At noon today, the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 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 who had gathered in Saint Peter's Square.
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning and happy feast day of Our Lady.
Today, the Church celebrates one of the most important feasts dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary: the feast of her Assumption. At the completion of her earthly life, the Mother of Christ was raised, body and soul, into heaven, into the glory of eternal life, into the fullness of communion with God.
Today's gospel (Lk 1:39-56) presents us with Mary who, immediately following her conception of Jesus by the work of the Holy Spirit, goes to visit with her elderly relative Elizabeth, who herself is miraculously expecting a son. In this meeting, filled with the Holy Spirit, Mary expresses her joy with the canticle of the Magnificat, for she has become fully aware of the significance of the great things that have taken place in her life: through her was accomplished all the expectations for which her people had been waiting.
But the Gospel also demonstrates the truest evidence of Mary's greatness, of her blessedness: her faith. In fact, Elizabeth greets her with these words: Blessed is she who believed in the fulfilment of what the Lord has said (Lk 1:45). Faith is at the heart of Mary's story; she is the believer, the great believer; she knows - and she says - that throughout all of history, we have been weighed down by the weight of violence committed by the arrogant, the pride of the rich, the arrogance of the proud. However, Mary believes and proclaims that God never leaves his children alone, humble and poor; instead, he helps them with his mercy, with his kindness, overthrowing the haughty from their thrones and scattering the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. This is the faith of our Mother, this is Mary's faith!
The Virgin's song also allows us to imagine the full meaning of Mary's story: if the mercy of God is the motivating factor in history, then it was not possible that she who had conceived the Lord of life could possibly know the corruption of the tomb (Preface of the Mass of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin). This is not just about Mary. The great things accomplished in her by the Almighty profoundly touch all of us. They speak to all of us of our journey through life, reminding us of the goal that awaits us: the house of the Father. Our life, seen in the light of Mary assumed into Heaven, is not a matter of endless and aimless wandering, but a pilgrimage that, despite its incertitudes and sufferings, has an assured destination: the house of our Father who awaits us with love. It is good to think about this: that we have a Father who is waiting for us with love, and that even our Mother Mary is there, waiting for us with love.
Meanwhile, as we live our lives, God shines for his people, on our pilgrimage on earth, a sign of consolation and of sure hope (Preface). This sign has a face, and this sign has a name: the luminous face of the Mother of God, the blessed name of Mary, full of grace, for she believed in the word of the Lord: the great believer! As members of the Church, we are destined to share in the glory of our Mother, for thanks to God, we too believe in the sacrifice of Christ on the cross and, through Baptism, we are participants in the mystery of salvation.
Today, all together, we pray to her, for while our journey continues on this earth, we ask her to look upon us with her eyes of mercy, to clear the way, to show us our ultimate goal, and after this our exile, we ask that she show us Jesus, the blessed fruit of her womb. Let us say together: O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!
Following the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
My thoughts go, at this time, to the people of the city of Tianjin, in northern China, where some explosions in industrial areas have resulted in numerous deaths and left many wounded as well as extensive damage. I want to assure you of my prayer for those who have lost their lives and for all those persons who are suffering from this evil; may the Lord grant them relief and support those who are committed to alleviating their sufferings.
I greet you all, Romans and pilgrims from various countries! I confide you all to the maternal protection of our Mother, who lives in the glory of God and is always close to us on our journey.
How beautiful it would be today if you could all go and visit Our Lady, the Salus Populi Romani, at Saint Mary Major; it would be a beautiful gesture.
Thank you all for coming; I wish you a good feast of Our Lady. Please, don't forget to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch; good bye!
Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
prior to the recitation of the Angelus
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning and happy feast day of Our Lady.
Today, the Church celebrates one of the most important feasts dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary: the feast of her Assumption. At the completion of her earthly life, the Mother of Christ was raised, body and soul, into heaven, into the glory of eternal life, into the fullness of communion with God.
Today's gospel (Lk 1:39-56) presents us with Mary who, immediately following her conception of Jesus by the work of the Holy Spirit, goes to visit with her elderly relative Elizabeth, who herself is miraculously expecting a son. In this meeting, filled with the Holy Spirit, Mary expresses her joy with the canticle of the Magnificat, for she has become fully aware of the significance of the great things that have taken place in her life: through her was accomplished all the expectations for which her people had been waiting.
But the Gospel also demonstrates the truest evidence of Mary's greatness, of her blessedness: her faith. In fact, Elizabeth greets her with these words: Blessed is she who believed in the fulfilment of what the Lord has said (Lk 1:45). Faith is at the heart of Mary's story; she is the believer, the great believer; she knows - and she says - that throughout all of history, we have been weighed down by the weight of violence committed by the arrogant, the pride of the rich, the arrogance of the proud. However, Mary believes and proclaims that God never leaves his children alone, humble and poor; instead, he helps them with his mercy, with his kindness, overthrowing the haughty from their thrones and scattering the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. This is the faith of our Mother, this is Mary's faith!
The Virgin's song also allows us to imagine the full meaning of Mary's story: if the mercy of God is the motivating factor in history, then it was not possible that she who had conceived the Lord of life could possibly know the corruption of the tomb (Preface of the Mass of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin). This is not just about Mary. The great things accomplished in her by the Almighty profoundly touch all of us. They speak to all of us of our journey through life, reminding us of the goal that awaits us: the house of the Father. Our life, seen in the light of Mary assumed into Heaven, is not a matter of endless and aimless wandering, but a pilgrimage that, despite its incertitudes and sufferings, has an assured destination: the house of our Father who awaits us with love. It is good to think about this: that we have a Father who is waiting for us with love, and that even our Mother Mary is there, waiting for us with love.
Meanwhile, as we live our lives, God shines for his people, on our pilgrimage on earth, a sign of consolation and of sure hope (Preface). This sign has a face, and this sign has a name: the luminous face of the Mother of God, the blessed name of Mary, full of grace, for she believed in the word of the Lord: the great believer! As members of the Church, we are destined to share in the glory of our Mother, for thanks to God, we too believe in the sacrifice of Christ on the cross and, through Baptism, we are participants in the mystery of salvation.
Today, all together, we pray to her, for while our journey continues on this earth, we ask her to look upon us with her eyes of mercy, to clear the way, to show us our ultimate goal, and after this our exile, we ask that she show us Jesus, the blessed fruit of her womb. Let us say together: O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!
Following the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
My thoughts go, at this time, to the people of the city of Tianjin, in northern China, where some explosions in industrial areas have resulted in numerous deaths and left many wounded as well as extensive damage. I want to assure you of my prayer for those who have lost their lives and for all those persons who are suffering from this evil; may the Lord grant them relief and support those who are committed to alleviating their sufferings.
I greet you all, Romans and pilgrims from various countries! I confide you all to the maternal protection of our Mother, who lives in the glory of God and is always close to us on our journey.
How beautiful it would be today if you could all go and visit Our Lady, the Salus Populi Romani, at Saint Mary Major; it would be a beautiful gesture.
Thank you all for coming; I wish you a good feast of Our Lady. Please, don't forget to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch; good bye!
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