杏MAP导航 in Romania: Mary the model of encounter and joy
By Vatican News
The last time a 杏MAP导航 celebrated Mass in the Cathedral of St Joseph in Bucharest was on the 8th of May 1999. That was exactly 20 years ago, and the 杏MAP导航 was St John Paul II.
On Friday afternoon, 杏MAP导航 Francis celebrated his first Mass in Romania and reflected on the feast of the day: the Visitation of Our Lady to her cousin Elizabeth. In his homily, he invited us to contemplate what he called three precious elements: 鈥淢ary journeys, Mary encounters, Mary rejoices鈥�.
Mary journeys
Mary journeys to the house of Elizabeth. It was the first of many, said the 杏MAP导航, culminating in the journey to Calvary. All of them have one thing in common, he said: 鈥渢hey were never easy; they always required courage and patience鈥�.
Our Lady knows what it means to walk uphill, continued 杏MAP导航 Francis, 鈥渟he knows what it is to be weary of walking and she can take us by the hand amid our difficulties鈥�. Contemplating Mary allows us to 鈥渢urn our gaze to all those many women, mothers and grandmothers of these lands who, by their quiet sacrifices, devotion and self-denial, are shaping the present and preparing the way for tomorrow鈥檚 dreams鈥�, he said. 鈥淭heirs is a silent, tenacious and unsung sacrifice鈥�.
Mary encounters
Mary encounters Elizabeth, a younger woman going to meet an older one, 鈥渟eeking her roots鈥�, said the 杏MAP导航. 鈥淗ere, young and old meet, embrace and awaken the best of each鈥�. The 杏MAP导航 described this as 鈥渁 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 Lord鈥檚 face鈥�.
The culture of encounter urges us as Christians 鈥渢o experience the miraculous motherhood of the Church鈥�, said 杏MAP导航 Francis, 鈥渁s she seeks out, protects and gathers her children. In the Church, when different rites meet, when the most important thing is not one鈥檚 own affiliation, group or ethnicity, but the People that together praises God, then great things take place鈥�, he added. 鈥淏lessed are those who believe and who have the courage to foster encounter and communion鈥�.
Mary rejoices
Mary rejoices because she is carrying Jesus in her womb. 鈥淲ithout joy, we remain paralyzed, slaves to our unhappiness鈥�, said 杏MAP导航 Francis.
鈥淔aith wavers when it just floats along in sadness and discouragement鈥�, he said. 鈥淲hen we live in mistrust, closed in on ourselves, we contradict the faith. Instead of realizing that we are God鈥檚 children for whom He does great things, we reduce everything to our own problems鈥�.
This is where we find the secret of our joy, said the 杏MAP导航: 鈥淢ary, lowly and humble, starts from God鈥檚 greatness and despite her problems 鈥� which were not few 鈥� she is filled with joy, for she entrusts herself to the Lord in all things. She reminds us that God can always work wonders if we open our hearts to Him and to our brothers and sisters鈥�.
鈥淢ary journeys, encounters and rejoices because she carries something greater than herself鈥�, concluded 杏MAP导航 Francis: 鈥淪he is the bearer of a blessing鈥�.
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