Pope Francis says the reason why it is mainly women who pass on the faith is because this is the path chosen by Jesus who came to us through His mother, Mary.

Vatican Radio is reporting on the homily given this morning in the chapel of the Santa Marta by Pope Francis who was commenting on the celebration of the memory of Saints Timothy and Titus.

How did Timothy acquire his sincere faith? From the Holy Spirit and through his mother and grandmother, the pope explained. Although faith is not something that can be taught, but is a gift of the Holy Spirit which surpasses all academic formation, “Mothers and grandmothers are the ones who [in primis] transmit the faith,” he said.

“It occurs to me: why is it mainly women, who to pass on the faith? Simply because the one who brought us Jesus is a woman. It is the path chosen by Jesus. He wanted to have a mother: the gift of faith comes to us through women, as Jesus came to us through Mary.”

He goes on to wonder if women of today are aware of their duty to transmit the faith which must be guarded in order to avoid the “empty pagan chatter . . . of the world.”

All of us who have received this gift from the Holy Spirit must keep the faith by “cherishing and nurturing it every day,” he cautions.

“If we do not have this care, every day, to revive this gift of God which is Faith, but rather let faith weaken, become diluted, Faith ends up being a culture: ‘Yes, but yes, yes, I am a Christian, yes yes,’ – a mere culture – or a gnosis, [specialized kind of] knowledge: ‘Yes, I know well all the matters of Faith, I know the catechism’. But how do you live your faith? This, then, is the importance of reviving every day this gift: to bring it to life.”

He also warned the faithful to beware of the spirits of timidity and shame which contrast with a faith that is alive and healthy.

“God has not given us a spirit of timidity. The spirit of timidity goes against the gift of faith: it does not let faith grow, advance, be great. Shame, in turn, is the following sin, [which says]: ‘Yes, I have Faith, but I cover it up, that it not be seen too much’. It’s a little bit here, a little bit there – it is, as our forebears called it, a “rosewater” Faith – because I am ashamed to live it powerfully. No: this is not the Faith: [Faith knows] neither timidity nor shame. What is it, then? It is a spirit of power and of love and of prudence: that is what Faith is This is the faith. "

The faithful must rely on the spirit of prudence to discern the right ways to advance the faith in our particular circumstances.

“We ask the Lord’s grace,” he concluded, “that we might have a sincere Faith, a Faith that is not negotiable depending on the opportunities that come, a Faith that every day I try to revive or at least ask the Holy Spirit to revive it, and make it bear much fruit.”

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