit makes everybody reach agreement. Let us now continue the Eucharistic celebration and let us ask our Lord Jesus who will be present among us to always send the Holy Spirit to us, to each one of us. May he send it to the Church and may the Church always know how to be faithful to the movement that the Holy Spirit creates.â?
UP: FV
