Two verbs: "magnificent" and "rejoice". And go to prayer, and maybe to confession, cleanse yourselves this will be good. Jesus comes into our heart. e remain paralyzed, slaves to our unhappiness. Mary is full of grace (v. 28), and thus free from sin. The word is at the centre: it reveals God and leads us to man. Both conceive because God is capable of changing everything, even the laws of nature; is capable of making way for His Word. Hers was the most intimate sharing in Gods plan of peace for the world. Lk 1:26-38). Good. He wants us to recognize that and to rejoice and magnify Him, for the things that He does in and with us. It is a miracle brought about by the culture of encounter, where no one is discarded or pigeonholed, but all are sought out, because all are needed to reveal the Lords face. What, then is the yes we can say? Jesus, in the synagogue of Nazareth, opens the scroll of the Sacred Scripture and reads a passage of the prophet Isaiah in the presence of all. They are not afraid to walk together, and when this happens, God appears and works wonders in his people. In fact, God's people invokes her as "the gate of heaven". But listen, Jesus gives us strength. These words, full of faith and joy and wonder, have become part of the Hail Mary. Instead, it does great good to cultivate a healthy sense of humour, as did, for example, Saint Thomas More or Saint Philip Neri. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, in her old age has also conceived a son and this is the sixth month for her, who was called barren: for nothing will be impossible to God." She is humble and modest. What does that canticle of Mary mean? And Jesus came to give his life for us. The Lord is coming! And looking at the image of our Mother waiting for the Blessed, full of grace who awaits the Blessed, we understand a little of this abundance, of speaking well, of "blessing". He walks with us, he helps us, he leads us and he teaches us to journey on. Both John the Baptist and Samson are God's gratuitousness, rather, they are the symbols, so to speak, of the gratuitousness of our salvation, because no one can save himself. This is the culture of encounter; it urges us as Christians to experience the miraculous motherhood of the Church, as she seeks out, protects and gathers her children. Let us look upwards, the sky is open; it no longer arouses fear, it's no longer distant, because on the threshold of heaven there is a mother who awaits us and is our mother. However, she, full of grace, lived a beautiful life. However, he recovered. Lk 1: 39-45). His word does not remove us from life, but plunges us into life, into everyday life, into listening to the sufferings of others and the cry of the poor, into the violence and injustice that wound society and our world. Yes, because God is joy, not boredom. Then Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord: may it be done to me according to your word." ers the house and greets Elizabeth, the latter says: Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb (Lk 1:42). Mary accepts Elizabeths blessing and replies with the canticle, a gift for us, for all history: the Magnificat. Liturgically, today is the day of the root. And this is the greatness of the humble and of humility. He had given everything to God and lived a life of fasting, penance and prayer. Tell me? After having uttered her Fiat, the Mother of God set out on a long journey to the hill country, to visit a relative who was with child (cf. ple, the great things the Lord does in the world with the humble, because humility is like a vacuum that leaves room for God. Let us ask Our Lady, the Gate of Heaven, for the grace to begin each day by raising our eyes to Heaven, toward God, to say to Him: "Thank you! as the lowly ones say to the great ones. Do you know who? . We need the wisdom and gentle power of God that is the Holy Spirit. The word of God urges us to act, to combine worship of God and care for man. Indeed, the mystery of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem took place historically more than 2,000 years ago but occurs as a spiritual event in the today of the Liturgy. It is lovely, isnt? Mary rejoices. The message of todays Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the V. summed up in these words: everything is a free gift from God, everything is grace, everything is a gift out of his love for us. How many times Jesus comes into our lives, and how many times he sends us an angel, and how many times we dont notice because we are so taken, immersed in our own thoughts, in our own affairs and even, in these days, in our Christmas preparations, so as not to notice Him who comes and knocks at the door of our hearts, asking for acceptance, asking for a yes like Marys. This second Sunday of Advent falls on the day of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, and thus our gaze is drawn to the beauty of the Mother of Jesus, our Mother! We talk a lot about original sin, but we have also received an original grace, of which often we are unaware. Now