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!”
Lastly
he addressed a group of pilgrims from the Italian city of Ortona
where relics of the Apostle Thomas are venerated, thanking them for
the journey “from Thomas to Peter” that they had undertaken.
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