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Mary, model and guide in faith

Catechesis by Pope Saint John Paul II on the History of Salvation
General Audience, Wednesday 6 May 1998 - in English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese & Spanish

"1. The first beatitude cited in the Gospel is that of faith, and it refers to Mary: “Blessed is she who believed” (Lk 1, 45). These words, spoken by Elizabeth, highlight the contrast between Zechariah’s disbelief and Mary’s faith. On receiving the message about the future birth of his son, Zechariah had found it hard to believe, judging it impossible since both he and his wife were advanced in age.

Mary at the Annunciation is confronted with an even more surprising message, the proposal that she become the mother of the Messiah. She does not react with doubt to this prospect, but limits herself to asking how the virginity to which she feels called could be reconciled with the vocation to motherhood. To the reply of the angel, who points out the divine omnipotence working through the Spirit, Mary gives her humble and generous consent.

At that unique moment in human history, faith plays a decisive role. St Augustine rightly states: “Christ is believed and conceived through faith. First, the coming of faith takes place in the Virgin's heart, followed by fruitfulness in the mother’s womb” (Sermo 293, PL 38, 1327).

2. If we wish to contemplate the depth of Mary’s faith, the Gospel account of the wedding feast at Cana is a great help. Faced with the lack of wine, Mary could have sought some human solution to the problem at hand, but she does not hesitate to turn immediately to Jesus: “They have no wine” (Jn 2, 3). She knows that Jesus has no wine available; it is therefore likely that she is asking for a miracle. And her request is all the more daring since until that moment Jesus has not worked any miracles. By acting in this way, she is doubtless obeying an inner inspiration, since, according to the divine plan, Mary’s faith must precede the first manifestation of Jesus' messianic power, as it preceded his coming to earth. She already embodies the attitude that was to be praised by Jesus for true believers in every age: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe” (Jn 20, 29).

3. The faith to which Mary is called is not an easy one. Even before Cana, while meditating on the words and behaviour of the Son, she had to draw on a deep faith. The episode of the 12-year-old Jesus lost in the temple was symbolic, when she and Joseph, in distress, heard the answer: “How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (Lk 2, 49). But now, in Cana, Jesus’ response to his Mother’s request seems even clearer and far from encouraging: “O woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has not yet come” (Jn 2, 4). In the intention of the fourth Gospel, it is not the hour of Christ's public manifestation so much as an anticipation of the significance of Jesus' supreme hour (cf Jn 7, 30; 12, 23; 13, 1; 17, 1), whose messianic fruits of redemption and of the Spirit are effectively represented by the wine as a symbol of prosperity and joy. But the fact that this hour had not yet occurred chronologically is an obstacle which, coming from the sovereign will of the Father, seems insuperable.

Yet Mary does not withdraw her request, to the point of involving the servants in accomplishing the expected miracle: “Do whatever he tells you” (Jn 2, 5). With her docility and the depth of her faith, she looks beyond the immediate sense of Jesus' words. She intuits the unfathomable abyss and infinite resources of divine mercy and does not doubt her Son's loving response. The miracle is an answer to the perseverence of her faith.

Mary is thus presented as the model of a faith in Jesus that rises above all obstacles.

4. Jesus’ public life also tested Mary's faith. On the one hand, it gave her joy to know that Jesus' preaching and miracles caused admiration and approval in so many people. On the other, she sadly notes the increasingly harsh opposition of the Pharisees, the doctors of the law and the priestly hierarchy.

One can imagine how much Mary suffered from this disbelief, which she observes even in her relatives: those who are called “the brethren of Jesus”, that is, his relatives, do not believe in him and interpret his behaviour as inspired by ambition (cf Jn 7, 2-5).

Mary, while sorrowfully feeling the family dissent, does not break off relations with these relatives, whom we find with her in the first community waiting for Pentecost (cf Acts 1, 14). With her kindness and love, Mary helps others to share her faith.

5. In the drama of Calvary, Mary’s faith remains unwavering. For the disciples’ faith, this tragedy was overwhelming. Only through the effectiveness of Christ’s prayer was it possible for Peter and the others, who were also put to the test, to continue on the path of faith in order to become witnesses to the Resurrection.

In saying that Mary stood at the foot of the Cross, the Evangelist John (cf 19, 25) shows us that Mary remained full of courage at that critical moment. It was certainly the hardest stage in her “pilgrimage of faith” (cf Lumen gentium, 58). But she could stand there because she had remained firm in her faith. Put to the test, Mary continued to believe that Jesus was the Son of God and that by his sacrifice he would transform the destiny of humanity.

The Resurrection was the definitive confirmation of Mary’s faith. In her heart, more than in any other, faith in the risen Christ acquired its most complete and authentic aspect, that of joy.
"



After the Catechesis, Papa San Giovanni Paolo II greeted the pilgrims in various languages:

"Un particolare saluto rivolgo ai familiari, parenti e amici delle Guardie Svizzere, che sono venuti a Roma per il giuramento dei nuovi alabardieri. Purtroppo, quella che doveva essere una occasione di lieto incontro si è trasformata in una sconvolgente tragedia, che pesa sul cuore di tutti e che è stata anche per me motivo di grande sofferenza.

