POPE FRANCIS GENERAL AUDIENCE: 'No one is excluded from God's mercy' (FULL TEXT: English)

Weekly General Audience: January 20, 2016

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

We listened to the biblical text that this year guides reflection in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity , which runs January 18 to 25: this week. This passage of the First Letter of St. Peter was chosen by an ecumenical group of Latvia, commissioned by the Council of Churches and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

At the center of the Lutheran Cathedral in Riga there is a baptismal font dating back to the twelfth century, to the time when Latvia was evangelized by St. Meinhard. That source is an eloquent sign of a source of faith recognized by all Christians of Latvia, Catholics, Lutherans and Orthodox. This origin is our common Baptism. The Second Vatican Council affirms that "Baptism is the sacramental bond of unity existing among all who through it are reborn" ( UR , 22). The First Letter of Peter is directed to the first generation of Christians to make them aware of the gift received in Baptism and the requirements it entails. We too, in this Week of Prayer, we are invited to rediscover this, and do it together, going beyond our divisions.

First, share Baptism means that we are all sinners and we need to be saved, redeemed, delivered from evil. And 'this the downside, which the First Letter of Peter calls "darkness" when he says: "[God] called you out of darkness to bring you into his marvelous light." This is the experience of death, Christ made his own, and that is symbolized in baptism from being immersed in water, and which follows the re-emergence, symbol of resurrection to new life in Christ. When we Christians say to share one baptism, we affirm that all of us - Catholics, Protestants and Orthodox - we share the experience of being called by darkness merciless and alienating encounter with the living God, full of mercy. All in fact, unfortunately, we experience egoism, which generates division, closing contempt. Starting again from baptism means rediscover the source of mercy, a source of hope for all, so no one is excluded from God's mercy.

Sharing this grace creates an unbreakable bond between us Christians, so that, by virtue of Baptism, we can consider all really brothers. We really holy people of God, even if, because of our sins, we are still a nation fully joined. The mercy of God, which works in Baptism, is stronger than our divisions. To the extent that we welcome the grace of mercy, we become ever more fully God's people, and become capable of proclaiming to all his wonderful works, starting from a simple and fraternal witness of unity. We Christians can announce to all the power of the Gospel and commit ourselves to share the spiritual and corporal works of mercy. And this is a concrete testimony of unity among Christians: Protestants, Orthodox, Catholics.

In conclusion, dear brothers and sisters, all of us Christians, by the grace of Baptism, we have received mercy from God and were greeted in his people. All, Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants, we form a royal priesthood and a holy nation. This means that we have a common mission, which is to transmit the received mercy to others, starting with the poorest and most abandoned. During this Week of Prayer, we pray that all of us disciples of Christ we find ways to work together to bring the mercy of God in every part of the earth.

Greetings:

Je les salue cordialement pčlerins de langue française, en particulier les jeunes venus de France.
Je vous invite ŕ vous unite ŕ la pričre de toute l'Église des Chrétiens pour l'unité, afin que nous trouvions les moyens de collaborer ensemble pour the porter miséricorde Pere par toute lands.
Que Dieu vous bénisse!

[ I cordially greet the French-speaking pilgrims, especially the young people who came from France. I invite you to join in the prayer of the whole Church for the unity of Christians, so that we can find ways to work together to bring the mercy of God in all the earth.
God bless you! ]

I greet the pilgrims and Inglese-speaking visitors taking part in today's Audience, including Those from New Zealand and the United States of America. In the context of this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, I offer a special greeting to the group from the Bossey Ecumenical Institute. Upon all of you, and your families, I invoke an abundance of joy and peace in our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you all!