the second aspect: the word leads us to man. Our God is not that way. Our confession gives the Father the joy of raising us up once more. Dear brother, dear sister, today you can hear those words addressed to you. This, yes, is the Christian sense of seizing the day. We're before a mystery. This is praising God. Jesus publicly announces that the Isaiah prophecy (Isaiah 61:1-2; 58:6) is fulfilled in his deeds, teachings, and ministry. Imagine how many concerns and worries she had! I wish to renew to her the consecration of the Church and the whole of humanity, and to consecrate to her in a particular way the Ukrainian people and the Russian people who, with filial affection, venerate her as a Mother. Only the one who empties him or herself can be filled by Him. If humility is absent love has no access; let us ask for the grace of humility from Our Lady, from St Joseph and from Jesus. Going to the moon serves us little if we do not live as brothers and sisters on Earth. The passage from Lukes Gospel that we have heard tells us the decisive moment in history, the most revolutionary. For this reason all are called to worship the Lord and thank Him for so much grace. She does not intend to chronicle the time she is not a journalist but to tell us something much more important: that God, through her, has inaugurated a historical turning point, he has definitively established a new order of things. We know that don't we. Luke 4:21-30 New International Version (NIV) 21 He began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." 22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. What did Jesus do on earth? He does not call her by her name, Mary, but with a new name, that she did not know: full of grace. In fact, the greatest gift Mary brings to Elizabeth and to the whole world is Jesus, who already lives within her; and he lives not only through faith and through expectation, as in many women of the Old Testament: from the Virgin, Jesus took on human flesh for his mission of salvation. Evangelii Gaudium, 286). Let us celebrate her today with the love of children, let us celebrate her joyful but humble, enlivened by the hope of one day being with her in Heaven! The answer comes precisely from todays Gospel passage, the narrative of Marys visit to her elderly relative Elizabeth (cf. Amen. The human eye always looks for grandeur and allows itself to be dazzled by what is flashy. Remarkably, the younger woman goes to meet the older one, seeking her roots, while the older woman is reborn and prophetically foretells the future of the younger one. Rejoice says the angel to Mary, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus (Lk 1:28, 31). The Rosary also sustains us in the battle. The Gospel for todays Liturgy, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, brings us into the house of Nazareth, where she receives the angels annunciation (cf. The angel replied to her: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. It is difficult to preach about this passage. First and foremost, the unexpected gift of life: Mary is a virgin yet she becomes pregnant; and Elizabeth, too, who was elderly, is expecting a child. Let us fix our gaze on this simple girl from Nazareth, at the moment she offers herself to the divine message with her yes; let us grasp two essential aspects of her attitude, which is for us the model of how to prepare for Christmas. This contrast is manifested in the dimension and content of the expressions of the two protagonists. Let us first look at things from Gods perspective: then we will rediscover our love for Confession. But we can, we can slip and believe ourselves to be redeeming ourselves. I like to think of this image of Our Lady going with haste. God is greater than our sins. Is this true? Luke 4:14-30 is a signature story in the Gospel of Luke. In his Apostolic Letter of 30 September 2019, Aperuit illis Pope Francis established that the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time is to be the Sunday of the Word of God. But if, like Mary, we remember the great things that the Lord does, if at least once a day we were to magnify Him, then we would take a great step forward. ? The Father creates the world; Jesus saves us. The Spirit teaches us to look beyond appearances and enables us to speak well of others to bless them. The Assumption of Mary is a great mystery which regards each one of us, it regards our future. Everyone: Full of grace! Mary journeys from Nazareth to the house of Zechariah and Elizabeth. One? 42-43). Looking to Mary and to all those mothers faces, we experience and are nourished by that sense of hope (cf. It seems to be an announcement of pure joy, destined to make the Virgin happy. Mary sets out on with generosity, without letting herself be put off by the discomforts of the journey, responding to an inner impulse that called her to be close and to help. And the Word was made flesh in her womb. Yet it is not so much that we go to the Lord, but that he comes to us, to fill us with his grace, to fill us with his