Pope's General Audience: God is our Strength, God is our Hope

April 10, 2013. (Romereports.com)-During Wednesday's general audience, Pope Francis continued his catechesis on faith. He explained that Christianity is not just about following the ten commandments, but about being transformed by the love, grace and hope of God.

With more than 30,000 people gathered in St. Peter's Square, the Pope explained that faith needs to be cared for and nourished on a daily basis, through reflection, prayer, charity and the Sacraments.

CATECHESIS IN ENGLISH:

“In our continuing catechesis on the Creed during this Year of Faith, we now consider the meaning of Christ’s resurrection for us and for our salvation.  The Lord’s death and resurrection are the foundation of our faith; by his triumph over sin and death, Christ has opened for us the way to new life.

Reborn in Baptism, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and become God’s adoptive sons and daughters.  God is now our Father: he treats us as his beloved children; he understands us, forgives us, embraces us, and loves us even when we go astray.

Christianity is not simply a matter of following commandments; it is about living a new life, being in Christ, thinking and acting like Christ, and being transformed by the love of Christ!

But this new life needs to be nourished daily by hearing God’s word, prayer, sharing in the sacraments, especially Penance and the Eucharist, and the exercise of charity.  God must be the center of our lives!

By our daily witness to the freedom, joy and hope born of Christ’s victory over sin and death, we also offer a precious service to our world, helping our brothers and sisters to lift their gaze heavenward, to the God of our salvation.”