杏MAP导航

By Lisa Zengarini

10 December marked the closing of the Lauretan Jubilee that commemorated the 100th anniversary of the proclamation of our Lady of Loreto as Patroness of all airmen on 24 March 1920. The Jubilee year was declared by 杏MAP导航 Francis on December 8, 2019 and was prolonged to 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Presiding over the celebration of the closure of the Holy Door at the Marian Shrine of the Holy House of Nazareth in Loreto was Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who brought the blessing and greetings of 杏MAP导航 Francis.

Mary's quiet humility 

In his homily, the Vatican Secretary of State highlighted the Blessed Virgin鈥檚 quiet humility and loving obedience to God鈥檚 will as an example for Christians, encouraging the faithful then to live in prayer and charity with total abandonment to the Lord.

鈥淭he Holy House leads us to reflect on the dispositions of docility, willingness, silence  that allow the Lord to work, not only in the history of Salvation, but also in the personal history of each one of us鈥�, Cardinal Parolin said.

Simplicity

He went on to  call attention on the 鈥渟implicity鈥� of the Annunciation: 鈥淚t is always surprising to reflect on how the event that changed the course of history took place away from the spotlight鈥�. This, he said, tells us that 鈥淕od loves the simplicity that we often underestimate鈥�.

Cardinal Parolin hence highlighted the need for Christians to 鈥渨elcome the invitation to simplicity鈥�: 鈥淥ur daily life is certainly complex and so are the times we are living in. Yet we must be vigilant so that this complexity does not affect our hearts too鈥� so 鈥渨e can  devote time to what really matters鈥�, he said.

Prayer and charity

Prayer is one of those things, he pointed out, again recalling the Blessed Virgin鈥檚 example: 鈥淲ith her simplicity, Mary teaches us the primacy of prayer鈥�.  The Secretary of State further reminded that the Mother of God is also an example of service and charity: indeed, she is 鈥渢he Servant of the Lord鈥�.  Prayer and charity are therefore the essentials of Christian life we should aim for, he emphasized.

Wrapping up his homily, Cardinal Parolin, recalled Mary鈥檚 total abandonment to God鈥檚 will which was linked to her faith and expressed by her response to the Archangel: 鈥淢ay it be done to me according to your word鈥�.

Saying 'yes' to God

鈥淢ay our Amen rise to God today at the conclusion of this Jubilee鈥�, Cardinal Parolin concluded. 鈥淢ay it be a full 鈥榶es鈥�, animated by the simple and radical desire to place the Lord at the foundation of our lives, by our will to entrust ourselves to Him because He is stronger than any adversity; because, as Mary teaches us, when we have the Lord, we lack nothing鈥�.