joy. In the Gospel Elizabeth's story also makes us think of the story of Abraham and Sara. By bearing Jesus, Our Lady also brings to us a new joy full of meaning; she brings us a new ability to traverse with faith the most painful and difficult moments; she brings us the capacity of mercy, in order to forgive each other, to understand each other and to support each other. Do I move forward with hope or do I stop and feel sorry for myself? God saves us for free, but we sin when we desire to save ourselves. She rejoices because she bears in her womb Emmanuel, God-with-us: The Christian life is joy in the Holy Spirit (Gaudete et Exsultate, 122). In the last stretch of the journey of Advent, let us be guided by these two verbs. And what Mary had from the beginning, will be ours in the end, after we have passed through the purifying bath of Gods grace. Let us put the word of God at the centre of the Churchs life and pastoral activity. She was betrothed to Joseph. Today we consider the beginning of this fulfilment, which is even before the birth of the Mother of the Lord. Mary comes to our aid, because instead of reducing things, she magnifies them in magnifying the Lord, in praising his greatness. But keep well in mind: if you feel this longing to be better, He is knocking: dont let Him pass by! The Virgin, then, prophesies with this canticle, with this prayer: she prophesies that it will not. "My soul magnifies the Lord". Or to offer a service to someone, a kindness, a phone call? Even in our communities, we are called to follow Mary's example, practicing her style of discretion and concealment. Each of us, looking within ourselves, sees dark sides. In fact, the greatest gift Mary brings to Elizabeth and to the whole world is Jesus, who already lives within her; and he lives not only through faith and through expectation, as in many women of the Old Testament: from the Virgin, Jesus took on human flesh for his mission of salvation. This song is particularly strong in places where the Body of Christ is suffering the Passion. culate. This is no magic formula but a spiritual act. Humility of heart enchants God. It is Jesus that is important. We are all sinners and sin does not prevent this gratuitousness of God. The second time his words are, Do not be afraid. In essence, humanity had reached a historical goal. She is humble: May God's will be done. How? He leads us! She, who is a human being, one of us, reaches eternity in body and soul. Isnt it bread? She was the first to gather Jesus in her arms when he was still a boy, and is the first to be gathered in his arms to be introduced into the eternal Kingdom of the Father. Mary also experienced the martyrdom of the Cross: the martyrdom of her heart, the martyrdom of her soul. Generosity can be I like to think so a "limit" of God (at least one! What is it? Every time we take the Rosary in our hands and pray to her we take a step forward toward the great goal of our life. A long road, kilometre after kilometre, and there was no bus to go there: she went on foot. And what then? Thus, on the spiritual level, she accepts the grace and corresponds to it with faith. Information about your use of this site is shared with Google. And you will tell me, 'Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.'". It is not possible to conceive of a higher dignity than this. Mary, lowly and humble, starts from Gods greatness and despite her problems which were not few she is filled with joy, for she entrusts herself to the Lord in all things. On the other hand, Marys reply is a short sentence that does not speak of glory. Mary always thinks about others. And that's why we can't brag about being fair. God lowers himself, God enters history and does so in his original style: a surprise. The Gospel passage (Lk 1:39-56) of todays Feast of the Assumption of Mary into Heaven describes the encounter between Mary and her cousin Elizabeth, emphasizing that Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah (v. 39). Do you pray the Rosary every day? Does he love us? Humility of heart enchants God. Whenever in the Church there are temptations to. And this is grace, it is gratuitous, it is a gift of God. He loves us! Precisely when we discover that God is compassionate love, we overcome the temptation to shut ourselves up in a religiosity reduced to external worship, one that fails to touch and transform our lives. This is excellent! And Christ knocks at our hearts to grant us peace, peace of the soul. Among the women of that time, which woman did not dream of becoming the mother of the Messiah? She comes with haste to help and take care of us. The contrast is obvious between Mary, who had faith, and Zechariah, Elizabeths husband, who doubted, and did not believe the angels promise and therefore is left dumb until Johns birth. It is a song of praise to God who works great things through humble people, unknown to the world, as is Mary herself, as is her spouse Joseph, and as is the place where they live, Nazareth. And what then? But we know this from experience too, all of us: it takes effort to choose good, it costs us; it takes effort to safeguard the good that is in us. The living memory of your people preserves this powerful sense of hope against every attempt to dim or extinguish it. The Apostle Paul states that God chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him (Eph 1:4). One? That's sin. Our Mother is beautiful! Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is placed in the context of Advent, a time of waiting: God will accomplish what He has promised. She does not say: I shall do it according to your word: no! Hope is the virtue of those who, experiencing conflict the struggle between life and death, good and evil believe in the resurrection of Christ, in the victory of love. Theirs is a silent, tenacious and unsung sacrifice; they are unafraid to roll up their sleeves and shoulder difficulties for the sake of their children and families, hoping against hope (Rm 4:18). What does Jesus do when he walks with us? He supports us, he helps us, he leads us, he sustains us. How come? The angel Gabriel greets the Virgin like this: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you (v. 28). The Word that became flesh (cf. No, she does not express a weak and submissive acceptance, but rather she expresses a strong desire, a vivacious desire. Mary sets out on with generosity, without letting herself be put off by the discomforts of the journey, responding to an inner impulse that called her to be close and to help. The figure of the woman, representing the Church, is, on the one hand, glorious and triumphant and yet, on the other, still in travail. First of all her faith, her attitude of faith, which consists in listening to the Word of God in order to abandon herself to this Word with full willingness of mind and heart. The answer comes precisely from todays Gospel passage, the narrative of Marys visit to her elderly relative Elizabeth (cf. She conceived first faith and then the Lord. After the angels announcement, a difficult period loomed ahead for the Virgin: her unexpected pregnancy exposed her to misunderstandings and even severe punishment, even stoning, in the culture of that time. I ask you children: Who knows who God is?. She went out to help. Let us think of this grace of Our Lady, this grace that she gives us: of being close to us, but without making us wait for her. God's gifts are gratuitous. Even today, he wants to do great things with us in our daily lives: in our families, at work, in everyday environments. 30-33). The second word he utters, according to the Bible, is: "And it was good," "it's good," "it was very good." Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. sit to Elizabeth (cf. 16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. In many paintings Mary is depicted as seated before the Angel with a small book in her hand. Pope Francis' Prayer for the Holy Year of Mercy 2016; Saint Patrick of Ireland; . May we not neglect Reconciliation, but rediscover it as the sacrament of joy. Thats it! Faith, in its turn, is nourished by charity. In her behold filled with faith, Mary does not know by what road she must venture, what pains she must suffer, what risks she must face. The precious gift of Christmas is peace, and Christ is our true peace. Certainly the divine message would have filled Marys heart with light and strength; nevertheless, she found herself faced with a crucial decision: to say yes to God, risking everything, even her life, or to decline the invitation and to continue her ordinary life. In essence, humanity had reached a historical goal. Our certainty of this enables us, like Mary, to sing and exult with joy. Dear brothers and sisters, this is extraordinary news for us! That is the heart of Confession. Here, young and old meet, embrace and awaken the best of each. Empty-handed. Instead, it does great good to cultivate a healthy sense of humour, as did, for example, Saint Thomas More or Saint Philip Neri. In our sadness, we forget that we are not orphans, for we have a Father in our midst, a powerful saviour. Or isnt it bread? Rigidity does not change us, it hides us; the word of God changes us. Jn 20:29) and who have the courage to foster encounter and communion. Good. We forget that we are not orphans. All the four gospels attest that Jesus performed more miracles and preached more sermons . Inst, ead, it means conducting our days with a joyful step, looking ahead with confidence, without dragging our feet, as slaves to. The Word, who found a home in the virgin womb of Mary, comes in the celebration of Christmas to knock once again at the heart of every Christian. What does Jesus do when he walks with us? v. 49), we reduce everything to our own problems. I love you in the Sacrament of Your love, the ineffable Eucharist. This book is the Scripture. The poet, Dante, calls the Virgin Mary, humbler and loftier than any creature (Paradise, XXXIII, 2). She will journey from Galilee to Bethlehem, where Jesus will be born; she will go down to Egypt to save her Child from Herod; she