Due to a busy April, I was unable to post daily or weekly as I would desire. I hope this month long summary for the month of April will suffice. Now that we have commenced the month of May, the month of Mary, there will be much to share and write about, including the Pope's remarks from May 1st. Below my commentary you will find the references of Pope Francis.
The Help of Mary:
A common theme we find this month in the references is Mary's role of helping us. On at least five occasions, Pope Francis invoked the help of Mary. Let's take a look:
- "Let us pray to the Virgin Mary that she help us, bishop and people, to walk together in faith and charity."
- "let us ask for the help of Mary Most Holy so that the Church throughout the world may proclaim the Resurrection."
- "May the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Paul help us on this journey and intercede for us."
- "Mary our Mother, help us to recognize Jesus’ voice always better and to follow it to walk along the path of life! Thank you.
- "I say this in a special way to you who have received Confirmation today: may Mary help you to be attentive to that which the Lord asks of you, and always to live and to walk according to the Holy Spirit!"
Mary will help us to walk in faith, proclaim the Lord, help us on the journey, help us to recognize the voice of Jesus, and to follow the way of the Holy Spirit.
The Action of Mary
Another quick summation of the references can be seen in how Pope Francis either spoke of Mary's role or how he implored her:
- Mary leads us to Jesus.
- Mary inspires our mind to listen and put into practice the will of God
- She helps us in so many ways (as noted above).
- The Virgin Mary teaches us what it means to live in the Holy Spirit and what it means to welcome the newness of God in our life.
Specific Quotes
April 5 Homily
Domus Sanctae Marthae
"Mary always leads us to Jesus," as she did at Cana
when she said: "Do whatever he tells you. Let us trust in the name of
Jesus, let us invoke the name of Jesus, and let the Holy Spirit push us to say
this prayer trusting in the name of Jesus ... it will do us all good."
April 7, 2013
Homily Domus Sanctae Marthae
The Pope said that the road taken by Mary and Joseph to
Bethlehem for the imperial census was a road of humility. There was the
humility of Mary, who "did not understand well," but "[entrusted]
her soul to the will of God." Joseph was humble, as he "lowered
himself" to take on the "great responsibility" of the bride who
was with child. (Zenit)
April 7, 2013
Regina Caeli
Dear friends, this afternoon I will celebrate the Eucharist
in the Basilica of St. John Lateran, which is the cathedral of the Bishop of
Rome. Let us pray to the Virgin Mary that she help us, bishop and people, to
walk together in faith and charity, always confident in the mercy of the Lord:
He always waits for us, he loves us, he forgave us with is blood and he
forgives us every time we go to him to ask forgiveness. Let us have faith in
his mercy!
April 10, 2013
General Audience
Finally, an affectionate thought to young people, the sick
and newlyweds. Monday we celebrated the Feast of the Annunciation. May the
Virgin Mary inspire your mind, dear young people, so that you may always listen
to and put into practice the will of the Lord; may she warm your hearts, dear
sick people, to offer your suffering for the good of the Church; and may she
lead you, dear newlyweds, to recognize the presence of God and of His love in
your new family life.
April 14, 2013
Regina Caeli
In
praying the Regina Caeli together, let us ask for the help of Mary Most Holy so
that the Church throughout the world may proclaim the Resurrection of the Lord
with candour and courage and give credible witness to it with signs of
brotherly love. Brotherly love is the closest testimony we can give that Jesus
is alive with us, that Jesus is risen.
April 14,
2013
Homily,
St. Paul Outside the Walls
The Lord is the only God of our lives, and he invites us to
strip ourselves of our many idols and to worship him alone. May the Blessed
Virgin Mary and Saint Paul help us on this journey and intercede for us.
April 20,
2013
Regina Caeli
And let us invoke Mary’s
intercession. Today there were 10 young men who said “Yes” to Jesus and were
ordained priests this morning... This is beautiful! Let us invoke Mary’s
intercession, she who is the Woman of “Yes.” Mary said “Yes” her whole life!
She learned to recognize Jesus’ voice from the time she carried him in her
womb. Mary our Mother, help us to recognize Jesus’ voice always better and to
follow it to walk along the path of life! Thank you.
Thanks so much for the greeting,
but greet Jesus too. Cry out “Jesus,” loudly... Let us all pray together to Our
Lady.
April 28, 2013
Regina Caeli
I would like to entrust the
confirmandi and all of you to Our Lady. The Virgin Mary teaches us what it
means to live in the Holy Spirit and what it means to welcome the newness of
God in our life. She conceived Jesus by the work of the Spirit, and every
Christian, each one of us, is called to welcome the Word of God, to welcome
Jesus in ourselves and then bring him to everyone. Mary invoked the Spirit with
the Apostles in the upper room: every time that we come together in prayer, we
are supported by the spiritual presence of the Mother of Jesus, to receive the
gift of the Spirit and to have the ability to bear witness to the risen Jesus.
I say this in a special way to you who have received Confirmation today: may
Mary help you to be attentive to that which the Lord asks of you, and always to
live and to walk according to the Holy Spirit!
