Home Pope Francis Pope at Audience: a pure heart sees God

Pope at Audience: a pure heart sees God

by Vatican News

Pope Francis focuses the catechesis of his General Audience on the sixth Beatitude, which promises that those with a pure heart will see God.

The sixth Beatitude promises that those with a pure heart will see God. Pope Francis began his catechesis explaining that anyone who seeks the face of God shows the desire for a “personal relationship” with Him.

Like the disciples at Emmaus, “blindness” comes from a foolish and slow heart, said the Pope. In this case, “one sees things clouded”, he added.  

The Lord opens the disciples’ eyes at the end of their journey, which culminates in the breaking of the bread.

 “Here lies the wisdom of this Beatitude”, said the Pope. “To be able to contemplate it, it is necessary to look deep within our hearts and make space for God”.

To see God it is not necessary to change our glasses or the place from which we are looking. Our heart needs to be liberated from its own deceit. When we realize that our worst enemy is often hidden within our own hearts, this is a decisive maturation process. That is the most noble battle against the interior deceptions generated by our sins.

To understand what “purity of heart” is, we must recall that in the Bible, “the heart does not consist solely in sentiments”. It is the “most intimate” part of the human being: “the interior space where a person is him or herself”, said the Pope.

 The ‘pure of heart’ are not born that way. They have “lived an interior simplification, learning to renounce evil in itself”. The Bible calls this process “circumcision of the heart”, said the Pope. It is an inner purification that implies recognising the part of the heart which is under the influence of evil. This helps us to be led by the Holy Spirit, “through this journey of the heart to ‘see God’”.

Pope Francis – General Audience 2020-04-01. From the Library of the Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father’s General Audie

In this beatific vision there is a future dimension: “the joy of the Kingdom of Heaven”, said the Pope. But there is also another, he continued: 

“To see God means discerning the designs of Providence in what happens, recognising His presence in the Sacraments, in our brothers and sisters, above all the poor and suffering, and to recognise God where He manifests Himself”.

A lifelong path of liberation begins in the furrow of the Beatitudes. This path is the Holy Spirit’s work, God’s work, when we give Him space.

“We are not afraid”, concluded the Pope. “Let us open the doors of our hearts to the Holy Spirit so that He may purify us and lead us on this journey towards joy and peace”.

Pope Francis’ General Audience: English summary

Dear Brothers and Sisters: In our continuing catechesis on the Beatitudes, we now turn to the sixth Beatitude, which promises that the pure of heart will see God.  To see God means having a personal relationship with him.  This requires looking deep within our hearts and making space for him; as Saint Augustine put it: “You were more inward to me than my most inward part” (Confessions, III, 6, 11).  Yet often our hearts are slow and foolish, like those of the disciples on the road to Emmaus, who at first failed to recognize Jesus by their side.  To see God, then, requires a process of purification, whereby our hearts are freed from the sin which blinds us to his presence.  This entails renouncing evil and allowing the Holy Spirit to instruct and guide us. A further aspect to seeing God is recognizing him in creation, in the Church’s sacraments, and in our brothers and sisters, especially the poorest and most in need.  If we let God purify our hearts he will lead us ultimately to the beatific vision where we will enjoy the fullness of joy and peace in the Kingdom of Heaven.

I cordially greet the faithful, in particular, those groups who planned to be present today. I thank you and encourage you to always live our faith enthusiastically and not to lose hope in Jesus, even in difficult moments. 

Finally, i greet the young, the sick, the elderly, newlyweds. May this last part of Lent which we are living favor a proper preparation for the celebration of Easter, leading each person to a more felt closeness to Christ. May God bless you!

Your contribution help us to continue with our mission
God Bless You!

 

Digital Missioners Donations

 

 

 

Related Articles

Leave a comment