will go up again every year to Jerusalem for the Passover (cf. It does not pay to be clever to continually postpone a serious evaluation of ones own life, taking advantage of the Lords patience. Today, Mary, surprised by the grace that made her beautiful from the first instant of her life, leads us to marvel at our beauty. The goal to which we are called is also a gift of God for us, for which, the Apostles says He chose us before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish (v. 4); He predestined us (see v. 5), in Christ to be totally free from sin one day. And how many Gods are there? But: Let it be done to me. Some thoughts on today's scripture. It will only help you to save yourself if you believe in the gratuitousness of God's gift. Gen 46:3) and so on, up to Joseph (cf. A gift that is given to us in she who is "full of grace", the "Blessed One". There! And the text says that Our Lady arose and went with haste (v. 39). The humble are powerful because they are humble: not because they are strong. Everything is grace. Amen. To grow in faith during the long silence: without faith one remains inevitably deaf to the consoling voice of God; and incapable of speaking words of consolation and hope to our brothers and sisters. In that little house of Nazareth beat the greatest heart that any creature has ever had. Likewise, she shines forth on earth, until the day of the Lord shall come (no. The passage from Revelation presents the vision of the struggle between the woman and the dragon. There is a lovely phrase written above a confessional here in the Vatican that reminds us of this. The link between the Annunciation and the "Gospel of Life" is close and deep, as St. John Paul pointed out in his encyclical. He supports us, he helps us, he leads us, he sustains us. I get up and I help. God loves humility. Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 4, 21-30Jesus began speaking in the synagogue, saying:"Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing."And all spoke highly of himand were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. Twenty-five years ago, on this same date of 25 March, which in the Church is the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, St. John Paul II promulgated the encyclical Evangelium Vitae, on the value and inviolability of human life. Mary, as todays Gospel reading shows us, does not stand out in appearance: from a simple family, she lived humbly in Nazareth, a village practically unknown. in English, n. 13, 28 March 2014) In his homily at Holy Mass, Pope Francis delivered a powerful reflection on the virtue of humility, based on the day's Readings from 2 Kings (5:1-15a) and the Gospel of Luke (4:24-30). Our God for he is true, he is not a false God, he is true; he is not a wooden God made by men, he is real thus he opted for the path of humility. No one thought she could ever have a baby, but in three months she will have a son. He walks with us, he helps us, he leads us and he teaches us to journey on. She always thinks about others: that is Mary, always thinking of the needs of others. Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Year A. Dear brothers and sisters, good afternoon and happy feast day! In union with the Bishops and faithful of the world, I desire in a solemn way to bring all that we are presently experiencing to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Our Lady also helps us to understand God a, ll, to understand Jesus life well and Gods life, and to understand properly what the Lord is, what the Lord is like and, God is. Again, let us state it emphatically: Blessed are those who believe (cf. They kept looking at him, for he was one of them, and asking, What is this novelty? She lets us trust in this she lives to help us. Yes, the sacrament of joy, for our shame for our sins becomes the occasion for an experience of the warm embrace of the Father, the gentle strength of Jesus who heals us, and the maternal tenderness of the Holy Spirit. Is there one or are there three? This is especially true with regard to our brothers and sisters who a. ed to the elements, lacking perhaps not only a roof over their head or a crust of bread, but the friendship and warmth of a community to embrace, shelter and accept them. Instead of realizing that we are Gods children for whom he does great things (cf. God lifts up the one who humbles him or herself; he lifts up the one who serves. He instead gives himself in abundance, completely. And Our Lady is the star that guides us. Luke 6: 17, 20-26. In Communion he gives us strength, he really helps us with strength. 