Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

After reflecting on the sanctifying and charismatic action of the Spirit, we dedicate this catechesis to another aspect: the evangelizing work of the Holy Spirit, that is to say, its role in the preaching of the Church.

The First Letter of Saint Peter defines the apostles as “those who proclaimed the gospel by the Holy Spirit” (cf. 1:12). In this expression, we find the two constituent elements of Christian preaching: its content, which is the Gospel, and its vehicle, which is the Holy Spirit. Let us speak of both.

In the New Testament, the word “Gospel” has two main meanings. It can refer to one of the four canonical Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, and in this sense, the Gospel means the good news proclaimed by Jesus during his earthly life. After Easter, the word “Gospel” takes on the new meaning of good news concerning Jesus, namely, the Paschal Mystery of the Lord’s death and resurrection. This is what the Apostle calls “Gospel” when he writes: “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16).

The preaching of Jesus, and later that of the Apostles, also contains all the moral duties that flow from the Gospel, beginning with the Ten Commandments and ending with the “new” commandment of love. But if we do not want to fall back into the error denounced by the Apostle Paul of putting the law before grace and works before faith, we must always begin with the proclamation of what Christ has done for us. This is why the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium places such emphasis on the first of the two, that is, on the kerygma, or “proclamation,” upon which all moral application depends.

Indeed, “in catechesis, the initial proclamation, or ‘kerygma,’ has a fundamental role, which must be at the heart of evangelizing activity and of every objective of ecclesial renewal. […] When we say that this proclamation is ‘the first,’ it does not mean that it is at the beginning and then forgotten or replaced by other, more superseding content. It is primary in a qualitative sense, because it is the principal proclamation, the one that must always be heard anew in different ways and that must always be proclaimed anew during catechesis in one form or another, at all its stages and moments. […] We must not think that in catechesis the kerygma is abandoned in favor of a formation that claims to be more ‘solid.’” There is nothing more solid, more profound, more certain, more consistent and wiser than this announcement” (nn. 164-165) that is to say, the kerygma.

So far, we have seen the content of Christian preaching. However, we must also keep in mind the means of proclamation. The Gospel must be preached “by the Holy Spirit” (1 Peter 1:12). The Church must do exactly what Jesus said at the beginning of his public ministry: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor” (Luke 4:18). Preaching with the anointing of the Holy Spirit means conveying, along with ideas and doctrine, the life and conviction of our faith. It means relying not on “wise and persuasive words, but on the manifestation of the Spirit and of his power” (1 Corinthians 2:4), as Saint Paul wrote.

Easy to say, one might object, but how can we put it into practice if it doesn't depend on us, but on the coming of the Holy Spirit? In fact, there is one thing that does depend on us, actually two, and I will mention them briefly. The first is prayer. The Holy Spirit comes upon those who pray, because the heavenly Father—it is written—"gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask him" (Lk 11:13), especially when we ask him to proclaim the Gospel of his Son! What a misfortune to preach without praying! We become what the Apostle calls "a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal" (cf. 1 Cor 13:1).

Therefore, the first thing that depends on us is to pray, so that the Holy Spirit may come. The second is not to preach ourselves, but Jesus the Lord (cf. 2 Cor 4:5).

This concerns preaching. Sometimes there are long sermons, 20 minutes, 30 minutes... But please, preachers must preach an idea, an emotion, and a call to action. Beyond eight minutes, the sermon fades; it is not understood. And this, I say to preachers... [applause] I see you like hearing that! We sometimes see men who, when the sermon begins, go outside for a cigarette and then come back. Please, the sermon must be an idea, an emotion, and a call to action. And never exceed ten minutes. This is very important.

The second thing—as I was saying—is not to preach ourselves, but to preach the Lord. There's no need to dwell on this point, because anyone involved in evangelization knows full well what it means in practice not to preach oneself. I will limit myself to one specific application of this requirement. Not wanting to preach oneself also implies not always prioritizing pastoral initiatives promoted by us and linked to our own name, but willingly collaborating, if asked, in community initiatives, or those entrusted to us in obedience.

May the Holy Spirit help us, accompany us, and teach the Church to preach the Gospel to the men and women of our time! Thank you.

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I cordially greet the French-speaking people.

In this Advent season, let us ask the Holy Spirit to help us to bear courageous witness to the hope that dwells within us, as we await the coming of the Lord.

God bless you !