Wednesday, May 12, 2010

The Pope at Fatima...

...and I looked on the Internet to see what he was saying and doing. His words at the prayer vigil this evening are beautiful. Read on...


"All of you, standing together with lighted candles in your hands, seem like a sea of light around this simple chapel, lovingly built to the honour of the Mother of God and our mother, whose path from earth to heaven appeared to the shepherd children like a way of light. However, neither Mary nor we have a light of our own: we receive it from Jesus. His presence within us renews the mystery and the call of the burning bush which once drew Moses on Mount Sinai and still fascinates those aware of the light within us which burns without consuming us (cf. Ex 3:2-5). We are merely a bush, but one upon which the glory of God has now come down. To him therefore be every glory, and to us the humble confession of our nothingness and the unworthy adoration of the divine plan which will be fulfilled when “God will be all in all” (cf. 1 Cor 15:28). The matchless servant of that plan was the Virgin full of grace: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord: let it be done to me according to your word” (Lk 1:38).

Dear pilgrims, let us imitate Mary, letting her words “Let it be done to me” resound in our lives. God ordered Moses: “Take off your shoes, for the place on which you stand is holy ground” (Ex 3:5). And that is what he did: he would put his shoes back on to free his people from slavery in Egypt and to guide them to the promised land. This was not about the possession of a parcel of land or about the national territory to which every people has a right; in the struggle for the freedom of Israel and in the exodus from Egypt, what appears central is above all the freedom to worship, the freedom of a religion of one’s own. Throughout the history of the chosen people, the promise of a homeland comes more and more to mean this: the land is granted in order to be a place of obedience, a window open to God.

In our time, in which the faith in many places seems like a light in danger of being snuffed out for ever, the highest priority is to make God visible in the world and to open to humanity a way to God. And not to any god, but to the God who had spoken on Sinai; the God whose face we recognize in the love borne to the very end (cf. Jn 13:1) in Jesus Christ, crucified and risen. Dear brothers and sisters, worship Christ the Lord in your hearts (cf. 1 Pet 3:15)! Do not be afraid to talk of God and to manifest without fear the signs of faith, letting the light of Christ shine in the presence of the people of today, just as the Church which gives birth to humanity as the family of God sings on the night of the Easter Vigil."

7 comments:

Elizabeth said...

That is beautiful and what we need to do - (not be afraid to speak about God in a world which seems mostly to forget all about Him)

Anonymous said...

We watch your shows on EWTN and find them so inspiring! Love the Feasts and Seasons (we just crowned our own Mary statue in our home) and are eagerly watching the Crusades (your husband is so knowledgable). Also, love the Catholic English Heroines book - each chapter is a real life lesson on living out one's faith. It's sad that some choose to skip Mass nowadays when in fact to the martyrs it was the ultimate privledge.

More books and shows please - you are keeping our traditions going in a way that relates to today's world . . .

Thank you for all you do.

Kathleen said...

God bless you, Joanna. You are an inspiration.

maggie said...

I just watched my first episode of Feasts and Seasons. The "Trinity Pineapple Cake". What an inspiration you are for someone just learning the Catholic Religion. I can't wait to see more. God bless you. Maggie

dawn said...

I was able to watch today's Mass and last night's blessing of the candles and praying of the rosary on EWTN.

I was fed. I was uplifted. I was renewed. I was strengthened.

And I pray that the Britain and Scotland Catholics will be edified in the up coming autumn visit by His Holiness as I was the past couple of day.

That was my specific intention as I attend the Feast of the Ascension today at my local parish this morning.

andyjourn said...

Thank you Joanna.

It has been disappointing to see the preoccupation some have with the third Secret of Fatima (by claiming there is a part to this that has still not been revealed), instead of following its true message, as the Pope has talked about here.

One things from reading the Holy Father's addresses in Fatima, is there is no doubt that he sees it at the epicentre of the present day struggle between good and evil.

Benedict hopes that in the next seven years leading us up to the centenary of Fatima, we will make great strides towards the prophecy of the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, given to the little seers.

And that was another thing. He also said that it would be foolish to say that the prophetic mission of Fatima has past.

Lisa Nicholas, Ph. D. said...

More and more, this is the Holy Father's message -- if we take it to heart, this Pentecost can see a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit that will send us into the streets of the world, witnessing to the Truth in a language that the World can understand. Come, Holy Ghost!