Pope: Under the Cross Mary "gave birth to us all: She gave birth to the Church"
The "mystery" of the Sorrowful Virgin "is more than to reflect, to contemplate". "Contemplate the Mother of Jesus, contemplate this sign of contradiction, for Jesus is the winner, but on the Cross."
Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Under the cross Mary " gave birth to us all: She gave birth to the Church". It is the "mystery" associated with the Blessed Virgin Mary illustrated in today’s Gospel on the day of her liturgical feast and the focus of Pope Francis’s homily at Mass at Casa Santa Marta.
We need to contemplate the Mother of Jesus, said the Pope, we need to contemplate “this sign of contradiction, because Jesus is victorious, but upon the Cross”. This is a contradiction, he said, that we can’t understand. “It takes faith to understand it, at least to come close (to understanding) this mystery”.
Mary knew and lived her whole life with a pierced heart. “She followed Jesus and heard the people’s comments, sometimes for Him, sometimes against. But she was always right behind her Son. That’s why we call her the first disciple”. It was Mary’s concern, continued Pope Francis, that brought about this “sign of contradiction” in her heart.
She was there at the end, in silence, at the foot of the Cross, watching her Son. Perhaps she heard comments like: “Look, there’s the Mother of one of the three criminals”. But, said the Pope, she “showed her face for her Son”.
Pope Francis said he was offering these few and simple words to help us contemplate this mystery in silence. In this moment, beneath the Cross, Mary gave birth to the Church and to all of us: “Woman”, says her Son, ‘behold your children”. He doesn’t say “Mother”, he says “Woman”. This strong and courageous Woman was there to say: “This is my Son. I do not deny Him”.
More than a call to reflection, said Pope Francis, today’s Gospel is a call to contemplation. “May the Holy Spirit”, he concluded, “be the one to tell each one of us that which we need (to hear)”.
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27/06/2016 18:12
