During his weekly catechesis, the Pope reflected on the figure of the devil: “In order not to fall into the devil's deceptions, it is necessary to be vigilant, to examine, to discern every day. To this end, I invite you to pray frequently the hymn Veni Creator Spiritus, which says: 'Drive the enemy away from us, give us peace quickly, be our director and our guide, so that we may avoid all evil.'”
SUMMARY OF POPE FRANCIS' CATECHESIS IN ENGLISH:
Dear brothers and sisters:
In our catechesis on the Holy Spirit, we now turn to the Gospel account of Jesus’ temptations in the desert, which speaks to us of the reality of Satan, the tempter, but also the Lord’s sovereign power to set us free from his snares. The greatest proof of the existence of the devil is not to be found in the evidence of evil in our world, but in the lives and witness of the saints. By their efforts to growth in virtue and holiness, the saints testify to the sinister reality of the spirit of evil and the need to struggle against temptations to sin. The victory of the risen Lord over the power of evil and sin gives us sure hope that, by trusting in his word and strengthened by the grace of the Holy Spirit, we can overcome every temptation, experience purification in our hearts and grow in union with Christ.
I extend a warm welcome to the English-speaking pilgrims taking part in today’s Audience,especially the groups from England, Australia, India, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Canada and the United States. My special greeting goes to the new students of the Venerable English College, together with my prayers for their preparation for the priesthood. Upon all of you, and your families, I invoke the joy and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you!
