“Then, having removed almost all the obligations associated with the law, and conveying the final decision made by the ‘Holy Spirit and us,’ they wrote this (cf. Acts 15:28),” he said. continued.
“This is the usual behavior of the apostles,” he emphasized. “We listen to the Spirit together, undivided, despite our different sensitivities and opinions.”
Pope Francis asked everyone to think about whether they pray to the Holy Spirit often in their prayers, or whether they speak only to Jesus and the Father, or to the Virgin Mary and the saints.
“As a church, we can have a well-defined time and space, well-organized communities, institutions and movements, but without the Spirit everything remains soulless,” he said. “Organization…is not enough. It is the Spirit that gives life to the church.”
“If the Church does not pray to Him and call on Him, she will withdraw to herself, amidst barren and exhausting debates, tedious polarization, while the flames of her mission are extinguished,” he said. Added.
The Pope said it was sad to see the church run as if it were just a parliament. In reality, the church is a community of people who believe and proclaim Jesus Christ not for their own reasons, but guided by the Holy Spirit.
“The Spirit prompts us to go out and proclaim our faith to affirm ourselves in it and to go on a mission to discover who we are,” he said. “That is why the Apostle Paul exhorts us not to quench the Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:19).
“Pray to the Spirit often. Call on Him. Ask Him to kindle His Light in us daily,” he urged. “Let us do this before we meet, so that we may become apostles of Jesus with those we meet.”
Hannah Brockhouse is Senior Rome Correspondent for The Catholic News Agency. She grew up in Omaha, Nebraska and has a degree in English from Truman State University in Missouri.