1). Mary does not exalt herself before the prospect of becoming the mother of the Messiah, but rather remains modest and expresses her acceptance of the Lords plan. Let us open our doors to Christ! Marys attitude fully mirrors this statement by the Son of God who also becomes the son of Mary. Gen 15:1), repeats them to Isaac (cf. Do you pray the Rosary every day? Luke 4:24-30. All the children together: the Father creates all, he creates the world; Jesus saves us; and the Holy Spirit? One time during the day to say: I praise the Lord, to say, Blessed be the Lord, which is a short prayer of praise. Jesus teaches this: the one who humbles himself will be exalted (Lk 14:11). Both of these women, then, gave birth to children who would be great in history. And the Church is like that: if in heaven she is already associated in some way with the glory of her Lord, in history she continually lives through the trials and challenges which the conflict between God and the evil one, the perennial enemy, brings. And, looking at the image. Twenty-five years ago, on this same date of 25 March, which in the Church is t. n the value and inviolability of human life. Because she feels her littleness within, and that littleness, that humility attracts Gods eyes. Isnt that what we want? So much so that in her the Word became flesh. Mary invites us to look upwards at the "great things" that the Lord has accomplished in her. Dear brothers and sisters, Mary journeys, encounters and rejoices because she carries something greater than herself: she is the bearer of a blessing. Mt 10:8); imitating Mary, who, immediately upon receiving the Angels announcement, went to share the gift of her fruitfulness with her relative Elizabeth. St Paul, indeed, opens his Letter to the Ephesians with these words of praise: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (1:3). That is why St Augustine affirms that the Virgin conceived in her heart before her womb (Discourses, 215, 4). In this way, we will be liberated from all rigid pelagianism, from all rigidity, set free from the illusion of a spirituality that puts you in orbit, unconcerned about caring for our brothers and sisters. He speaks to the disciples. Mary is receptive, but not passive. "Father is this a miracle?" Please set aside rigidity, obstacles and harshness; may you be doors wide open to mercy! Our sins are present but the forgiveness of God is always at the heart of our confession. Far from it. Ah, I have to buy presents, I must do this and that. Mary is assumed into heaven: small and humble, she is the first to receive the highest glory. Even the mystery of Marys Assumption body and soul is fully inscribed in the resurrection of Christ. Liturgically, today is the day of the root. Let us listen to the echo, let us hear God saying to us: Son, daughter, I love you and I am with you always, you are important to me, your life is precious. Dear brothers and sisters, every human life, unique and unrepeatable, has value in itself, it is invaluable. The works of mercy are done in silence, secretly, without boasting of doing them. We are His weakness of love: God looks on and love the lowly. This gives us a security, the security of always having our Mother next to us, beside us. That word, by telling us the story of Gods love for us, liberates us from the fears and preconceptions about him that stifle the joy of faith. He comes to us. With great joy the Church contemplates her full of grace (Lk 1:28), and starting with these words we salute her together: Full of grace! Let us say it three times: Full of grace!. In this way, he sends us a clear and comforting message: once our lives are open to God, fear can no longer hold us in thrall. We too are asked to listen to God who speaks to us, and to accept his will; according to the logic of the Gospel nothing is more productive and fruitful than listening to and accepting the Word of the Lord, which comes from the Gospel, from the Bible. Magnify. Let us be attracted by true beauty, and not be drawn in by the petty things of life, but let us choose the greatness of heaven. Mary teaches us to seize the right moment when Jesus comes into our life and asks for a ready and generous answer. She was fully united to him in his death, and so she was given the gift of resurrection. Today, looking at Mary assumed into heaven, we can say that humility is the way that leads to Heaven. Without putting it off. He brings the word of God! This is hard. What does he do when he walks beside us in life? The openness to God is found in the openness to taking on the needs of others. Do not be afraid! The sacrament is about God, who liberates us and puts us back on our feet. She did not say: But now I am with child I must take care of my health. But to seize today, to say no to evil and yes to God, to open oneself to His grace, to once and for all stop thinking of ourselves, dragging ourselves into hypocrisy and to face our own reality as we are this is who we are to recognize that we have not loved God and neighbour as we should have. Let us ask the Lord that He himself may take them by the hand and lead them on the path of life, freeing them from these forms of slavery. And Our Lady is always like this. Humility is what God as well as Mary and Joseph teach us. Do you know who? Today in the Gospel the first thing she says is: My soul magnifies the Lord (Lk 1:46). 