Vatican City, 8 December 2015 (VIS) –
After the opening of the Holy Door, Pope Francis appeared at the
window of his study to pray the Angelus with the faithful gathered in
St. Peter's Square. On the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
that Holy Father recalled that Mary is our sister in suffering, but
not in evil or in sin, which were defeated in her befor they even
touched her, since God had filled her with grace.
“The Immaculate Conception means that
Mary was the first to have been saved by the Father's infinite mercy,
as a preview of the salvation that God intended for every man and
woman in Christ. Therefore Mary Immaculate has become the sublime
icon of divine mercy that defeats sin, and in her we are invited to
recognise the dawn of a new world, transformed by the salvific work
of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. The dawn of a new
creation put into effect by divine mercy”.
“Celebrating this feast day means two
things”, he continued. “Firstly, it means fully welcoming God and
His merciful grace in our life; secondly, it means in turn becoming
makers of mercy through the path of the Gospel. The feast of the
Immaculate Conception becomes a feast for all of us if, by our daily
'yes', we manage to vanquish our selfishness and make the lives of
our brothers and sisters happier, bringing them hope, drying their
tears and giving them joy. In imitation of Mary, we are called upon
to become bearers of Christ and witnesses of His love, looking first
to those who are privileged in Jesus' eyes”.
The feast of the Immaculate Conception
also bears a specific message for us: it reminds us that our life is
a gift, that all is mercy. “May the Holy Virgin, first among the
saved, model of the Church, holy and immaculate bride, beloved of the
Lord, help us increasingly rediscover divine mercy as the distinctive
sign of the Christian!” exclaimed Francis. “It is impossible to
conceive of a true Christian who is not merciful, just as it is
impossible to understand God without His mercy. It is the key word of
the Gospel: mercy. It is the fundamental feature of Christ's face:
that face we recognise in the various aspects of its existence: when
He goes towards the people, when He heals the sick, when He sits at
the table with sinners, and above all, when nailed on the Cross, He
forgives. There we see the face of divine mercy. Let us not be
afraid: let us be embraced by the mercy of God, Who awaits and
forgives all. Nothing is sweeter than His mercy”.
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