The Church, defined in Vatican Council II as the People of God, was the topic of Pope Francis’ catechesis during the Wednesday general audience. The Holy Father explained the concept of the People of God through a series of questions: “What does it mean to be the People of God? How does one become a member of this people? What is its law, its mission, and its goal?”
To be the People of God, the Bishop of Rome said, “first of all means that God doesn’t belong to any particular people because He is the one who calls us … and this invitation is addressed to all, without distinction, because God’s mercy ‘wills everyone to be saved’.
What is the law of the people of God? “It is the law of love, love for God and love for neighbour … which isn’t a sterile sentimentalism or something vague, but is the recognition of God as the one Lord of life and, at the same time, welcoming others as true brothers and sisters … the two go hand in hand.
“This people’s mission,” the Pope continued, “to to bring God’s hope and salvation to the world: to be a sign of the love of God who calls all to friendship with him … It is enough to open a newspaper to see that the presence of evil is around us, that the Devil is at work. But I want to say out loud: God is stronger! … Let’s all say it together … God is stronger! And I want to add that reality, which at times is dark and marked by evil, can change if we first bring to it the light of the Gospel, above all with our lives. If, in a stadium … on a dark night, one person lights a light, it can barely be seen. But, if over 70,000 spectators each light their own light, then the stadium lights up. Let us make our lives the light of Christ. Together we will bring the light of the Gospel to all of reality.”