Vatican
City, 13 November 2013 (VIS) – In the catechesis of this
Wednesday's general audience, the Pope continued his reflection on
the articles of the Creed. This time he spoke about the only explicit
reference to a Sacrament in the profession of faith: “I believe in
one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins”. In effect, Baptism is the
“door” to faith and Christian life, and the mission of the
Church, following the mandate of the Risen Christ is “to evangelise
and to forgive the sins through Sacramental Baptism”. To better
explain this expression, the Pontiff divided it into three points: “I
believe”, “in one Baptism”, and “for the forgiveness of
sins”.
By
proclaiming “I believe”, said the Holy Father, “we affirm our
true identity as sons of God”. At the same time, “Baptism is
linked to our faith in the remission of sins. The Sacrament of
Penance or Confession is, indeed, like a 'second Baptism', which
always refers to the first to consolidate or renew it. In this sense,
the day of our Baptism is the beginning of a path of conversion which
lasts throughout our lives, and which is continually supported by the
Sacrament of Penance”. When we go to confess our weaknesses, our
sins, we ask Jesus Christ for forgiveness … but we also go to renew
our Baptism with this forgiveness. Confession is not a torture
chamber, it is a celebration of the day of Baptism”.
The
Pope described Baptism as “the act of birth of a Christian in the
Church”, and asked the participants in the audience to raise their
hands if, alongside their birthday, they remembered the date of their
Baptism. Since few hands were raised in St. Peter's Square, he set
those present the task of asking their parents or finding out when
they returned home, and urged them to celebrate it to commemorate the
act of birth into the Church.
The
Holy Father then considered the second element: one Baptism,
recalling that the word “baptism” literally means “immersion”.
“This sacrament”, he emphasised, “constitutes a true spiritual
immersion in the death of Christ, from which we emerge as new
creatures. It is a cleansing for regeneration and enlightenment.
Regeneration because it puts into effect the birth from the water and
the Spirit without which no-one may enter the kingdom of heaven, and
enlightenment since, through Baptism, the human person is filled with
the grace of Christ, 'the true light that gives light to everyone'
and dissipates the shadows of sin. By virtue of this gift, the
baptised is himself called to become 'light' to his brothers,
especially for those who find themselves in the shadows and do not
perceive any glimmer of light on the horizon of their lives”.
Finally,
Pope Francis turned to the forgiveness of sins. In the Sacrament of
Baptism “all sins are forgiven, original sin and all personal sins,
as well as all forms of punishment for sin. By Baptism we open the
door to a new form of life that is not oppressed by the weight of a
negative past, but instead already resonates with the beauty and
goodness of the Kingdom of Heaven. It is a powerful intervention of
God's mercy in our lives, for our salvation. But this salvific
intervention does not remove the weakness from our human nature; it
does not take away our responsibility to ask forgiveness whenever we
err”.
“And
I cannot be baptised twice, three times, four”, he continued,
speaking off the cuff, “but I can go to confession and when I do
so, I renew the grace of Baptism. It is as if it were a second
Baptism. The Lord Jesus, Who is so good, and Who never tires of
forgiving me. Listen! Baptism opens the door to the Church … but
when the door narrows a little because of our weaknesses or our sins,
confession helps us to open it because it is like a second Baptism,
which forgives us all and enlightens us, helping us to go ahead
joyfully in the light of the Lord. Because life is about living in
the joy of Jesus Christ and it is a grace from the Lord.
Following
the catechesis, during the customary greetings, the Pope
affectionately welcomed the relatives of the victims of the attack in
Nasiriyah, Iraq, ten years after the bombing of the Italian military
police headquarters in which twelve Carabinieri, five soldiers and
two Italian civilians were killed.