Nel porgere le mie più sentite condoglianze ai genitori ed ai parenti del comandante Alois Estermann e della moglie, elevo la mia preghiera al Signore perché accolga le loro anime accanto a sé nella pace. Il comandante Estermann era una persona di grande fede e di salda dedizione al dovere; per 18 anni ha prestato un servizio fedele e prezioso, di cui gli sono personalmente grato.

Sono vicino anche alla sofferenza dei parenti del vice-caporale Cedric Tornay, che si trova ora davanti al giudizio di Dio, alla cui misericordia lo affido.

Invito tutti ad associarsi alla mia preghiera, implorando il conforto e la consolazione di Dio, Signore della vita e della morte.

Al termine dell'Udienza mi recherò a pregare davanti alle salme, che si trovano nella cappella della Guardia Svizzera."


Saluti

"Rivolgo ora un cordiale saluto alle Religiose dell'Unione Internazionale delle Superiori Generali, in questi giorni a Roma per la loro riunione plenaria. Carissime, vi assicuro la mia vicinanza spirituale e prego perché lo Spirito del Risorto vi aiuti a discernere i segni dei tempi, sì da testimoniare il Vangelo con fedeltà e gioia.

Saluto, poi, il gruppo romano di sostegno della Fraternità del Servizio Missionario Giovanile, guidato dal fondatore, il Signor Ernesto Olivero ed auspico che la "Marcia della speranza", da loro organizzata, contribuisca a promuovere in tutti i valori della pace e della solidarietà.

Un ricordo particolare agli Scouts della Parrocchia della Conversione di san Paolo in Massalombarda, che celebrano il venticinquesimo anniversario di fondazione; ai membri della Confederazione Mondiale degli Ex-allievi di Don Bosco, che tengono in questi giorni la loro seconda Assemblea elettiva; ai soci dell'Associazione lucana "Giustino Fortunato" di Napoli, accompagnati dal Cardinale Michele Giordano; agli Accademici della Regione Sicilia; ai membri della Cassa Rurale ed Artigiana di Castel Goffredo; agli organizzatori e agli atleti che prendono parte ai Campionati Internazionali d'Italia di Tennis; ai Sottufficiali dell'Esercito di stanza a Civitavecchia, che hanno partecipato alle missione di pace in Kurdistan, Somalia, Mozambico, Bosnia ed Erzegovina, presenti con i loro familiari.

Tutti vi ringrazio per la vostra gradita visita.

Desidero, infine, rivolgermi come di consueto ai giovani, ai malati ed agli sposi novelli.

Cari ragazzi e giovani, che vedo oggi così numerosi, vi saluto con grande affetto. Tra voi ci sono tantissimi studenti di diverse regioni italiane: grazie per la vostra presenza. Da pochi giorni è iniziato il mese di maggio, che il popolo cristiano dedica in maniera speciale alla Madre del Signore. Vi invito a porvi alla scuola di Maria per imparare ad amare Dio sopra ogni cosa e ad essere sempre disponibili e pronti a compiere la sua volontà.

La contemplazione della Madonna Addolorata aiuti voi, cari ammalati, a guardare con fede al mistero del dolore, cogliendo il valore salvifico nascosto in ogni croce.

Affido voi, cari sposi novelli, alla materna protezione della Vergine, perché possiate vivere nella vostra famiglia il clima di preghiera e di amore della casa di Nazaret.

Draga braco i sestre, Isus Krist, pravi Bog i pravi covjek, da bi uspostavio novi i vjecni savez izme?u Boga i cijeloga ljudskog roda, postao je poslušan Ocu sve do smrti na krizu (usp. Fil 2, 8). On, naime, nije došao suditi svijetu, nego svijet spasiti (usp. Iv 12, 47) kako bi ljudi imali zivot, u izobilju ga imali (usp. Iv 10, 10).

Srdacno pozdravljam clanove Hrvatske sveucilišne katolicke zajednice «Mi» i ostale hrvatske hodocasnike. Svima udjeljujem apostolski blagoslov.

Hvaljen Isus i Marija!

Vítám poutníky Smíšeného sboru "Moravan", z Kromeríze!

Práve dnes slavíme svátek svatého Jana Sarkandra. Tento knez dokázal zít z velikonocního tajemství: Spasitel byl pro neho sílou i v mucednické smrti. Necht i vy nacházíte všechnu sílu v Kristove krízi a v jeho zmrtvýchvstání.

Z celého srdce zehnám vám i vašim drahým doma.
Chvála Kristu!

Een woord van welkom aan alle Nederlandse en Belgische pelgrims!

Moge uw bezoek aan de graven van de apostelen en uw gebed een goede geestelijke voorbereiding zijn op de viering van het Jubileumjaar 2000 (tweeduizend).

Van harte verleen ik u de Apostolische Zegen.
Geloofd zij Jezus Christus !

Sveikinu maldininkus iš Lietuvos. Brangus Broliai ir Seserys, ši jusu pamaldi kelione bei šiandienos susitikimas tepakviecia visus i dvasini kelia prie Kristaus, kilniadvasiškai atsiveriant Jo Evangelijai.

To nuoširdziai linkedamas, laiminu jus, jusu artimuosius ir visa jusu Tevyne Lietuva apaštaliniu Palaiminimu. Garbe Jezui Kristui."

 

 

 

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