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Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - "Today we can value the most important prerogative for us that is proclaimed in the article of the Creed, namely that the Holy Spirit is “life-giving”, the “giver of life”, said Pope Francis at the general audience in his catechesis on the action of the Holy Spirit in the Church. Looking back at the history of the first Councils, the Pope points out that in the first three centuries the Church "did not feel the need to give an explicit formulation of her faith in the Holy Spirit." He cites the oldest "Creed", the so-called Symbol of the Apostles, as an example. "It was heresy that drove the Church to define this faith." The process began with Saint Athanasius in the fourth century, and “it was precisely the experience she had of the sanctifying and divinizing action of the Holy Spirit that led the Church to the certainty of the full divinity of the Holy Spirit,” which culminated in the Ecumenical Council of Constantinople in 381. “The Council definition was not a point of arrival, but of departure. And indeed, once the historical reasons that had obstructed a more explicit affirmation of the divinity of the Holy Spirit had been overcome, this was confidently proclaimed in the worship of the Church and in her theology," continued Pope Francis, who recalled how the Latin expression relating to this article of the Creed, “Filioque,” "gave rise to the dispute known by this name, which has been the reason (or pretext) for so many disputes and divisions between the Church of the East and the Church of the West." Today, "in the climate of dialogue established between the two Churches, has lost the acrimony of the past and today allows us to hope for full mutual acceptance, as one of the main “reconciled differences”." "I like to say this," continued the Pope, “reconciled differences”. Among Christians there are many differences: he belongs to this school, that other one; this person is a Protestant, that person… The important thing is that these differences are reconciled, in the love of walking together." "Today we can value the most important prerogative for us that is proclaimed in the article of the Creed, namely that the Holy Spirit is “life-giving”. The great and comforting news for us Christians today is that "the life given to us by the Holy Spirit is eternal life! Faith frees us from the horror of having to admit that everything ends here, that there is no redemption for the suffering and injustice that reign sovereign on earth". " Let us cultivate this faith also for those who, often through no fault of their own, are deprived of it and are unable to give meaning to life. And let us not forget to thank Him, who with His death, obtained this inestimable gift for us!", Pope Francis concluded. Before the final blessing, Pope Francis renewed his appeal for peace in the world: "Let us not forget the countries that are at war, let us not forget the tormented Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Myanmar. Brothers and sisters, let us not forget that war is always, always a defeat. Let us not forget this and let us pray for peace and fight for peace". (F.B.) (Agenzia Fides, 16/10/2024)
