Live as children of God, Pope tells audience

April 10, 2013

All Christian faith is based on the death and resurrection of Jesus, “just like a house is built on its foundations,” Pope Francis told his weekly audience on April 10. “If those give way, the whole house topples.”

The Pope reminded his Wednesday audience that through Baptism, “We are freed from the bondage of sin and become children of God.” He urged his listeners to absorb the reality of that new relationship: “God treats us as children, understands us, forgives us, embraces us, loves us, even when we make mistakes.”

However, the Pope continued, this close relationship with God “must be nourished every day” by prayer and the sacraments. “The temptation to leave God aside and put ourselves in the center is always at the door,” he said. The Holy Father said that the faithful must avoid the trap of thinking that they can gain freedom by living for themselves. “It is just the opposite,” he said. “Only by living as children of God, without being discouraged by our missteps or by our sins, feeling loved by him will our lives be new, inspired by serenity and joy.”

“Being a Christian cannot be reduced to following commands but means being in Christ, thinking like him, acting like him, loving like him,” the Pope said.

Before his remarks to the weekly public audience, the Pope followed what has now become his regular pattern, arriving in St. Peter’s Square in the “popemobile” to circle through the crowd, greeting people, before taking his place in front of the basilica. After his address he spent some time greeting handicapped people and newlyweds.

 

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Further information:

• Pope: Being Adopted Children of God Is Greatest Gift of Paschal Mystery (VIS)
• Full text of audience (Vatican Radio)