Pope Francis at St. Mary Major, March 15, 2013
March 15, 2013
Dear Family of Mary!
Our new Holy Father, Pope Francis, went to the Basilica St. Mary Major first thing the morning after his election to the Chair of Peter. He brought Our Lady some flowers, and spent some quiet time with her. It was a beautiful moment.
Later that day he celebrated Holy Mass with the Cardinal Electors in the Sistine Chapel. His homily was brief, but strong. But I was struck by one image he used. He spoke about the Church's call to journey, build and confess. Here is what he said about building:
Building... Building the Church. Stones are spoken of: the stones have a consistency, but they are the living stones, stones anointed by the Spirit. Building the Church, the Bride of Christ, upon that cornerstone that is the Lord himself. Building is another form of movement in our life. [Translation by Joseph G. Trabbic] (You can find the homily on Zenit... http://www.zenit.org/
Living Stones! We have recently heard that phrase somewhere else:
"Dear children! Also today I call you to prayer. May your prayer be as strong as a living stone, until with your lives you become witnesses. Witness the beauty of your faith. I am with you and intercede before my Son for each of you. Thank you for having responded to my call." (January 25, 2013)
I don't want to make too much of it, but Pope Francis used the same image for the faithful that Our Lady used in January. We are called to be "living stones"! Our Lady told us that our prayer must be as strong as a living stone, that the anointing we receive through prayer must make us strong believers and witnesses to Christ. Pope Francis said that we need to be "living stones", stones anointed by the Holy Spirit that are built upon the cornerstone, Christ! It is the same Holy Spirit that inspired Our Lady and Pope Francis to speak about "living stones"! This is consoling to me, hopeful, exciting!
There is another interesting connection between Pope Francis and Our Lady of Medjugorje. In his homily for last year's Easter Vigil Cardinal Bergoglio's spoke about Our Lady and how she keeps vigil:
"That night she, too, the Mother, was in vigil. Her insides made her intuit the closeness of that life which she conceived in Nazareth and her faith strengthened that intuition. We ask her, the first disciple, to teach us to persevere in the vigil, to accompany us in patience, to strengthen us in hope. We ask her to lead us to an encounter with her Risen Son; we ask her to free us from fear, so that we too can hear the angel's message and run off... not out of fright but to announce it to others in this Buenos Aires that needs it so much!"(Zenit.org) Dr. Edward Mulholland
Almost in answer to this call, Our Lady told us on March 2, 2013:
"...My children, keep vigil. I, as a mother, am keeping vigil with you. I am especially praying and watching over those whom my Son called to be light-bearers and carriers of hope for you - for your shepherds. Thank you." (March 2, 2013)
This was the call we were given, during the days before and during the conclave. Our Lady knows best how to keep vigil. She helped us to pray in vigil during this most important moment, and I believe we were given this most holy Pope as a result. He will help us become living stones, strong believers who will help to build the Church into the strong haven of safety it is meant to be. He seems to be very close to Our Lady, and with her he will lead us, free of fear, out into the world to announce the Risen Lord!
In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Cathy Nolan
©Mary TV 2013
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