Yesterday evening, Pope Francis sent a video message to His Excellency, Mario Grech, Bishop of the Maltese Diocese of Gozo, and to the pilgrims who are gathered at the Shrine of the Virgin of Ta' Pinu, on the occasion of the inauguration of three mosaics inscribed on the central door of the Basilica.
Dear pilgrims,
With joy I welcomed the invitation to greet all of you who are gathered today at the Shrine of the Virgin of Ta' Pinu, where in a great embrace of mosaic art we find the representations of Jesus and his Mother.
The image which is being introduced today in the Shrine's courtyard, places the beauty of a simple contemplative prayer before our eyes, a prayer that is accessible to everyone, great and small: the prayer of the holy Rosary. At times, I too recite the Rosary before a mosaic: a small mosaic of Our Lady with Child, in which it seems that Mary is at the centre, while in reality she is using her hands to become a kind of ladder through which Jesus can descend and take his place among us. Jesus is always at the centre of the image, Jesus who lowers himself in order to walk with us humans, so that we can climb into heaven with Him.
In the prayer of the Rosary, we turn to the Virgin Mary, asking her to draw us always closer to her Son Jesus, so that we can know him and love him all the more. And while we repeat: Hail Mary ..., we meditate upon the mysteries, the glorious, luminous, sorrowful and glorious moments in the life of Christ, but also moments in our own lives: because we are on a journey with the Lord. In fact, this simple prayer helps us to contemplate all that God - in his love - has done for us and for our salvation, and it helps us to understand that our lives are united to the life of Christ. While we are praying, we present everything to God: our trials, our wounds, our fears but also our joys, our gifts, the people we love ... we present everything and everyone to God. While we pray, we allow God to enter into our time, to welcome and to transfigure everything that we are experiencing. Let us use this powerful instrument known as the prayer of the holy Rosary often; it brings peace to our hearts, our families, in the Church and throughout the world.
And please, do not forget to pray for me. May the Lord bless you and may the Virgin Mother protect you.
Video Message of His Holiness, Pope Francis
to pilgrims gathered at the Shrine of the Virgin of Ta' Pinu
Dear pilgrims,
With joy I welcomed the invitation to greet all of you who are gathered today at the Shrine of the Virgin of Ta' Pinu, where in a great embrace of mosaic art we find the representations of Jesus and his Mother.
The image which is being introduced today in the Shrine's courtyard, places the beauty of a simple contemplative prayer before our eyes, a prayer that is accessible to everyone, great and small: the prayer of the holy Rosary. At times, I too recite the Rosary before a mosaic: a small mosaic of Our Lady with Child, in which it seems that Mary is at the centre, while in reality she is using her hands to become a kind of ladder through which Jesus can descend and take his place among us. Jesus is always at the centre of the image, Jesus who lowers himself in order to walk with us humans, so that we can climb into heaven with Him.
In the prayer of the Rosary, we turn to the Virgin Mary, asking her to draw us always closer to her Son Jesus, so that we can know him and love him all the more. And while we repeat: Hail Mary ..., we meditate upon the mysteries, the glorious, luminous, sorrowful and glorious moments in the life of Christ, but also moments in our own lives: because we are on a journey with the Lord. In fact, this simple prayer helps us to contemplate all that God - in his love - has done for us and for our salvation, and it helps us to understand that our lives are united to the life of Christ. While we are praying, we present everything to God: our trials, our wounds, our fears but also our joys, our gifts, the people we love ... we present everything and everyone to God. While we pray, we allow God to enter into our time, to welcome and to transfigure everything that we are experiencing. Let us use this powerful instrument known as the prayer of the holy Rosary often; it brings peace to our hearts, our families, in the Church and throughout the world.
And please, do not forget to pray for me. May the Lord bless you and may the Virgin Mother protect you.
No comments:
Post a Comment