Vatican
City, 9 June 2013 (VIS) – Pope Francis appeared at the window of his study at
noon today to pray the Angelus with the thousands of faithful gathered in St.
Peter's Square. He first noted that the month of June is traditionally
dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, “the greatest human expression of
divine love”.
“Popular
piety,” he said, “embraces many symbols and the Heart of Jesus is the ultimate
symbol of God's mercy. It is not, however, an imaginary symbol but a real
symbol that represents the centre, the source from which flows the salvation
for all of humanity.”
Among various references in the Gospels to the Heart of
Jesus, the Pope emphasized the witness of Christ's death according to St. John.
When Jesus was already dead, a soldier pierced his side with a lance and
immediately blood and water flowed out. “John recognized in that, apparently
random, sign the fulfilment of the prophecies: from the heart of Jesus, the
Lamb sacrificed upon the Cross, spring forth forgiveness and life for all
humanity.”
“But
Jesus' mercy is not just a feeling. It is a force that gives life, that brings
humanity back to life! Today's Gospel reading says the same thing, in the story
of the widow of Nain. Jesus, with his disciples, is arriving in Nain, a village
in Galilee, at exactly the moment of a funeral. A young man, the only son of a
widowed woman is being carried out to be buried. Jesus' gaze immediately fixes
upon the crying mother. The Gospel writer Luke tells us: 'When the Lord saw
her, He was moved with pity for her'. This compassion is God's love for
humanity. It is mercy, that is, God's attitude in contact with human misery,
with our indigence, our suffering, our anguish. The biblical term 'compassion'
recalls the maternal womb: indeed, a mother feels a reaction all her own when
faced with her children's pain. That is how God loves us, Scripture says.”
“And
what is the fruit of this love, this mercy? It is life! Jesus said to the widow
of Nain: 'Do not weep', and he called to the dead son and woke him as if from
sleep. Let's think about this. It's beautiful. God's mercy gives life to the
man, raises him from the dead. The Lord always looks upon us with mercy …
awaits us with mercy. Let us not be afraid to draw near to him! He has a
merciful heart! If we show him our inner wounds, our sins, He always forgives
us. He is pure mercy!”
After
the Marian prayer, the Bishop of Rome noted that today, in Krakow, Poland, two
Polish nuns are being beatified: Zofia Czeska-Maciejowska, who founded the
Congregation of the Virgins of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in
the first half of the 17th century, and Malgorzata Lucja Szewczyk, who founded
the Congregation of the Daughters of the Sorrowful Mother of God (Seraphic
Sisters) in the 19th century. “With the Church in Krakow, let us give thanks to
the Lord!”
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