[ greet the English-speaking pilgrims present at today's Audience, especially the groups from New Zealand and the United States of America. Within the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, I address a special greeting to the students of the Ecumenical Institute of Bossey. Upon all of you, and your families, I invoke the joy and peace of the Lord Jesus. God bless you! ]

Herzlich grüße ich die Pilger aus den Ländern deutscher Sprache. Gehen wir gemeinsam mit allen Christen auf dem Weg zur voran vollen Einheit, Indem wir uns mit ihnen im Gebet und in den Werken der Barmherzigkeit verbinden. Der Herr deliveries euch und eure Familien.

[ I cordially greet the pilgrims from German-speaking countries. Let us go forward together with all Christians on the path towards full unity, uniting in prayer and works of charity. The Lord bless you and your families. ]

Saludo cordially peregrinos los de lengua espańola, en particular a los grupos provenientes de Espańa y Latinoamérica. En esta semana de todos los que Oración pidamos Discípulos de Cristo encontremos el modo de colaborar juntos para llevar the mercy of God to fall Rincón de la tierra. Que Dios los bendiga.

Dirijo uma cordial saudaçăo aos peregrinos de aqui presentes Stones and accesories. Nesta Oraçăo pela Unidade de Semana dos Cristăos, imploremos to graça live os de nossos compromissos batismais, numa adesăo corn profunda or Rosto da Misericordia divine que é Jesus, and Nossa nossa esperança paz. Deus que vos abençoe!

[ I extend a cordial greeting to the Portuguese-speaking pilgrims present here. In this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, we invoke the grace to live our baptismal commitment in adherence to deeper Face of Divine Mercy, which is Jesus, our hope and our peace. God bless you! ]

أتوجه بتحية قلبية للحجاج الناطقين باللغة العربية, وخاصة القادمين من لبنان ومن سوريا ومن الشرق الأوسط. إن المعمودية تجعل منا أخوة حقا, أبناء للآب, وأخوة ليسوع, وهيكلا للروح القدس; وهي تذكرنابدعوتنا المشتركة في حمل ذات الخبر السار إلى جميع أقاصي الأرض. لنصل حتى يقودنا الروح القدس إلى الوحدة, ويدفعنا إلى حمل رحمة الآب إلى جميع أرجاء المسكونة. ليبارككم الرب ويحرسكم من الشرير!

[ I extend a cordial welcome to the pilgrims of the Arabic language, particularly those coming from Lebanon, Syria and the Middle East. Baptism makes us really brothers, sons of the Father, brothers of Jesus and the temple of the Spirit; It reminds us of our common vocation to bring the Good News to the ends of the Earth. We pray that the Holy Spirit will guide us to unity and spur us to bring the mercy of God in every part of the earth. The Lord bless you and protect you from the evil one! ]

Serdeczne pozdrowienie kieruję do polskich pielgrzymów. Moi drodzy, podczas tego tygodnia Modlitwy or Jedność chrześcijan prośmy Chrystusa, abyśmy Wszyscy, jako Jego uczniowie świadomi zakorzenienia w Jego miłości przez sakrament chrztu, znaleźli sposób współpracy, aby nieść miłosierdzie Ojca, az little krańce świata. Niech wam Bóg błogosławi!

[ I extend a cordial greeting to Polish pilgrims. Dear friends, in this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity we ask Christ that all of us, as His disciples, aware of being rooted in his love through the sacrament of baptism, we find ways to work together to bring the mercy of the Father up to ends of the earth. God bless you! ]

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I extend a cordial welcome to the Italian-speaking pilgrims. I greet in particular the members of Penelope, the Company Delta and Confesercenti. I greet the parish groups, the boys Ugandan Movement Africa Mission and students of the Ecumenical University of Bossey in study visit to Rome. To all we express the hope that the celebration of the Jubilee, through the Holy Door, convert our hearts and open them to the love for God and neighbor.

A special thought to the young, the sick and newlyweds. The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity reminds us that all believers in Christ through Baptism, are part of God's people. Dear young people, pray that all Christians may become more and more one big family; Dear sick people, offer your sufferings for the cause of unity of the Church of Christ; and you, dear newlyweds, cultivated the merciful love and free as what God has for us.