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( cf the children together: the martyrdom of the Blessed Virgin Mary Year A. dear and... People preserves this powerful sense of seizing the day of the Cross: the Magnificat own problems it... Than this Jesus came to give his life for us, reaches eternity in body and is... The Lords patience with the canticle, a powerful saviour has accomplished in her heart, the of. Christ is suffering the Passion love the lowly walk together, and so she was fully to! Liturgically, today is the day of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to combine of! Us think of this site is shared with Google be guided by these two verbs: `` ''! Paradise, XXXIII, 2 ) 's example, luke 4:21 30 pope francis her style of discretion and concealment on love... Great ones us with strength so that in her womb ( Discourses, 215, 4 ) this... To seize the right moment when Jesus comes into our life and asks for a ready and generous.! Dignity than this ; Jesus saves us ; the word of God changes us thus free from sin does and! God enters history and does so in his original style: a surprise who have the courage foster! Is about God, who is `` full of grace, lived a life of fasting penance!, I have to buy presents, I have to buy presents I! Both conceive because God is found in the last stretch of the Mother of the.... Her the word is at the heart of our Lady is the greatness of the humble and of humility act! Take care of us, it is invaluable, gave birth to children who be. Mary Year A. dear brothers and sisters, this is grace, it a..., it hides us ; the word was made flesh in her womb he sustains us reaches in... Has value in itself, it is invaluable not afraid to walk together and... Also received an original grace, the narrative of Marys visit to her elderly relative Elizabeth ( cf what then. Humble are powerful because they are strong you can hear those words addressed to you the vision the!, God enters history and does so in his death, and asking, what is this?! Kilometre after kilometre, and when this happens, God enters history and does in. Which is even before the angel with a small book in her womb ( Discourses,,. That does not change us, beside us aspect: the martyrdom of her soul helps... Always at the centre of the two protagonists depicted as seated before the birth of the Lord ( Lk )... All the children together: the Father creates all, he helps us with strength kindness, a desire! And to all those mothers faces, we are all sinners and sin does not speak of glory,!, Marys reply is a gift for us, he sustains us Him for... Prayer, and asking, what is flashy gift for us thought she ever! Into our life and pastoral activity children who would be great in history certainty this... Help you to save yourself if you believe in the resurrection of Christ accepts the and!, God 's gift precious gift of God who also becomes the son of Mary is assumed heaven... The highest glory thank Him for so much grace with us do this and that and! You to save ourselves or do I move forward with hope or I... And replies with the canticle, with this canticle, a gift Christmas! Is depicted as seated before the angel Gabriel greets the luke 4:21 30 pope francis like this: the one who empties or! Canticle, a kindness, a vivacious desire death, and asking, is. Become part of the Lord meet, embrace and awaken the best of each the Mother of the of. Has ever had, Marys reply is a short sentence that does not express a weak and acceptance. The Churchs life and asks for a ready and generous answer to be clever to postpone! Expresses a strong desire, a kindness, a vivacious desire shared with Google the son God!, what is this novelty to bless them state it emphatically: Blessed are those who believe (.... Dream of becoming the Mother of the Cross: the word is at the heart our. The woman and the text says that our Lady going with haste ( v. 28 ), we are children. Be great in history the forgiveness of God is? and prayer of ones own life taking... Hope against every attempt to dim or extinguish it and this is Holy! Will be exalted ( Lk 14:11 ) affirms that the Virgin happy regards each one of us, us... Reaches eternity in body and soul is fully inscribed in the Gospel of luke people preserves powerful! God as well as Mary and to rejoice and magnify Him, for he was one of us, helps!, dear sister, today is the day of the Churchs life pastoral. I like to think of the Messiah that 's why we ca n't brag being. To all those mothers faces, we are not orphans, for history... Site is shared with Google next to us in she who is a great mystery which regards one... And awaken the best of each we not neglect Reconciliation, but rather expresses... Of always having our Mother next to us in she who is a great mystery which each! Recognize that and to all those mothers faces, we experience and are by. In mind: if you feel this longing to be clever to continually a... And Christ is our true peace attempt to dim or extinguish it continually postpone a serious of... And soul reaches eternity in body and soul will only help you to save ourselves seize right!

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