Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Angelus for the Assumption

At noon today (in Rome), the liturgical Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into heaven, the Holy Father, Pope Francis appeared at the window of his study in the Vatican Apostolic Palace to recite the Angelus with the faithful and with pilgrims gathered in Saint Peter's Square.


Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
prior to the recitation of the Angelus

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

Today, for the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the gospel presents the young maiden of Nazareth who, having received the news from the angel, leaves in a hurry to draw close to Elizabeth, in the final months of her prodigious pregnancy.  Upon her arrival, Mary hears from the mouth of Elizabeth the words that have become part of the prayer of the Hail Mary: Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb (Lk 1:42).  In effect, the greatest gift that Mary brought to Elizabeth - and to the entire world - was Jesus, who was already living within her; and he was living not only by faith but in anticipation, as was the case with many women in the Old Testament, Jesus took human flesh through the gift of the Virgin in order to carry out his mission of salvation.

In the house of Elizabeth and her husband Zachariah, where sadness was once prominent because of the lack of children, now there was joy at the prospect of a child who was to come: a baby who would become the great John the Baptist, the precursor of the Messiah.  And when Mary arrived, this joy overflowed and poured out of their hearts because the invisible but real presence of Jesus filled everyone with meaning: life, family, salvation of his people ... everyone and everything!  This abundant joy was expressed in Mary's voice in the wonderful prayer that Luke's gospel has passed on to us, a prayer which is known by the first of its words in Latin: Magnificat.  It is a song of praise to God who does great things through humble people, unknown to the rest of the world, like Mary was, like her spouse Joseph, and like even the place where they lived was: Nazareth.  God has done great things with humble people, God still does great things in the world through humble people because humility is like a face that leaves room for God.  A humble person is powerful because of his or her humility: not because he or she is strong.  This is the greatness of the humble and of humility.  I want to ask you - and also myself - but don't respond out loud: everyone reply in your hearts: Am I humble?

The Magnificat sings of a God who is merciful and faithful, who accomplishes his will for salvation through the small and the poor, through those who have faith in Him, who rely on his Word, like Mary did.  Remember Elizabeth's exclamation: Blessed are you because you believed (Lk 1:45).  In that house, the coming of Jesus through Mary created not only a climate of joy and fraternal communion, but also a climate of faith which led to hope, prayer and praise.

All of this we hope for today in our own homes.   Celebrating Blessed Mary Assumed into Heaven, our desire is that she will once again bring us, bring our families, bring our communities the immense gift of the grace that we must always ask for first and foremost above all other graces: the grace that is Jesus Christ!

Carrying Jesus, Our Lady also brings us new joy, filled with meaning; she brings us a new ability to live even the saddest and most difficult moments of our lives with faith; she brings us the ability for mercy, the ability to forgive, to understand, to support one another.

Mary is an example of virtue and faith.  Contemplating her assumption into Heaven today, after having accomplished her earthly mission, we thank her for always leading us along the pilgrimage of life and of faith - she is the first of the disciples.  And we ask her to care for us and to support us so that we may have strong, joyous and merciful faith; we ask her to help us to be saints, to meet with her one day in Paradise.



After the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:

Dear brothers and sisters,

To Mary, the Queen of peace, who we contemplate today in the glory of Paradise, I wish once again to entrust all the worries and pains of people in many parts of the world who are suffering due to natural disasters, social tensions and conflicts!  May our heavenly Mother obtain for all of us consolation and a future of serenity and concord!

I greet all of you, Romans and pilgrims from various countries!  In particular, I greet the young people from Mira (Venice) and the Don Bosco Association from Noci.  I also greet ... I see the Spanish and the Polish flags.  Happy Feast Day!

Thank you all for coming; I wish you a good feast day of Our Lady's Assumption and, please, don't forget to pray for me.  Enjoy your lunch and good bye!

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