Pope Francis: All Christians are equal

Image: Vatican Media

Source: Vatican News

During his weekly General Audience on Wednesday, Pope Francis said that Christ calls Christians - priests, religious, and laypeople - to be missionary disciples.

Reflecting on several passages from the New Testament and documents from the Second Vatican Council, which offer a vision of the universal call to mission, Pope Francis began by asking what it means to be an apostle.

The first characteristic, he said, is being sent for a mission, adding that this aspect of apostleship is exemplified by the event in which the Risen Christ sends his apostles into the world, "telling them that 'As the Father has sent me, even so I send you'" (John 20:21).

A second feature of being an apostle, Pope Francis continued, is vocation or calling. This, he said, has been a feature of Christian life since the very beginning, when Jesus "called to him those whom he desired; and they came to him" (Mk 3:13). It is also testified to in the letters of Saint Paul, who introduces himself as "Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus" (1 Cor 1:1), and "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle" (Rm 1:1).

Pope Francis then went on to encourage all Christians to receive this calling.

He then quoted from the Second Vatican Council's decree Apostolicam actuositatem, which states that "the Christian vocation by its very nature is also a vocation to the apostolate." The call to apostleship thus "concerns both those who have received the sacrament of Orders, consecrated persons, and all lay faithful, man or woman."

Pope Francis added, there are not different callings for priests, consecrated persons, and the laity. Rather, all Christians have the same calling, a "calling that is in common."

While there is a legitimate "diversity of ministry", and it is true that "Christ conferred, on the Apostles and their successors the duty of teaching, sanctifying, and ruling in His name and power," it is important to remember that "the laity likewise share in the priestly, prophetic, and royal office of Christ."

Finally, Pope Francis considered what the Council meant of when it spoke of "collaboration of the laity and the hierarchy."

Is this "a mere strategic adaptation to the new emerging situations?" Not at all, the Pope insisted, going on to quote from Ad gentes 21: "The Church has not been really founded, and is not yet fully alive, nor is it a perfect sign of Christ among men, unless there is a laity worthy of the name working along with the hierarchy."

It is also very important, he added, to ensure that "the diversity of charisms and ministries does not give rise, within the ecclesial body, to privileged categories."

"Who has more dignity in the Church?", Pope Francis asked. "The bishop, the priest? No, we are all Christians in the service of others ... Everyone is equal, we are all equal."

After his catechesis, Pope Francis, speaking in Spanish, thanked Argentinian leaders for their wishes to him on the tenth anniversary of his election as Pope, and encouraged them to work together amid soaring inflation.

He said: "I would like to thank in a special way all the people belonging to the political parties and social leaders of my country, who have come together to sign a letter of greeting on the occasion of the tenth year of my pontificate. How nice it is that you are coming together to talk, to discuss and to take the country forward."

The Holy Father then once again spoke about Ukraine, a country that has been in his prayers at almost every General Audience since the war began. This week, he made a special request asking soldiers to "respect religious sites."

Watch the Audience on Youtube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMYve_sDQB0